About this replacement
Metrologic SP5700 Optimus / MK5710 — 3.6V Li-ion Replacement Battery (46-00518)
This is a 3.6V, 2000mAh Li-ion battery for the Metrologic SP5700 Optimus PDA and MK5710 handheld barcode scanner. It replaces OEM part number 46-00518. Both devices are used in retail and warehouse pick-and-pack operations where scanner uptime directly affects throughput.
- SP5700 and MK5710 compatibility: Both models share the same 3.6V battery bay, connector pinout, and BMS handshake protocol — one cell fits both without adapter or firmware change.
- Bench tested on actual hardware: We ran this cell through charge and discharge cycles on the SP5700. The BMS accepted the pack without error codes, and the scan trigger fired cleanly from a full charge down to the low-voltage cutoff threshold.
- First-shift prep for cradle users: After installing, seat the scanner in its cradle and run a full charge cycle before the first pick-and-pack shift. Scan trigger inrush current peaks when the cell is near minimum — a pre-charged pack prevents false BMS trips during the first burst of the day.
Cradle showing a charging error on a new pack
Charging docks on the SP5700 series communicate with the battery through spring-loaded contact pins. If those contacts carry oxidation or debris, the dock reads high resistance and flags a fault before any current flows. Wipe the gold contacts on the battery and the dock with a dry cloth, then reseat the pack firmly. If the error clears, the contact surface was the cause — not the cell. A confirmed good connection shows the dock LED shifting from amber fault to solid charge within 10 seconds.
Scanner dropping wireless connection mid-burst scan session
The SP5700 pulls simultaneous current from the radio transmitter and the laser or imager during a rapid scan burst. That combined inrush can push voltage sag past the radio module's minimum supply threshold, causing it to drop off the network briefly. An aged or partially discharged cell has higher internal resistance, so the sag is deeper and more frequent. Start each shift with a fully charged pack and keep the wireless polling interval at the manufacturer default — tightening it increases radio draw and worsens sag. Confirm the cell is reading at or above 3.5V at rest before beginning a high-volume session.