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Author Topic: Headway DIY Battery Build VS Bienno  (Read 192 times)

W1RNY

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Headway DIY Battery Build VS Bienno
« on: May 11, 2020, 07:50:42 PM »

I need a battery for a portable satellite station I am putting together.  I am debating simply building my own lithium iron phosphate battery based upon the Headway cells.  I am figure I will just balance charge it at home.  I will need some kind of low voltage discharge protection.

If anyone has any experience building a pack, I am curious about your experience.

What are you using for low voltage discharge protection?
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N8AUC

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Re: Headway DIY Battery Build VS Bienno
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2020, 08:35:56 PM »

Check out the work of Julian, OH8STN.
He's done what you are considering doing.

If you build your own LiFePO battery pack from Headway cells, it's good practice to incorporate a battery management system (BMS) board. That will take care of the problem for you. When my current AGM setup finally breathes it last, that is what I intend to replace it with.

Frankly, I think building your own is the way to go. That way you'll get exactly what you specify, and you'll probably save a few bucks in the process. Plus, if something ever goes wrong with it, you'll be able to fix it yourself.

73 de N8AUC
Eric
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LA9XNA

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Re: Headway DIY Battery Build VS Bienno
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2020, 09:40:52 PM »

If you are building a 3 cell unit you will be at 3x3v= 9V at the lowest voltage the battery can handle. When using ham gear your radio will stop vorking somewhere between 10v and 11v and you would not go below a voltage that can damage your batteries.
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N8FNR

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Re: Headway DIY Battery Build VS Bienno
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2020, 06:40:21 AM »

Check out the work of Julian, OH8STN.
He's done what you are considering doing.


Here is the OH8STN link. Lots of interesting info!
DIY Battery Storage  http://oh8stn.org/diy-battery-storage/

One of his links is to this guy who makes some interesting Powerpole distribution kits. https://k9jeb.com/

Zack N8FNR

« Last Edit: May 12, 2020, 06:56:01 AM by N8FNR »
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W1RNY

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Re: Headway DIY Battery Build VS Bienno
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2020, 08:57:29 AM »

I watched Julian's videos....in fact, that is how I learned about it.  I have been using lithium ion batteries of various chemistries for some time in building high powered hand held lasers.  Some of them, like one diode that requires 4 to 4.5 amps, require the battery to be able to deliver a high current surge  I have used sizes up to 32650 but I have not been keeping up have no experience with lithium iron phosphate batteries.

Julian....and frankly all of his content, I find really impressive.  In fact, when I described what I wanted to do, he suggested that I probably only need one 10 to 20 amp hours in size when you consider that even if I went out for ten hours at a time, satellite passes are only about 15 minutes in duration.

He even suggested, and I can understand why, not adding the complexity of a battery management system at this point since I am not going solar, but to just use a Tenergy or other RC balance charger.  Instead of a BMS, just a low voltage disconnect device of some sort. 

I think the charging is similar to the other lithium chemistries I use....constant current up to a certain voltage.  For the batteries I have been using, it is 4.2 volts but for these I think it is 3.2. 

So, a basic pack for amateur use is always 4S.

Now, if I can only find out and find a barrel connector for my Dell Lattitude laptop!

Any recommendations for a low voltage cut off?



I just wanted to see if anyone else had experience with using them.
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