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Author Topic: Rover Battery  (Read 362 times)

N8HI

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Rover Battery
« on: February 18, 2022, 12:01:21 PM »

At some point when Spring weather comes, I'd like to go satellite operation roving to different grid squares. What's a good battery to power my IC-9700 at 20 watts? I'd like something that's not lead-acid. Thanks, Doug N8HI
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WA3SKN

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Re: Rover Battery
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2022, 12:10:39 PM »

Well, "roving" usually means you are in a vehicle.  So whats wrong with the vehicle power?
Now "portable" usually indicates on foot/etc. and you want the biggest battery you are willing to carry!  Lithium is lighter than lead-acid, so you get more bang but at a price.
So, do you have a budget?  Have you measured current draw of the IC9700 at the 20 watt level?  You will want to!

-Mike.
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N8HI

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Re: Rover Battery
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2022, 12:38:19 PM »

Doing a "formal" power hook-up on present day cars isn't as easy as the "old days". And for the time that it would be used... just not worth the trouble. Also, the rig may be needed several yards from the vehicle so the resistive loss would be high.
The reciever takes about 1.4A and the trasmit mode I'm guessing about 5A.
Budget not a problem, litium would be great.
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W9FIB

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Re: Rover Battery
« Reply #3 on: February 18, 2022, 03:05:51 PM »

I use a motorcycle battery that I can plug into a charging port that I put under the hood at the vehicle accessory power stud. Tha battery absorbs any power spikes and can be easily charged up with the turning of the key. A drop cord with #10 wire will have little loss at those current levels. I just use Power Pole connectors for easy set up. And a small rig runner for the equipment to be powered. Easy to move around and easy to set up.
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73, Stan
Travelling the world one signal at a time.

WA2EIO

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Re: Rover Battery
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2022, 03:18:49 PM »

The typical POTA/portable operation (similar to what you are thinking of) uses one of the Bioenno LiFePO-4 types.  (Gigaparts also has some in a few capacities that are branded "LIFEPO-4" batteries.) They are small and lightweight. Cost is approximately $10.00/Ah.   Using a 20 Watt rig,  a 20-30 Ah battery should work out very well, and you can even get a DC powered charger for it, or go to a solar charger if you foresee being out for a very extended time.
« Last Edit: February 18, 2022, 03:31:44 PM by WA2EIO »
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K6AER

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Re: Rover Battery
« Reply #5 on: February 18, 2022, 05:32:53 PM »

A car cigarette lighter is good for 15 amps. NAPA has lots of them.

For real work away from the vehicle I use a motorcycle 12 volt AGM battery. They are about 34 AH. A 100 watt solar panel can charge the battery during the day. The battery weights about 22 lbs and cost $85 at WallMart.

It will run my IC-718 at 100 watts for about 5 hours on SSB.
« Last Edit: February 18, 2022, 05:45:41 PM by K6AER »
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W1MOW

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Re: Rover Battery
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2022, 08:42:46 AM »

I made the switch last year from a 18 AH/SLA to a 20AH LiFePO4 made by ECI power. It runs my FT-891 for about 5-6 hours and weighs about 6 lbs. I have charged it using my lab power supply, and solar panels. It's hard to beat at $96. If you want a lot of reserve power, they have a 100Ah that weighs about 23lbs for $380. They also have a office California for any questions or problems.

https://www.amazon.com/ECI-Power-Rechargeable-2000-5000-Applications/dp/B0973LL679/ref=sr_1_24?crid=3SP73BBAM84MK&keywords=lifepo4+battery&qid=1645287978&sprefix=lifepo%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-24

Gary W1MOW
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The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt - Bertram Russell (1935)

So not much has changed in almost 90 years!

WA8NVW

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Re: Rover Battery
« Reply #7 on: March 21, 2022, 02:31:31 PM »

One big problem not yet mentioned is STABILITY of the power source.  Most '12 VDC' ham expect to see 11.5 to 15 volts and will reset their innards if the voltage ever drops below 11, such as when you key the transmitter each time.  Any voltage drop within a lighter plug, vehicle wiring, or the extension cord will cause trouble.  Put the LiFePO4 battery next to the radio and power the 12VDC input LiFePO4 charger through your 10 ga extension cord from the vehicle (or solar cell array).  This way you can recharge the battery while you are driving to the site and when receiving, with or without sunshine.
« Last Edit: March 21, 2022, 02:34:38 PM by WA8NVW »
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G4AON

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Re: Rover Battery
« Reply #8 on: March 22, 2022, 06:21:05 AM »

One big problem not yet mentioned is STABILITY of the power source.  Most '12 VDC' ham expect to see 11.5 to 15 volts and will reset their innards if the voltage ever drops below 11, such as when you key the transmitter each time.
Like many others, I have migrated to LiFePO4 technology. OK, they aren’t cheap, but these batteries are much better than lead acid. I run a 100 Watt transceiver and a 15.6” laptop for logging. With a 68 Ah battery I can easily operate for 6 hours in contests.

I boost the Voltage to a rock solid 13.8 using an MFJ 4416C, which was originally bought to use with an AGM (lead acid) battery. The laptop is run from the battery via a 12 Volt to 19 Volt “car” adapter, even though the laptop can run around 8 hours from it’s own internal battery.

Beware, a laptop can draw quite a lot of current, around 5 Amps, while charging the internal battery.

73 Dave
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KB1GMX

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Re: Rover Battery
« Reply #9 on: April 07, 2022, 06:29:27 AM »

I'm also one to switch to LIPO and LIFePo4 and they are much lighter for the
AH size than lead and more stable voltage.

I have several depending on need, a pocket sized 11Ah specifically for the
FT817, a larger 20AH for the Tentec 6&2 (20W VHF) and for the big events
like field day a 100ah (30 pounds in battery box and charge controller).

The larger 100Ah allow for 100W remote/semiportable (not packing it more
than a few hundred yards) and has proven very good when teamed with
100W of solar.

I used to use lead but the voltage droop at high current and weight were
two down sides.  However the bigger thing was operational life.  I could
not trust lead to last more than 4 maybe 5 years despite careful charging.
So far the LIpo/LiFePo have outlasted by many years and still going strong.
The 11Ah pack for the FT817 (3S4p Lipo) is now 11 years old and still holds
charge and gives full operating time.    Life offsets cost.

Allison
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K0UA

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Re: Rover Battery
« Reply #10 on: April 07, 2022, 02:54:43 PM »

I made the switch last year from a 18 AH/SLA to a 20AH LiFePO4 made by ECI power. It runs my FT-891 for about 5-6 hours and weighs about 6 lbs. I have charged it using my lab power supply, and solar panels. It's hard to beat at $96. If you want a lot of reserve power, they have a 100Ah that weighs about 23lbs for $380. They also have a office California for any questions or problems.

https://www.amazon.com/ECI-Power-Rechargeable-2000-5000-Applications/dp/B0973LL679/ref=sr_1_24?crid=3SP73BBAM84MK&keywords=lifepo4+battery&qid=1645287978&sprefix=lifepo%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-24

Gary W1MOW

Tnx for that link Gary.  73  James K0UA
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73  James K0UA
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