[Elecraft] FD2004: Solar K2 w/Li-Ion

Wed Mar 17 16:27:07 2004

Hi

Li-Ion batteries have special charging requirements if fast charging is =
required. Normally they are charged at a high rate for about 80% of the =
capacity then trickled for the remaining 20%. Some of them have small =
controllers built in to monitor charge/discharge curves. You may get by =
with slow charging them at a reduced rate, I have never tried it with =
these batteries.=20

You can charge NiMh batteries with a small solar panel without a =
controller. I am assuming you want to run a K2 not a K2/100. 10 AA 2200 =
ma/hr cells can be charged with a 5 to 10 watt panel and power your K2 =
at the same time. These batteries can be left on charge at 1/10 C =
indefinitely without damage. A 5 watt panel will supply about 320 ma, =
just a little above the 1/10 C rate for a 2200 ma battery.

If you want to use a SLA battery then you will need to use a controller =
to keep from overcharging the battery and damaging it. I have a solar =
controller kit that I sell for $30 that will work with any solar panel =
from 1 to 200 watts and will work with any size 6 or 12 volt SLA =
battery. I have used this controller with a 150 watt panel and 100 amp =
hour battery to power a K2/100 at field day several times.

Don Brown
KD5NDB
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Daniel Reynolds<mailto:[email protected]>=20
  To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>=20
  Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 2:30 PM
  Subject: [Elecraft] FD2004: Solar K2 w/Li-Ion

  I'm looking at preparing for my 2nd Field Day with my K2. This year =
I'd like to
  look at taking advantage of solar charging and possibly light weight =
Li-Ion
  batteries. Has anyone had experience acquiring Li-Ion and is it tricky =
to
  charge them? If anyone has any comments or ideas they'd like to share =
with me -
  I'd really appreciate it.

  Thanks and 72/73,
  Daniel/AA0NI

  _______________________________________________
  Elecraft mailing list: =
[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
  You must be subscribed to post to the list.
  To subscribe or unsubscribe see: =
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft<http://mailman.qth.net/m=
ailman/listinfo/elecraft>
  Elecraft Web Page: http://www.elecraft.com<http://www.elecraft.com/>
  Also see: =
http://www.elecraft.com/elecraft_list_guidelines.htm<http://www.elecraft.=
com/elecraft_list_guidelines.htm>

--- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
multipart/alternative
  text/plain (text body -- kept)
  text/html
The reason this message is shown is because the post was in HTML
or had an attachment.  Attachments are not allowed.  To learn how
to post in Plain-Text go to: http://www.expita.com/nomime.html  ---