[Elecraft] K3/10 on Battery?

[Dave G4AON]

Jim

My K3/100 works fine on a leisure battery (110 Ah), there are no nasty 
surprises on lower voltages with the K3 quite happy on 11 ~ 11.5 volts. 
Whether a battery is happy with low voltage is another matter! Your 
K3/10 should be fine from your van battery for that short time. The 
"rule of thumb" with lead acid batteries is to use as big a battery as 
you can reasonably afford and carry, unlike lithium, NiMh and NiCad 
batteries, lead acid batteries deteriorate when discharged to a low 
voltage - even so called deep discharge types. I think most of us have 
come across ruined gel cells that have been over discharged, the cheap 
type usually found in alarm panels are particularly prone to damage.

73 Dave, G4AON
K3/100 #100
------------------
I've got a situation where I might need to operate my K3/10 on a battery.

Since it's a one time (likely) deal I don't really want to drop a wad on
this.

I've got a 5ah gel cell that I could use. If pressed I could make a
connection to the car accessory output aka cigarette lighter in the back of
the van.

The occasion is a QRP fox hunt where most of the 1.5hrs is listening and
less than 10 minutes of transmitting at 5W.

Thoughts or suggestions welcome.

73

jim ab3cv