[Elecraft] KX3 PV Panel Sizing For In-The-Field

[Jesper Henriksen]

I use a 20W foldable PV panel by PowerFilm, model name F15-1200. For
combined battery and charge controller I use a SunLoad.de M60, which can
also be charged from a wallwart or a car CLA, and also provides a couple
of USB ports to charge your phone etc. I have not noticed any noise from
it, even though it uses MPPT. The wallwart is rather noisy, but you
wouldn't use that outdoors anyway :)

Used this setup with my KX3 on a local field trip in April (which means
a somewhat low sun here at 59deg latitude). I didn't operate much
myself, but our local CW geek had a blast. And obviously the 20W panel
was quite sufficient, as the M60 indicated a higher charge at the end of
the day than it did at the beginning.

In total this setup weighs around 2.5-3kg. If I needed to save weight,
I'd look at skipping the charge controller and battery, and instead use
a small voltage regulator/limiter of some sort, and rely on the internal
batteries in the KX3 when the sun goes away.

-- 
Jesper Henriksen

On Fri, May 31, 2013 at 09:14:14PM -0700, Jim Bennett wrote:
> Some time this summer I hope to add the KX3 to my small lineup of equipment. Got a K3 several years ago and it's been a super radio. I sold an IC-756 Pro III and a K2 in order to finance the K3. Well, I'm getting the camping urge and want a radio to go with me. With the K2 gone, the KX3 is my choice. 
> 
> I have a 12Ah Sealed AGM battery (kind of heavy, but I'm not going backpacking!) - I think it ought to be a fine power supply for a weekend of radio in the field - or in the mountains. But, I'd like to have a PV panel and charge controller to keep the battery peaked up. Not sure what size PV panel or controller would be sufficient to keep a KX3 running on that battery for a couple days.
> 
> For those of you who have a KX3 and run it off of solar and battery, what are you using, PV and controller wise?
> 
> Jim / W6JHB
> Folsom, CA (three miles from the Big House!)