[Elecraft] Operating KX3/KXPA100 on LiPO3 batteries??

[Barry Baines]

Clay:

> On Jul 26, 2018, at 11:42 AM, Clay Autery <KY5G at montac.com> wrote:
> 
> Bioenno folks are awesome, too.  Not as cool as Elecraft, but close.
> 
> Unsolicited Suggestion Warning:  Put a switch inline on the AC power cord to the charger....  Personally, I am going to replace the cord with a longer cord with an inline toggle switch.
> 
> Or get the West Mountain box designed to power the radio and use Bioenno batteries as backup/alt.

I presume you mean the West Mountain “Epic PWRgate”?

This device is designed to use LiPO4 batteries as a power backup for a fixed station operation where 120VAC/power supply (presumably 13.8 VDC) is present to recharge the LiPO4 while providing power to the station equipment.  It isn’t clear to me whether the prior posts concern a fixed station use of the LiPO4 or a mobile or portable operation.  

I’ve suggested to the West Mountain Radio folks (at this year’s  Hamcation and Hamvention) that a device that can recharge/manage LiPO4 batteries while mobile would that could power equipment when the vehicle’s engine is off and recharge the LiPO4 while the engine is running would be very helpful as it would keep equipment running during fuel or rest stops, preventing shutdown while also protecting the car’s battery from excessive discharge when operating for more extensive periods with the engine off.  An alternator doesn’t provide the stable power that a 120 VAC power supply does and I was advised not to use the Epic PWRgate while mobile.  Whether such a device will eventually be developed remains to be seen. Being able to use LiPO4 would significantly extend the amount of time that power could be supplied to mobile electronics as well as reduce the weight of the battery making it easier to install and secure.  It would also be useful for portable operation where the LiPO4 battery could be recharged by the car’s alternator while in transit to the next portable operating site for use outside the vehicle (such as a KX2 or KX3 portable setup) or while parked using installed equipment.  

In the meantime, I’m using a 12VDC 7AH AGM with West Mountain Radio’s “ISOpwr” to manage power to my mobile electronics, including USB Hubs to power various USB devices as well as mobile rigs.  Keeping the USB devices powered during engine shutdowns for refueling is critical as it eliminates the need to reboot the laptop mounted in the car that is connected to a GPS receiver, 8 iMICS, and several RTS-3 USB-to-Serial adapters. If any of these devices lose power from their respective hub due to engine shutdown, it requires a reboot of the laptop to re-establish connection and restart of the various applications that utilize these devices to get everything going again.  


73,

Barry, WD4ASW

> ______________________
> Clay Autery, KY5G
> (318) 518-1389
>