[Elecraft] KX3 battery holder wiring

[Andy Durbin]

I have been loaned a KX3 with an option to buy it.  I have collected the various manuals and schematics so I can learn about the KX3 and its installed options and I have become familiar with the basic operation and completed a firmware update.

The KX3 was loaned to me with Alkaline batteries installed.  It has the NiMH charger option but it is not enabled in the menu.  I decided to fit NiMH cells but realized I do not understand how the battery holders are wired.  I expected each holder to be 4 cells in series and for the two holder to be in series with each other. It is not wired that way and the holder nearest the BNC connector has 3 cells in series and one isolated.  This holder has 4 wires.  The other holder has all cells in series and only two wires.

The schematic shows the battery pack is connected by a 6 pin plug with 5 pins being used.  I have not been able to find any schematic that shows how the battery pack itself is configured.

Why would I care?  The KX3 did not power up after I installed the NiMH cells so I wanted to measure the pack voltages before and during the power up attempt.  I was surprised to find one 4 cell pack was zero volts even though each cell was 1.2 V or higher.

Can someone please point me to a schematic that shows the configuration of the battery holders and the wiring of each cell.

Thanks and 73,
Andy, k3wyc