[Kenwood] 480HX and How To Power It

[WD8ARZ]

Subject: Base, mobile or portable - Here are some ideas to power and 
protect that ham base, mobile or portable station ..... all from the 
same battery system.

The TS-480HX requires about 40 amps to transmit 200 watts. Here is a 
battery system that can be used on the base, mobile and portable grab 
and go emergencies. It includes protection of the vehicle battery from 
being drained by the ham gear, and protects the ham gear from starting 
transients. My battery sets on the floor between a row of seats. Have 
also had it in the extreme rear.

A  standard ham 100 watt rig power supply will easily charge such a 
system when your on the base and portable (you probably already have 
that supply left over from some other ham rig), and the vehicle battery 
is used for charging on the road. Solar could be a source as well.

Connect the transceiver right across the battery, fusing both cables.

The battery handles the load and keeps the amp draw off the PG-40S. The 
20 amp power supply I used to use on a ham rig is feeding the PG-40S 
full time on the base / portable, and it loafs along at just a few amps 
or less most of the time. Some times five amps if the power was off for 
a little while and the battery drawn down a bit. Even after using the 
battery with out charging for eight hours or so, the charge rate hardly 
hit 8 amps. The same can be expected in a mobile setup.

Choose a GEL battery when possible due to its venting / tip over / 
discharge advantages over the AGM type. Both are better choices than 
typical automotive lead acid deep cycle batteries. Also get the 
protective carry case. Previous battery here was a GEL 70 a/Hr battery. 
Replaced that battery I used for 24/7 over the last six years with a 100 
a/Hr battery Werker Gel 100 a/hr from Batteriesplus.

You can isolate / protect your vehicle / portable battery and the 
equipment attached to it, by using some sort of power isolator. The 
standard RV diode or relay isolation options are not enough.

APO3 Timed Switch, kills the power to PG40S after the vehicle is shut 
off to prevent draining / damaging the car battery after a preset period 
of time, say ten minutes. I have mine set to zero minutes as a delay is 
not needed when using an internal battery inside the vehicle. If you 
were not using a separate battery from the vehicle, and was feeding the 
ham gear from the vehicle battery, then set this to about 10 minutes if 
you want some delay operation time. Keep in mind you will have vehicle 
starting transients applied across the transmitter finals before the 
APO3 times out. Get a bad starter and this can be damaging. When the 
APO3 times out, it also keeps the power off the PG40S / Ham radio and 
equipment during vehicle starting, protecting those systems from 
starting transients.
http://www.aprsworld.com/apo3/

Power gate PG40S backup power system to provide dual auto switching power
and charging of a Gel Battery, mobile or base. Doesn't get hot. This is 
more than
an isolator and switcher. It is also a charger and power / charge alert
system to boot.
http://www.westmountainradio.com/SuperPWRgate.htm

Rigrunner 4008 using Anderson Powerpole connectors for power 
distribution to multiple equipment. Note that all outputs are 
individually fused.
http://www.westmountainradio.com/RIGrunner.htm

Powerpole Crimp Tool for making more cable to rig hook ups with spare 
connectors.
http://www.westmountainradio.com/PWRcrimp.htm

Battery Fuse & Terminal Kit to protect vehicle cable feeding the 
distribution system.
http://www.westmountainradio.com/rigrunner/battfusetermkit.htm

On the base, I even use a large UPS to feed and isolate the charging 
power supply from commercial utility power spikes and variations.

73 from Bill - WD8ARZ

On 12/28/2012 1:58 PM, Jack Berry wrote:
> How are mobile installations being powered for 200 watt output?
>
> I have been using the old 100 watt setup and just split it to the two inputs. But I want to upgrade that a bit and curious what others are doing.
>
> 73,
> Jack