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4S lipo battery for KX3?

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Gil G.

4S lipo battery for KX3?

Hello,

I just got a lipo charger and 3S packs for my MTR and K1, but I wonder if a 4S pack could be used with my KX3? The voltage is presumably 14.8V, but I assume it would be a little more at full charge..? Is anyone using a 4S battery pack with the KX3?
I guess I could use one or two diodes to drop 0.6 or 1.2V…?

Thanks.

Gil.
--
PGP Key: http://keskydee.com/gil.asc

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Phil Salas

Re: 4S lipo battery for KX3?

I use a 4S2P 5200mah LiPo battery with my KX3. It lets me run 10 watts for a long time. I use the simple reducer in the “Articles” section of my website (www.ad5x.com) and just remove it when convenient when the KX3-monitored receive battery voltage drops below 14V. You can expand on this by enclosing the reducer in a small box with a switch across the diodes so you can short the diodes without interrupting power to the radio when the reducer isn’t needed.

Phil – AD5X
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MontyS

Re: 4S lipo battery for KX3?

I use an ANKER Astro3 10AH "battery charger" from Amazon.com and elsewhere.
Be sure you look at the one with a switchable 9volt-12volt output. It's
designed to recharge phones and pads, but puts out 12.2 volts nicely. Comes
with a plethora of adapters.
Monty K2DLJ

I use a 4S2P 5200mah LiPo battery with my KX3. It lets me run 10 watts for
a long time. I use the simple reducer in the “Articles” section of my
website (www.ad5x.com) and just remove it when convenient when the
KX3-monitored receive battery voltage drops below 14V. You can expand on
this by enclosing the reducer in a small box with a switch across the diodes
so you can short the diodes without interrupting power to the radio when the
reducer isn’t needed.

Phil – AD5X
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Mark Goldberg

Re: 4S lipo battery for KX3?

In reply to this post by Gil G.

I use LiFePo4 batteries. 4s will go from 14 to 12V from 0 to 90% discharge.
Perfect match for KX3 with full power all the way. No voltage reduction or
noisy DC-DC converter needed. Search the Elecraft lists archives for mine
and other posts with sources.

Mark
On Aug 24, 2013 8:03 PM, "Gil G." <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I just got a lipo charger and 3S packs for my MTR and K1, but I wonder if
> a 4S pack could be used with my KX3? The voltage is presumably 14.8V, but I
> assume it would be a little more at full charge..? Is anyone using a 4S
> battery pack with the KX3?
> I guess I could use one or two diodes to drop 0.6 or 1.2V…?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Gil.
> --
> PGP Key: http://keskydee.com/gil.asc
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>

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Nicklas Johnson

Re: 4S lipo battery for KX3?

This is the first time I've read about LiFePo4 batteries; is it correct to
say that one needs to pair a 3.2V AA LiFePo4 with a "dummy" AA? Does the
timed charger module in a KX3 play nicely with this type of battery?

Nick

On 25 August 2013 12:23, Mark Goldberg <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I use LiFePo4 batteries. 4s will go from 14 to 12V from 0 to 90% discharge.
> Perfect match for KX3 with full power all the way. No voltage reduction or
> noisy DC-DC converter needed. Search the Elecraft lists archives for mine
> and other posts with sources.
>
> Mark
> On Aug 24, 2013 8:03 PM, "Gil G." <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> > Hello,
> >
> > I just got a lipo charger and 3S packs for my MTR and K1, but I wonder if
> > a 4S pack could be used with my KX3? The voltage is presumably 14.8V,
> but I
> > assume it would be a little more at full charge..? Is anyone using a 4S
> > battery pack with the KX3?
> > I guess I could use one or two diodes to drop 0.6 or 1.2V…?
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > Gil.
> > --
> > PGP Key: http://keskydee.com/gil.asc
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> >
> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> >
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>

--
*N6OL*
Saying something doesn't make it true. Belief in something doesn't make it
real. And if you have to lie to support a position, that position is not
worth supporting.
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Mark Goldberg

Re: 4S lipo battery for KX3?

The LiFePO4 batteries have to be external. They don't fit inside and are
completely different voltages and charge characteristics. They should have
a balancing charger, many external universal RC chargers do that. I've
posted links in the past to some chargers.

Mark
On Aug 25, 2013 12:52 PM, "Nicklas Johnson" <[hidden email]> wrote:

> This is the first time I've read about LiFePo4 batteries; is it correct to
> say that one needs to pair a 3.2V AA LiFePo4 with a "dummy" AA? Does the
> timed charger module in a KX3 play nicely with this type of battery?
>
> Nick
>
>
> On 25 August 2013 12:23, Mark Goldberg <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> > I use LiFePo4 batteries. 4s will go from 14 to 12V from 0 to 90%
> discharge.
> > Perfect match for KX3 with full power all the way. No voltage reduction
> or
> > noisy DC-DC converter needed. Search the Elecraft lists archives for mine
> > and other posts with sources.
> >
> > Mark
> > On Aug 24, 2013 8:03 PM, "Gil G." <[hidden email]> wrote:
> >
> > > Hello,
> > >
> > > I just got a lipo charger and 3S packs for my MTR and K1, but I wonder
> if
> > > a 4S pack could be used with my KX3? The voltage is presumably 14.8V,
> > but I
> > > assume it would be a little more at full charge..? Is anyone using a 4S
> > > battery pack with the KX3?
> > > I guess I could use one or two diodes to drop 0.6 or 1.2V…?
> > >
> > > Thanks.
> > >
> > > Gil.
> > > --
> > > PGP Key: http://keskydee.com/gil.asc
> > >
> > > ______________________________________________________________
> > > Elecraft mailing list
> > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > > Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> > >
> > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> > >
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> >
> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> >
>
>
>
> --
> *N6OL*
> Saying something doesn't make it true. Belief in something doesn't make it
> real. And if you have to lie to support a position, that position is not
> worth supporting.
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

Nicklas Johnson

Re: 4S lipo battery for KX3?

Thanks for all the info, guys. I'll look into these before my next big
trip!

Nick

On 25 August 2013 16:31, Mark Goldberg <[hidden email]> wrote:

> The LiFePO4 batteries have to be external. They don't fit inside and are
> completely different voltages and charge characteristics. They should have
> a balancing charger, many external universal RC chargers do that. I've
> posted links in the past to some chargers.
>
> Mark
> On Aug 25, 2013 12:52 PM, "Nicklas Johnson" <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> This is the first time I've read about LiFePo4 batteries; is it correct to
>> say that one needs to pair a 3.2V AA LiFePo4 with a "dummy" AA? Does the
>> timed charger module in a KX3 play nicely with this type of battery?
>>
>> Nick
>>
>>
>> On 25 August 2013 12:23, Mark Goldberg <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> > I use LiFePo4 batteries. 4s will go from 14 to 12V from 0 to 90%
>> discharge.
>> > Perfect match for KX3 with full power all the way. No voltage reduction
>> or
>> > noisy DC-DC converter needed. Search the Elecraft lists archives for
>> mine
>> > and other posts with sources.
>> >
>> > Mark
>> > On Aug 24, 2013 8:03 PM, "Gil G." <[hidden email]> wrote:
>> >
>> > > Hello,
>> > >
>> > > I just got a lipo charger and 3S packs for my MTR and K1, but I
>> wonder if
>> > > a 4S pack could be used with my KX3? The voltage is presumably 14.8V,
>> > but I
>> > > assume it would be a little more at full charge..? Is anyone using a
>> 4S
>> > > battery pack with the KX3?
>> > > I guess I could use one or two diodes to drop 0.6 or 1.2V…?
>> > >
>> > > Thanks.
>> > >
>> > > Gil.
>> > > --
>> > > PGP Key: http://keskydee.com/gil.asc
>> > >
>> > > ______________________________________________________________
>> > > Elecraft mailing list
>> > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> > > Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>> > >
>> > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>> > >
>> > ______________________________________________________________
>> > Elecraft mailing list
>> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> > Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>> >
>> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> *N6OL*
>>
>> Saying something doesn't make it true. Belief in something doesn't make
>> it
>> real. And if you have to lie to support a position, that position is not
>> worth supporting.
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>
>