K2 + KPA100/EC2 Backup Battery Power?

[Darrell Bellerive]

I am wondering about backup power for a K2 based station.

The configuration would be a K2 with KBT2 and a KPA100 built into an EC2.

One AC Powered 24 amp continuous/30 amp maximum power supply running both plus
a few minor station accessories.

If the AC mains fails will the KBT2 continue to power the K2 at QRP levels?
>From reading the mailing list archives and looking at the schematics this
seems to be the case, but just wanted to check to see if this was indeed the
case.

I would like to set the power supply voltage to about 14.2 volts or so to keep
the proper float voltage on the KBT2 battery. I assume that the higher
voltage will not be a factor for the KPA100. Am I correct?

Lastly, I would like to power the few station accessories from the KBT2
battery to keep them running in the event of a AC mains power outage. They
are low current devices so they shouldn't impact the battery much. I would
also like them switched on and off with the K2 front panel power switch. Is
there a convenient place in a K2 to pull off the switched 12 volts and feed
it to a rear panel connector?

TIA and 73,
Darrell

--
Darrell Bellerive
Amateur Radio Stations: VA7TO, VE7CLA
Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada
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[Bob Nielsen]

On Fri, 2005-06-03 at 08:12 -0700, Darrell Bellerive wrote:

> I am wondering about backup power for a K2 based station.
>
> The configuration would be a K2 with KBT2 and a KPA100 built into an EC2.
>
> One AC Powered 24 amp continuous/30 amp maximum power supply running both plus
> a few minor station accessories.
>
> If the AC mains fails will the KBT2 continue to power the K2 at QRP levels?
> From reading the mailing list archives and looking at the schematics this
> seems to be the case, but just wanted to check to see if this was indeed the
> case.
>
> I would like to set the power supply voltage to about 14.2 volts or so to keep
> the proper float voltage on the KBT2 battery. I assume that the higher
> voltage will not be a factor for the KPA100. Am I correct?
>
> Lastly, I would like to power the few station accessories from the KBT2
> battery to keep them running in the event of a AC mains power outage. They
> are low current devices so they shouldn't impact the battery much. I would
> also like them switched on and off with the K2 front panel power switch. Is
> there a convenient place in a K2 to pull off the switched 12 volts and feed
> it to a rear panel connector?
>
> TIA and 73,
> Darrell
>

Darrell,

The KPA100 manual says the supply voltage should be between 11 and 15
volts (13.8 volts nominal), so 14.2 volts shouldn't be a problem.

The anode of D12 (large SB530 diode) should be an easy place to attach a
lead for obtaining switched 12 volts.

73,
Bob N7XY


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[Don Wilhelm-3]

Darrell,

I would like to inject just one additional way of keeping the internal
battery charged - connect a smartcharger directly to the K2 internal
battery.  Take a look at my webpage article relating to using a SmartCharger
with the K2 Internal - www.qsl.net/w3fpr or the mirror at
http://home.earthlink.net/~w3fpr.

If you wish to run other accessories from the K2 battery, a simple "Y"
connection at the K2 terminals for the SmartCharger will do the job - that
connection is direct to the battery terminals via a fused connection.

The high current supply can power your KPA100 and if AC power drops, it will
switch over to low power operation on the internal battery with no
interruption.

73,
Don W3FPR

> -----Original Message-----
>
> I am wondering about backup power for a K2 based station.
>
> The configuration would be a K2 with KBT2 and a KPA100 built into an EC2.
>
> One AC Powered 24 amp continuous/30 amp maximum power supply
> running both plus
> a few minor station accessories.
>
> If the AC mains fails will the KBT2 continue to power the K2 at
> QRP levels?
> From reading the mailing list archives and looking at the schematics this
> seems to be the case, but just wanted to check to see if this was
> indeed the
> case.
>
> I would like to set the power supply voltage to about 14.2 volts
> or so to keep
> the proper float voltage on the KBT2 battery. I assume that the higher
> voltage will not be a factor for the KPA100. Am I correct?
>
> Lastly, I would like to power the few station accessories from the KBT2
> battery to keep them running in the event of a AC mains power
> outage. They
> are low current devices so they shouldn't impact the battery
> much. I would
> also like them switched on and off with the K2 front panel power
> switch. Is
> there a convenient place in a K2 to pull off the switched 12
> volts and feed
> it to a rear panel connector?
>
> TIA and 73,
> Darrell

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