[KX2] DC Power

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[KX2] DC Power

Elecraft mailing list
Two questions regarding the KX2.
1. Can the KXBC2 be used as a power supply, with appropriate adapter, to  
power the KX2?
2. Can someone explain why Elecraft used a Li-ion battery rather than  
other Lithium chemistries in the KX2?
Some chemistries are safer than others.
 
73
Jim H
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Re: [KX2] DC Power

ae5ka
As for #2, I surmise their reasoning includes:

1. Higher energy density for greater capacity for a given size and weight
compared to other lithium chemistries
2. Safe when charged and discharged responsibly, ergo the charger specified
to go with it, protection circuitry within the battery pack, and KX2
shutdown with low voltage states. No doubt they expect ham radio licensees
to behave responsibly considering the knowledge they are expected to have.
3. The knowledge that lithium ion technology has a good safety record in
laptops and cell phones, despite the very rare but widely publicized
 instances of battery failures that are almost always the result of
improper charging or trauma.

Those that are still concerned have the option of using an external
battery, or cobbling together their own internal battery pack with the
chemistry of their choice. It wouldn't be hard.

Chip
AE5KA


On Wed, Jun 8, 2016 at 6:05 PM, Jim H via Elecraft <[hidden email]
> wrote:

> Two questions regarding the KX2.
> 1. Can the KXBC2 be used as a power supply, with appropriate adapter, to
> power the KX2?
> 2. Can someone explain why Elecraft used a Li-ion battery rather than
> other Lithium chemistries in the KX2?
> Some chemistries are safer than others.
>
> 73
> Jim H
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
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Re: [KX2] DC Power

Jim Finan
Not all the Li Battery problems are from mishandling. 

Sony had to eat a bunch of notebook batteries a few years ago because of improper safety protection (internally). Nikon ate a bunch of their lithium battery cells for the same reason. Nvidia recalled all their early tablets about 6 months ago for the same reason.  These are recalls I've had to contend with. There are many more. 

Basically the issue was that at least some Chinese (maybe others as well) manufacturers were cutting corners - something you can't get away with on li batteries. 

Ordered my KX2 very soon after the order site went a‎ctive and received it about 3 days later. But - I didn't order the batteries until more info was released about them, several days later. 

There was someone on this reflector that had a Li battery fail in an energetic way some months back. I'm sure it is in the archives. 

From what has been posted here, the least problematic (most stable?) chemistry appears to by LiFePhosphate. K9YC (Jim)  recommends them after he evaluated the situation.‎

‎Li batteries have been banned from the cargo hold of passenger aircraft because of potential problems. Plus, they aren't easily extinguished when the do have an energetic reaction. 

73,

Jim

Jim Finan
AB4AC 
Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone.
  Original Message  
From: Chip Stratton
Sent: Thursday, June 9, 2016 9:18 AM
To: [hidden email]; Elecraft Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [KX2] DC Power

As for #2, I surmise their reasoning includes:

1. Higher energy density for greater capacity for a given size and weight
compared to other lithium chemistries
2. Safe when charged and discharged responsibly, ergo the charger specified
to go with it, protection circuitry within the battery pack, and KX2
shutdown with low voltage states. No doubt they expect ham radio licensees
to behave responsibly considering the knowledge they are expected to have.
3. The knowledge that lithium ion technology has a good safety record in
laptops and cell phones, despite the very rare but widely publicized
instances of battery failures that are almost always the result of
improper charging or trauma.

Those that are still concerned have the option of using an external
battery, or cobbling together their own internal battery pack with the
chemistry of their choice. It wouldn't be hard.

Chip
AE5KA


On Wed, Jun 8, 2016 at 6:05 PM, Jim H via Elecraft <[hidden email]
> wrote:

> Two questions regarding the KX2.
> 1. Can the KXBC2 be used as a power supply, with appropriate adapter, to
> power the KX2?
> 2. Can someone explain why Elecraft used a Li-ion battery rather than
> other Lithium chemistries in the KX2?
> Some chemistries are safer than others.
>
> 73
> Jim H
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
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Re: [KX2] DC Power

Jim Brown-10
On Thu,6/9/2016 7:38 AM, Jim Finan wrote:
>  From what has been posted here, the least problematic (most stable?) chemistry appears to by LiFePhosphate. K9YC (Jim)  recommends them after he evaluated the situation.‎

My recommendation is for decisions made by USERS of equipment, who are
buying an aftermarket product, and who don't have the opportunity to
evaluate OEM sources and their products with the resources of a good
manufacturer's engineering team. If Elecraft's engineers have chosen a
particular Li-ion battery pack from a particular vendor, I would respect
their judgement unless I had good reason to question it. To put this in
perspective, virtually all smart phones, tablets, and laptops have been
powered by Li-ion batteries for at least 10 years.

73, Jim K9YC

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