Re: [Elecraft] "Bat Err" on KX3 - follow-up

2018-04-01 Thread Jim Brown 

On 4/1/2018 10:33 AM, Nr4c wrote:

Drop in 8 “Copper Tops” and enjoy the radio today!


Yep. The KX3 is also highly compatible with external battery packs, 
something as simple as six AAs in a holder that plugs into the power jack.


LiFePO4 packs sold by Bioennopower have also become quite popular. They 
come in a wide range of sizes/capacities, and are much lighter weight 
for the capacity they provide. For all day 100w operationat a rare 
mountaintop 6M grid that is in deep shade and requires a 3 mile hike up 
a 1,000 ft trail, several of us have bought 20Ah batteries, cost about 
$200 and weighs 5.5#. Much smaller packs are available. A 3 Ah pack 
costs $50 and weighs 13 oz.


Remember that the KX3 draws less current for the same power output when 
run from a higher DC voltage, and LiFePO4 batteries provide 13-14V for 
most of their discharge curve.


73, Jim K9YC

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Re: [Elecraft] "Bat Err" on KX3 - follow-up

2018-04-01 Thread rich hurd WC3T 
Just don't turn the charger on.  ;)

On Sun, Apr 1, 2018 at 13:33 Nr4c  wrote:

> Drop in 8 “Copper Tops” and enjoy the radio today!
>
> Sent from my iPhone
> ...nr4c. bill
>
>
> > On Apr 1, 2018, at 1:16 PM, Dauer, Edward  wrote:
> >
> > Several replies suggested I check the voltage of the NiMH batteries as a
> first step.  Did so this morning, with an interesting result.   Of the
> eight (all are 2700 mAh Powerex NiMH 1.2 v nominal), the mean voltage was
> less than a half volt (0.45 VDC); the median and mode were each less than
> one tenth of a volt (0.06 VDC.)  The best of them was only 1.23 and 5 of
> them were at 0.06 VDC or a bit less.  So much for advertised shelf life.
> Seems that the KX3 draws some trickle current even when turned off.
> >
> > It might be they could be resuscitated with another charger, but Don
> Wilhelm wisely cautions against it.  With this deep a discharge, the
> charging current could be excessive without having a constant-current
> lab-type charger, which I don’t have.  Best to just replace the whole
> bunch.
> >
> > Of course I would learn this on Easter morning, when there are none for
> sale anywhere nearby.
> >
> > If replacing all eight doesn’t fix the error message I’ll post again
> with another plea for ideas.  Thanks, all, for the advice; have a great
> holiday weekend.
> >
> > Ted, KN1CBR
> >
> > __
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> > Message delivered to n...@widomaker.com Ù]™\˜[  ™\  Y\È ÝYÙÙ\Ý Y  H Ú
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> [  ˆ ‹ËÛXZ[ X[‹œ]  ›™] Û[Y˜\Kš  B” ÜÝ ˆ XZ[  Α[ XܘY   XZ[ X[‹œ]  ›™]
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>
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-- 
72,
Rich Hurd / WC3T / DMR: 3142737
PA Army MARS, Northampton County RACES, EPA-ARRL Public Information Officer
for Scouting
Latitude: 40.761621 Longitude: -75.288988  (40°45.68' N 75°17.33' W) Grid:
*FN20is*
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Re: [Elecraft] "Bat Err" on KX3 - follow-up

2018-04-01 Thread Nr4c 
Drop in 8 “Copper Tops” and enjoy the radio today!

Sent from my iPhone
...nr4c. bill


> On Apr 1, 2018, at 1:16 PM, Dauer, Edward  wrote:
> 
> Several replies suggested I check the voltage of the NiMH batteries as a 
> first step.  Did so this morning, with an interesting result.   Of the eight 
> (all are 2700 mAh Powerex NiMH 1.2 v nominal), the mean voltage was less than 
> a half volt (0.45 VDC); the median and mode were each less than one tenth of 
> a volt (0.06 VDC.)  The best of them was only 1.23 and 5 of them were at 0.06 
> VDC or a bit less.  So much for advertised shelf life.  Seems that the KX3 
> draws some trickle current even when turned off.
> 
> It might be they could be resuscitated with another charger, but Don Wilhelm 
> wisely cautions against it.  With this deep a discharge, the charging current 
> could be excessive without having a constant-current lab-type charger, which 
> I don’t have.  Best to just replace the whole bunch.
> 
> Of course I would learn this on Easter morning, when there are none for sale 
> anywhere nearby.
> 
> If replacing all eight doesn’t fix the error message I’ll post again with 
> another plea for ideas.  Thanks, all, for the advice; have a great holiday 
> weekend.
> 
> Ted, KN1CBR
> 
> __
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to 
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