Ham Radio Battery Pack DIY LiFePO4

Build your own 10 amp hour ham radio battery pack using LiFePO4 cells.

Hello Operators
For the ham radio operator in the field, portable battery power needs to be light enough, small enough, modular, have enough capacity,  and above all it should be possible to replenish it off-grid, and in the field. So today, we are buiding our own diy LiFePO4 battery pack for QRP to 50 watt portable ham radios. There is no other ham radio battery box which comes close in performance.

On September 28 2016, I published a prototype 4S lithium ion battery called QRP battery pack. I've field tested that pack for a year, before deciding to take what I've learned, applying it all to two new portable power systems. This project takes the original concept a little bit further  by introducing lithium iron phosphate cells of various capacities,  as a power supply for the off-grid field operator. IMHO, this is less of a battery pack, then it is a portable power system.
This build can power a QRP Radio or rig pulling up to 10A current draw.

Plan for this project are two different builds

4S1P/4S2P 10Ah/20Ah LiFePO4 based on Headway 38120 cells with battery management board and dell balancing. This Pat can be upgraded for a 100w radio, or extended for maximum capacity and runtime.

4S1P/4S2P 2.5Ah/5Ah LiFePO4 pack based on A123 cells, with battery management board and cell balancing.

Each pack can be customized  by the builder for increased capacity/output rating by adding addition cells in parallel, and upgrading the BMS. The ability to charge in the field with a solar panel or other DC source, means you stay in the field longer, while carrying less gear.

The next video of the series, we will take the entire system out to the field, along with a PowerFilm F15 1200 thin film flexible solar panel.

In the third video in this series, we will build a 5 amp power lithium iron phosphate battery pack based on A123 cells. That fact will be especially interesting for the Sota operators or qrp campers & hikers, looking for a lightweight renewable power source for the summit or the trail.

Episode notes can be read at http://oh8stn.org/blog/2017/09/07/por...

The Portable Solar Powered GoKit can be found here:    • Видео  

The Man portable off-grid power for amateur radio articles can be foubd here: http://oh8stn.org/blog/2017/07/05/man...

If you found this episode useful, consider dropping a buck in the tip-jar here: https://paypal.me/oh8stn/1USD

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Julian oh8stn Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.