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Has anyone used one of the small, so called, "solar generator" batteries to power the FT-81X series radio in portable operation?? I'm looking at a HOWEASY 120 watt unit.? It is basically a 88 watt-hour (7.3 amp hour) lithium-ion battery in a case measuring 6.6" x 3" x 4" and weighing 2.3 pounds.? It can be recharged from 110 AC power, 12 volt cigarette lighter automobile socket, or solar panel.? It has two 120 watt 110 AC outlets, two 10 amp 12 volt DC outlets, and four USB outlets along with a built in LED light.? $ 69.99 on Amazon.? ?If anyone has experience I would love to get your thoughts.? I'm wondering if the internal circuitry (inverter, battery management system, solar controller, etc.) cause RFI.
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I have used a Jackery to power my FT-817 and it worked fine and no RFI.? Last Field Day it was too hot to spend an extended time outside so I ran Class 1E and ran a 100 watt transceiver at reduced power directly from a Bioenno battery.? After the battery ran down I plugged my AC supply into a Jackery and powered the rig from that and had no RFI.? To stay totally emergency power I ran a light on another, smaller Jackery.? Again, no RFI.
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On the Waters and Stanton YouTube channel, Peter, G3OJV, has posted a few videos using a Jackery to power a QRP rig.
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Of course, not sure if every brand of "generator" will be RFI free or not.
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Thanks for the info, William.? ?I did a little more?research on the HOWEASY 120 watt solar generator.? ?The YouTube channel Operation Camp has an indepth review of the unit.? On testing load and capacity of the various outputs, the DC voltage dropped as amperage increased.? ?At 6 amps the voltage was 10.1 volts.? He didn't show a value at a 3 amp load, which would be max for running a FT-817ND.? I suppose that alternatively I could run the FT-817ND from the 110 AC power supply plugged into the AC outlet on the solar generator.? I have a larger Jackery 240.? I will try that running the FT-817ND before buying the HOWEASY 120.? Also, the liberal Amazon return policy would allow me to return the solar generator if it didn't perform well.? I will also check out Peter's video on the Walters and Stanton YouTube channel.? ?Thanks again for the information.?
Bill KB5RPN in the heart of the Texas Hill Country?
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Bill,
Won't the FT-817nd be fine at around 10v?
?
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On Sep 20, 2024, at 08:00, Bill Laird Jr. <Bill.Laird113@...> wrote:
? Thanks for the info, William.? ?I did a little more?research on the HOWEASY 120 watt solar generator.? ?The YouTube channel Operation Camp has an indepth review of the unit.? On testing load and capacity of the various outputs, the DC voltage dropped as amperage increased.? ?At 6 amps the voltage was 10.1 volts.? He didn't show a value at a 3 amp load, which would be max for running a FT-817ND.? I suppose that alternatively I could run the FT-817ND from the 110 AC power supply plugged into the AC outlet on the solar generator.? I have a larger Jackery 240.? I will try that running the FT-817ND before buying the HOWEASY 120.? Also, the liberal Amazon return policy would allow me to return the solar generator if it didn't perform well.? I will also check out Peter's video on the Walters and Stanton YouTube channel.? ?Thanks again for the information.?
Bill KB5RPN in the heart of the Texas Hill Country?
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That 10 volt sag is with a fresh charge apparently. When the battery starts to discharge it will fall below the minimum ft817 minimum.
On Fri, Sep 20, 2024 at 10:35 AM, Ken N2VIP <ken@...> wrote: Bill,
Won't the FT-817nd be fine at around 10v?
? Ken, N2VIP On Sep 20, 2024, at 08:00, Bill Laird Jr. <Bill.Laird113@...> wrote:
? Thanks for the info, William.? ?I did a little more?research on the HOWEASY 120 watt solar generator.? ?The YouTube channel Operation Camp has an indepth review of the unit.? On testing load and capacity of the various outputs, the DC voltage dropped as amperage increased.? ?At 6 amps the voltage was 10.1 volts.? He didn't show a value at a 3 amp load, which would be max for running a FT-817ND.? I suppose that alternatively I could run the FT-817ND from the 110 AC power supply plugged into the AC outlet on the solar generator.? I have a larger Jackery 240.? I will try that running the FT-817ND before buying the HOWEASY 120.? Also, the liberal Amazon return policy would allow me to return the solar generator if it didn't perform well.? I will also check out Peter's video on the Walters and Stanton YouTube channel.? ?Thanks again for the information.?
Bill KB5RPN in the heart of the Texas Hill Country?
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Hi Kin,
Please disregard the email I posted to you, I sent you the wrong reply. That was supposed to go to my brother in law.
The one to you was supposed to say I have run My 817 at 10 volts with no problem. However I did notice a drop in output due to the current limitation of my supply.
My lithium battery runs, under load, between 11.7 volts full charge and 8 volts before the radio starts to drop off. So 10 volts at 2 amps should be OK. At least in my experience.
Hope this helps.
Clyde KC7BJE?
?
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Clyde,
Thanks, no problem - I figured it was something simple like that.
Take care,
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On Sep 20, 2024, at 16:18, Clyde Lambert <clyde.lambert@...> wrote:
? Hi Kin,
Please disregard the email I posted to you, I sent you the wrong reply. That was supposed to go to my brother in law.
The one to you was supposed to say I have run My 817 at 10 volts with no problem. However I did notice a drop in output due to the current limitation of my supply.
My lithium battery runs, under load, between 11.7 volts full charge and 8 volts before the radio starts to drop off. So 10 volts at 2 amps should be OK. At least in my experience.
Hope this helps.
Clyde KC7BJE?
?
?
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What does the power supply voltage drop to when current limiting?
On Fri, Sep 20, 2024 at 5:18 PM, Clyde Lambert <clyde.lambert@...> wrote: Hi Kin,
Please disregard the email I posted to you, I sent you the wrong reply. That was supposed to go to my brother in law.
The one to you was supposed to say I have run My 817 at 10 volts with no problem. However I did notice a drop in output due to the current limitation of my supply.
My lithium battery runs, under load, between 11.7 volts full charge and 8 volts before the radio starts to drop off. So 10 volts at 2 amps should be OK. At least in my experience.
Hope this helps.
Clyde KC7BJE?
?
?
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Thanks Ken for the reply and link to the article on maximizing power when running the FT-817 on battery power, good information.? ?My concern with the HOWEASY 120 solar generator is, as Joe points out in his reply, that if 10.1 volts is the maximum available at full charge, how quickly will it drop off in use to an unacceptable level.?
Bill KN5RPN in the heart of the Texas Hill Country?
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Bill,
My set up
Is a little larger/heavier. I use a 12 AH Bioenno battery, Budipole power mini and small solar panel.?
It works great and you can size the battery to your needs.?
73
W4DBL?
Doug Lynch
President?
Aries International, LLC
?
D: +1-321-415-2191
M:?+1-478-318-2655
?
E: Doug@...?
Port Orange, FL
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On Sep 21, 2024, at 09:19, Bill Laird Jr. via groups.io <Bill.Laird113@...> wrote:
?
Thanks Ken for the reply and link to the article on maximizing power when running the FT-817 on battery power, good information.? ?My concern with the HOWEASY 120 solar generator is, as Joe points out in his reply, that if 10.1 volts is the
maximum available at full charge, how quickly will it drop off in use to an unacceptable level.?
Bill
KN5RPN in the heart of the Texas Hill Country?
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I'd state it more strongly.? If the unit advertises their 12v
outlets as capable of 10 amps, and it can only deliver 10.1v at even
a couple of amps, I'd be very concerned about the entire unit's
overall quality.? I'm guessing that what you're seeing is a stack of
3 of the Lithium Ion (not Lithium Iron Phosphate) cells, without a
voltage regulator.? This is supported by claiming only 1,000
recharge cycles; a modern LiFePO4 battery would typically be 10x
that.? Also, what sort of AC inverter does it have?? No information
about it being pure sine wave, so likely a cheap "modified sine
wave" one, which could be an absolutely horrific RF noise maker if
you were to use it.? This thing screams "Cheap" in every dimension.?
Will it work?? You'll probably get away with it, but I wouldn't risk
it.
The battery is the key component here.? Much better to just get a 10
amp-hour LiFePO4 battery, and a small charger.?? Wire them up in one
of the plastic field boxes with some switches, connectors, and a
monitor/display.? You don't need the 120vac inverter, though that
could be added later.? Add a 50 - 100 watt solar panel, and a small
solar charge controller if you need it (note the solar panel is
extra for the HOWEASY unit).? If you work at it, I bet you could get
close to the same price point, get a better (RF quiet, higher
capacity) unit, and by building it yourself you'll have a much
better chance of having it deliver when you need it, and be able to
fix it (or upgrade it) if it doesn't.?
Greg? KO6TH
Bill Laird Jr. via groups.io wrote:
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Thanks Ken for the reply and link to the article
on maximizing power when running the FT-817 on battery power,
good information.? ?My concern with the HOWEASY 120 solar
generator is, as Joe points out in his reply, that if 10.1 volts
is the maximum available at full charge, how quickly will it
drop off in use to an unacceptable level.?
Bill
KN5RPN in the heart of the Texas Hill Country?
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Bill -
?
I also use a Bioenno LiFePO4 battery (20 Ah) for portable use. ?I top it off with the supplied AC charger at home, and I’m good to go for hours and hours with my FT-818. ?Probably 5 lbs which is fine for picnic table operations at parks.
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This works for me, as I do not need the AC inverter provided by “all-in-one” power packs. Bioenno also sells portable solar panels and charge controllers that may be cascaded in the field.
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Best of luck in your search…
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Steve. KK2CW?
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I’m using a 5ah expert power lifepo4 battery. I am yet to have any difficulty doing a pota activation with it. I’m guessing the longest has been about four hours. I have not felt the urge to tag my solar setup in on it at any point.? When I am running QRO with an FT-891 I have a Chins brand 12ah lifepo4 battery. I run the radio at 40w most of the time and the battery lasts longer than I do. I used to run it at 100w most of the time and the battery was good for 3.5-4 hours. Adding a Bioenno 60w folding panel to the equation, it’s pretty much an all day situation. I have been doing jamboree on the air for the local scouts for the past few years and for that I have been running 100w. Last year we kicked off at 0830 and shut down at about 1830 with no difficulties with power at all. That 60w panel keeps the battery topped off well. I have, so far, not felt the need to go out and get one of the “solar generator” setups. They don’t fit in my backpack and are too heavy and bulky to carry in my hand.?
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On Sep 22, 2024, at 16:07, steve.betza via groups.io <steve.betza@...> wrote:
? Bill -
?
I also use a Bioenno LiFePO4 battery (20 Ah) for portable use. ?I top it off with the supplied AC charger at home, and I’m good to go for hours and hours with my FT-818. ?Probably 5 lbs which is fine for picnic table operations at parks.
?
This works for me, as I do not need the AC inverter provided by “all-in-one” power packs. Bioenno also sells portable solar panels and charge controllers that may be cascaded in the field.
?
Best of luck in your search…
?
Steve. KK2CW?
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Thanks to all those who replied on this subject.? ?Lots of good advice from practical experience.? ?Yes, Greg the HOWEASY has a modified sine wave inverter.? Based on what I have learned I am abandoning the idea of using a small, cheap solar generator.? ?I already have a folding 60 watt solar panel with MPPT controller and a suitable small 12 volt battery charger.? ?I will simply but a small LifePo4 battery in the 10 amp hour range and call it done.
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Bill, as we say in Boston, you are "wicked smaaaahhhttt"?
Mike WA1MAD
On Mon, Sep 23, 2024, 10:10 AM Bill Laird Jr. via <Bill.Laird113= [email protected]> wrote: Thanks to all those who replied on this subject.? ?Lots of good advice from practical experience.? ?Yes, Greg the HOWEASY has a modified sine wave inverter.? Based on what I have learned I am abandoning the idea of using a small, cheap solar generator.? ?I already have a folding 60 watt solar panel with MPPT controller and a suitable small 12 volt battery charger.? ?I will simply but a small LifePo4 battery in the 10 amp hour range and call it done.
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As long as you understand that a modified sine wave is really just another form of a square wave. I've put them on an oscilloscope a number of times.?
On Mon, Sep 23, 2024 at 10:10 AM, Bill Laird Jr. <Bill.Laird113@...> wrote: Thanks to all those who replied on this subject.? ?Lots of good advice from practical experience.? ?Yes, Greg the HOWEASY has a modified sine wave inverter.? Based on what I have learned I am abandoning the idea of using a small, cheap solar generator.? ?I already have a folding 60 watt solar panel with MPPT controller and a suitable small 12 volt battery charger.? ?I will simply but a small LifePo4 battery in the 10 amp hour range and call it done.
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Yep!? Example, attached.? This is an "AC Anywhere" 140w inverter,
the kind you plug into your car's 12v Accessory outlet, driving a
60w incandescent bulb (a non-reactive load), but all the modified
sine wave inverters I've tested look pretty much the same.? The
inverter in the HOWEASY should be very similar.? All those edges are
radiating a bazillion harmonics.
My first pass at an off-grid solar / battery setup for my Shack
included a 1kw modified-sine wave inverter, only because I got it
free.? I was figuring a few birdies that I could work around.?
Nope.? It wiped out the ENTIRE HF spectrum, wall to wall, 80 meters
through 10.? I swapped that out for a Victron pure sine wave unit,
and all is peaceful and quiet.
Your switching to a simple battery setup, backed up with solar and
an MPPT controller is perfect for what you're doing.? It might be
worth getting a small inverter, preferably a pure sine wave unit
since they've come way down in price recently, just as a backup for
around the house if the lights go out.? Run a LED / CF lamp, charge
your laptop or cell phone, whatever.? Good Ham Swap item to keep
your eyes open for.
Greg? KO6TH
Joseph Wonoski via groups.io wrote:
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As long as you understand that a modified sine wave is really just
another form of a square wave. I've put them on an oscilloscope a
number of times.?
Joe N1KHB?
On Mon, Sep 23, 2024 at 10:10 AM, Bill Laird Jr.
Thanks to all those who replied on this subject.?
?Lots of good advice from practical experience.? ?Yes,
Greg the HOWEASY has a modified sine wave inverter.?
Based on what I have learned I am abandoning the idea of
using a small, cheap solar generator.? ?I already have a
folding 60 watt solar panel with MPPT controller and a
suitable small 12 volt battery charger.? ?I will simply
but a small LifePo4 battery in the 10 amp hour range and
call it done.
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Clyde Lambert
Doug Lynch NNJ4EM
Steve Betza KK2CW
Kevin - K5KTM
