开云体育

ctrl + shift + ? for shortcuts
© 2025 Groups.io
  1. Xiegu-X6100
  2. Messages
Expanded Topics Messages Polls
Date
SOME INPUT POWER MEASUREMENTS AT VARIOUS POWER SUPPLY SETTINGS FOR MY X6100

 

OME INPUT POWER MEASUREMENTS AT VARIOUS POWER SUPPLY SETTINGS FOR MY X6100

I wanted to get a feel for why my then new (in mid-2022) X6100 was getting so warm and hot. I decided to measure the current draw at various external power supply voltages. My X6100’s output was connected to a SWR / wattmeter and then to a dummy load. When in the transmit mode, I used the CW mode.

My general theory is that the power going into the X6100 (which is the volts x current) is the power in heat that must be dissipated. Hence the rigs’ temperature rise noticed.

Note when the X6100 is actually transmitting CW at some power setting then the RF output power goes to the dummy load that I’ve used and thus reduces the power in the X6100 that ends up being heat that must be dissipated. My table below does not adjust for this. For example, my table shows 40 watts going into the X6100 at 13.8 volts when generating 10 watts of CW. But the power actually ending as heat in the radio is 40 – 10 = 30 watts. At 9 volts it would be about 17 watts. Also note that if some actual CW code was being sent, then the actual signals duty cycle would reduce this current and power by about whatever the signal’s duty cycle was.

My testing was using simple on / off CW mode. No doubt that a more complex mode of SSB would be dramatically different depending on the actual duty cycle of the modulation and the transmit / receive duty cycle .. Be it speech or something like FT8.

My overall conclusion is that reducing the external power supply voltage powering the X6100 can significantly reduce the power that ends up as heat that must be dissipated by the radio.

Below is a table of the data that I compiled along with some additional conclusions that I see.


Gary KE8WO

Re: New radio, heat mitigation

NC3Z
 

With the way I set this up I have part of the airflow that also goes over the bottom heatsink, by design. All sides of the 6100 are now keeping equally cool even @ 13.8V. I didnt want to go crazy with heatsinks, been there done that when I had a KX3 which had cooling issues also.

I am at a happy medium now between the size of heatsinks and keeping the 6100 nice and cool.

--
Gary Mitchelson
NC3Z/4 Pamlico County, NC FM15
NC AHIMT COML
SHARES NCS997
Re: New radio, heat mitigation

 

Gary

Best is to cool the radio at the bottom, as the back side is not really a part of the internal heatsink. Besides cooling also lowering the inoutvoltage to 10,5V? is advised because a part of the heat is generated by the internal (lineair) 9V voltage regulator.

https://pseudovoice.wordpress.com/2022/09/06/x6100-auxiliary-passive-cooler/
--
Robert
Re: ALC 100 and NO TX output (AFT5M31N) LDMOS [SOLVED]

 

Hi Scot
Thanks that will be great,
Can you take some photos
Thanks Dave?

On Sat, 19 Aug 2023, 06:51 scot forshaw, <scot.forshaw@...> wrote:
[UPDATE]
The repair is still good after several days however I have read a lot of literature regarding NXP LDMOS RF devices and the techniques used to heatsink these RF FETS.

I appears that the mounting of the output FET is very technical and completed in highly controlled reflow conditions using special jigs and equipment that the home repair does not have access to (even advanced hobbyist)?

I think the issue with my radio was that the soldered (paste or pre-form) had heated up and pumped out. The whole back of the transistor was a mess. It is not practical to reflow the solder as the temperatures required are difficult to administer.
I have obtained an IC Graphite cooling pad from Innovation Cooling, a graphite pad also recommended by NXP in their literature)?

Bolt Down Mounting Method for High Power RF Transistors and RFICs in Over-Molded Plastic Packages

?

This PDF paper discusses test they carried?out using several paste and solder methods to maximise heat and conductivity to the heatsink and they concluded that TGON 805 graphite was the best mixture of cost and ease/performance.

Although my output FET is working OK, it is likely stressed a lot from the excess eat and mechanical movement and so I will be replacing it with a new genuine AFT5M31N from mouser that has now arrived, along with the IC Graphite material as a heat pad.

I will update the thread when completed.
Thanks, Scot
M0RWV



?
Re: ALC 100 and NO TX output (AFT5M31N) LDMOS [SOLVED]

 

[UPDATE]
The repair is still good after several days however I have read a lot of literature regarding NXP LDMOS RF devices and the techniques used to heatsink these RF FETS.

I appears that the mounting of the output FET is very technical and completed in highly controlled reflow conditions using special jigs and equipment that the home repair does not have access to (even advanced hobbyist)?

I think the issue with my radio was that the soldered (paste or pre-form) had heated up and pumped out. The whole back of the transistor was a mess. It is not practical to reflow the solder as the temperatures required are difficult to administer.
I have obtained an IC Graphite cooling pad from Innovation Cooling, a graphite pad also recommended by NXP in their literature)?

Bolt Down Mounting Method for High Power RF Transistors and RFICs in Over-Molded Plastic Packages

?

This PDF paper discusses test they carried?out using several paste and solder methods to maximise heat and conductivity to the heatsink and they concluded that TGON 805 graphite was the best mixture of cost and ease/performance.

Although my output FET is working OK, it is likely stressed a lot from the excess eat and mechanical movement and so I will be replacing it with a new genuine AFT5M31N from mouser that has now arrived, along with the IC Graphite material as a heat pad.

I will update the thread when completed.
Thanks, Scot
M0RWV



?
Re: New radio, heat mitigation

 

开云体育

The only thing I found with the back of my X6100 was it was slightly concave so a large heatsink only made contact round the edges, so I replaced that with 15 smaller 20mm x 20mm heatsinks and the difference was noticeable

?

The other thing I haven’t seen Mentioned in this thread is how much input voltage affect the heat output

?

I run mine when at home at 11v-11.5v from the PSU instead of the standard 13.8v it runs a lot cooler and no difference in power output

?

?

Peter

M0PWX

?

?

From: groups.kc3suw.eycn2 via groups.io
Sent: 18 August 2023 12:07
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [xiegu-x6100] New radio, heat mitigation

?

Cooling fins stuck to the back make a big difference. I used these which cover almost the entire back plate.?



Then set the radio on top of this while running and it doesn't even feel warm any more.?

https://a.co/d/2JJsZlV

?

1CC3B01E1E6D4A8B9B3107DD56C467BF.png

Re: New radio, heat mitigation

 

Cooling fins stuck to the back make a big difference. I used these which cover almost the entire back plate.?



Then set the radio on top of this while running and it doesn't even feel warm any more.?

https://a.co/d/2JJsZlV
Re: New radio, heat mitigation

Erik Finskas OH2LAK
 

Hi Gary et al.

Nice to see you have also fallen to this fantastic radio :)

I have thought of doing some deeper investigation about the X6100 thermal management and already now I'm a bit puzzled just by looking videos and pictures of X6100 teardowns, for example this;


The PA module of the X6100 is nowhere close to the back plate but more in the middle of the radio, behind the front panel PCB, to where it also is attached for cooling.
The LiPo battery packs are at the back, accommodating the full back side width and height. There are on internal fans or heatpipes to transfer the heat off the PA chip other than the 'middle wall' which then will heat up the whole radio chassis.

I've been thinking of some sort of a heatpipe solution to transfer the PA heat out from the radio, or removing the battery pack (or replace it with a smaller one) so that there would be direct access from the PA chip to the backplate so that it could be lead to cool to a cooling fin at the back.

73,
Erik OH2LAK

On Thu, 17 Aug 2023 at 17:15, NC3Z <nc3z@...> wrote:
Just got a new X6100 from Radioddity. Cool little radio but generates healthy heat, which I was not to keen about. I had a ham buddy 3D print a X6100 stand I found online and added a Noctua 60mm fan to it. That made a world of difference. Here are some pictures of the heat as seen by a Flir K2. The fan had a low speed reducer inline so was turning slowly and quietly.

--
Gary Mitchelson
NC3Z/4 Pamlico County, NC FM15
NC AHIMT COML
SHARES NCS997
Re: New radio, heat mitigation

NC3Z
 

Yes, the charger is off when not needed, that is pretty well documented that is not good to do.

--
Gary Mitchelson
NC3Z/4 Pamlico County, NC FM15
NC AHIMT COML
SHARES NCS997
Re: New radio, heat mitigation

 

Gary,

I have similar stand with small fan for my X6100.? I added to rear of the rig couple heat sinks I got on Amazon.? Looks like you have added them also.

One thing we have learned about the X6100 to reduce heat is to not have the int battery charging on when operating the rig, and have the rig off when charging the battery.??

My X6100 with rig on and battery charging draws about 1A in rcv and this does cause the rig to get hot after some time.? With rig on and charger off the current draw is about 400 ma.? With rig off and charger on the current starts at 750ma and after battery is fully charged drops to less than 300 ma.

All this is from the external 12V power using inline current meter.

So suggest when rig on have charger off and when charger on have rig off.

73, ron, n9ee/r

Ron Wright, N9EE/R
Hernando Co ARES EC
Spring Hill, Florida also n9ee55@...


On Thursday, August 17, 2023 at 12:41:35 PM EDT, NC3Z <nc3z@...> wrote:


This is the stand that I had my buddy print for me, find someone with a 3D printer.? ? ?

--
Gary Mitchelson
NC3Z/4 Pamlico County, NC FM15
NC AHIMT COML
SHARES NCS997
Re: New radio, heat mitigation

NC3Z
 

This is the stand that I had my buddy print for me, find someone with a 3D printer.

--
Gary Mitchelson
NC3Z/4 Pamlico County, NC FM15
NC AHIMT COML
SHARES NCS997
Re: New radio, heat mitigation

RuiHam
 

Fantastic
Im thinking to buy this radio to use it as my base station and I already write somewhere.
Is 600� less than a 100w radio? and the Amp I can get one for 150�.

But forget the power ... with a fan system like that the radio works perfeclty as base station?
How / where can I get something similar .. it seems great.
New radio, heat mitigation

NC3Z
 

Just got a new X6100 from Radioddity. Cool little radio but generates healthy heat, which I was not to keen about. I had a ham buddy 3D print a X6100 stand I found online and added a Noctua 60mm fan to it. That made a world of difference. Here are some pictures of the heat as seen by a Flir K2. The fan had a low speed reducer inline so was turning slowly and quietly.

--
Gary Mitchelson
NC3Z/4 Pamlico County, NC FM15
NC AHIMT COML
SHARES NCS997

Cooling 1.jpg
Cooling 2.jpg
DSCN2945.JPG
DSCN2949.JPG
No cooling 1.jpg
No cooling 2.jpg

Locked Xiegu Gear Flash Sale Is Alive! #radioddity

 

Hi All,

We are happy to announce that we are celebrating our 11th Anniversary with HF Radios Flash Sale from August 17th to 19th. You can check out some X6100 accessories if you are looking for them at

?

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your years of support and trust. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you in the future.

?

Cheers,
Radioddity
Re: X6100 release of v1.17, adding support for wfview

 

crazycats100,


Yes, I have WSJTX and Log4OM working with wfview on X6100. VB audio for the audio connects, cat control via wfview.

I made several FT8 and FT4 QSOs?.

Notes: RX delay hovers around 520 msec. TX modulation only works here with X6100 connected via Ethernet hub.

Connection breaks frequently, but still workable. Solution is in wfview to disconnect and then connect the radio.

The Wfview client is on a Win11 laptop with WiFi

73, Reinier PA3AAA/W6WYN
Re: Power - Voltage too high ?

 

开云体育

I've attached a pic? of one of my 4.5Ah POTA LiFePO4 batteries.?

They work well for a few hours of POTA and are good to bring on airline flights (limit 2 in carry-on only, and at 12Vx4.5Ah=54Wh they are well under the lowest FCC/airline limits, which seem to be about 100Wh max depending on agency... You have to satisfy all the agencies in your travel itinerary :-) )

This one is homebuilt, but there are also commercial batteries in this capacity range. A popular (but more expensive) line is from Bioenno https://www.bioennopower.com .

As for Chargers, you want one that specifically says LiFePO4. I like my small 5A victron ( https://www.victronenergy.com ) , but any charger that has LiFePO4 charge profile support should do .

As for build guides, I'd recommend making sure you have a good handle on safe handling and build practices.? LiFePO4 is among the safest lithium battery chemistries, but it is still a high current source... that said they can be built safely, with only a little bit of dedicated study/research (but you take it on at your own risk !)

There's a deep rabbit hole of good resources on the web and on YT :-) (and some "bad" ones... Take care out there! ?)

A good one is "DenCo enterprises", which started out as a bit of a "tongue in cheek" "fake business" by a fellow? ham Dennis AD6DM since he was building and documenting his battery builds on his website for himself and friends... He has since turned it into a real business, although I'm not sure if there are any good international purchasing options from him...

In any case, his build docs are great, and still up on his website. One such is: https://denco.ad6dm.net/batts/denco-qrp-batt-mk-ii/ but he has a whole lot more :-)

Enjoy the rabbit hole! ?



Wayde Nie VA3NCA
73


-------- Original message --------
From: Carlindo@...
Date: 2023-08-15 9:27 a.m. (GMT-05:00)
Subject: Re: [xiegu-x6100] Power - Voltage too high ?

Thanks everyone for the advice. I don't know if I would be able to make my own battery, but it's an exciting idea. Are there any good sources for learning? I also have doubts about how to choose the charger for each battery. For example, what should a charger specification be for a 12V 8Ah LifePo4?

20230815_094850_resized.jpg

Re: Power - Voltage too high ?

 

Thanks everyone for the advice. I don't know if I would be able to make my own battery, but it's an exciting idea. Are there any good sources for learning? I also have doubts about how to choose the charger for each battery. For example, what should a charger specification be for a 12V 8Ah LifePo4?
Re: Power - Voltage too high ?

 

开云体育

Oops... Sorry for the confusion Diego! I see you were replying to Carlindo...

Carlindo, to answer your question, this will depend on your specific objectives, but in general, any 12.8V LiFePO4 will do great, but you're probably best matched with a lowish Ah to maintain portability (my opinion).

4.5Ah-8Ah or so seems like a "sweet" spot to me... YMMV...



Wayde Nie VA3NCA
73


-------- Original message --------
From: "VA3NCA Wayde via groups.io" <wayde@...>
Date: 2023-08-15 9:07 a.m. (GMT-05:00)
Subject: Re: [xiegu-x6100] Power - Voltage too high ?

That will certainly work, you'll get a whole lot of x6100 run time with 18Ah...

The voltage is good (but make sure the charger is turned off in the radio to reduce heating).?

But, depending on your objectives, I'd bet the capacity is excessive (only a problem if the added weight and size is an issue for your use case...)

I use a homemade 4S (12.8V) LiFePO4 4.5Ah battery and the x6100 will run for a few hours of POTA with that nice, relatively light, fist sized battery.



Wayde Nie VA3NCA
73


-------- Original message --------
From: "Diego, "DIDO", EA1CN" <ea1cn@...>
Date: 2023-08-15 8:53 a.m. (GMT-05:00)
Subject: Re: [xiegu-x6100] Power - Voltage too high ?

LifePo 18Ah/h
image0.jpeg

Saludos. Diego. EA1CN

El 15 ago 2023, a las 10:09, Carlindo@... escribió:

?
What portable external battery have you been using to run the Xiegu x6100 at 10W?
THX
Carlindo Lago - CT7BDB

--
TNX, Dido. EA1CN?

Re: Power - Voltage too high ?

 

开云体育

That will certainly work, you'll get a whole lot of x6100 run time with 18Ah...

The voltage is good (but make sure the charger is turned off in the radio to reduce heating).?

But, depending on your objectives, I'd bet the capacity is excessive (only a problem if the added weight and size is an issue for your use case...)

I use a homemade 4S (12.8V) LiFePO4 4.5Ah battery and the x6100 will run for a few hours of POTA with that nice, relatively light, fist sized battery.



Wayde Nie VA3NCA
73


-------- Original message --------
From: "Diego, "DIDO", EA1CN" <ea1cn@...>
Date: 2023-08-15 8:53 a.m. (GMT-05:00)
Subject: Re: [xiegu-x6100] Power - Voltage too high ?

LifePo 18Ah/h
image0.jpeg

Saludos. Diego. EA1CN

El 15 ago 2023, a las 10:09, Carlindo@... escribió:

?
What portable external battery have you been using to run the Xiegu x6100 at 10W?
THX
Carlindo Lago - CT7BDB

--
TNX, Dido. EA1CN?

Re: Power - Voltage too high ?

 

开云体育

LifePo 18Ah/h
image0.jpeg

Saludos. Diego. EA1CN

El 15 ago 2023, a las 10:09, Carlindo@... escribió:

?
What portable external battery have you been using to run the Xiegu x6100 at 10W?
THX
Carlindo Lago - CT7BDB

--
TNX, Dido. EA1CN?
3481 - 3500 of 6974