Vatrer 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery Reviewed

[@KK6USYHamRadioAdventures]

That test setup you have is excellent and you actually know how to use and explain what your doing not just pushing buttons like some testers.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks Chuck, I took some time to plan out the test setup up but I think I have it where I want now.

[@ThinKkBIGG]

Would have to open it to see the quality of the components and construction. In the guide, it is written that at 90% discharge the voltage is still 12.5v. Your tests don't seem to show the same thing...

[@dan_in_sd]

Nice testing. Great test setup. ;)

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks for checking it out Dan 👍

[@frankENZC]

Awesome review! Thanks.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks for checking it out Frank!

[@HOAHamRadio]

If TheSmokinApe set end to end, all the batteries he has tested, would they circle the earth? Or fall off the end of the earth, if its flat? Looks like some great documentation with this one.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Tell you what, they came in handy during the power outage I had this weekend!

[@HOAHamRadio]

@@TheSmokinApe I'll bet the whole family instantly Liked & Subscribed as soon as you hooked them up with power....

[@1originaloutlaw675]

Great video

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks 1OO!

[@paaao]

Why do hams love 12V batteries and 12V solar so much? I'm a ham, and an electrician/solar/controls guy, and I'm telling you, no doubt about it, 24 and 48V systems are a billion times more efficient, and effective. They also make plenty of dc buck converters these days that will take a 24Vdc output, and drop it down to 13.8Vdc, 12V, 5V, or whatever you like. Running your radios on 12V systems not only dampens the power of your radio, but the whole system you invested in to deliver that power, and charge, or invert maybe to 120Vac, is severely limited. So with that in mind, why do so many videos promote 12Vdc solar/battery systems when it comes to ham radio?

[@TheSmokinApe]

I don't disagree with anything you are saying. I think it's more about simplicity and availability.

[@arnoldgrubbs2005]

A few reasons : A buck converter has a good chance of being noisy, its also an added expense, and something more to carry along, and its another thing that could possibly go wrong, maybe over voltaging your equipment. Have you tested a buck converter in an high RF field to see that it keeps working at the rated output? I have not done that test, but it would be something I would worry about, particularly if using antennas that might have RF come back on the coax cable, which is more likely when out operating portable. Also, the smallest 24 volt LifePo that I have seen is actually quite large (100AH) , and would weigh a lot more than I would want to carry more than a few 10's of feet, let alone up a hill. Maybe there are some smaller 24v battery, but then you need to carry the bucky box. Now, if you are going off grid with your house power, well, yes, 48 volt systems make sense due to the large power demands. My HF rig on a park bench, 12 volt 12-20 AH battery, my buddipole charger and a 120 watt solar panel will keep the radio running for quite some time, probably longer than I would care to operate.

[@paaao]

@arnoldgrubbs2005 I don't think you'll find that a converter is all that large or noisy. The issue still is that if you need 120Vac at all, you're going to have a tough time pulling more than 1200W via a 12V system. A single 15amp ckt, (most people now prefer 20amp), needs at least a 24Vdc input to function properly. The input wire awg and components within 12V inverters are extremely limiting. Since most radios run optimally at 13.8, even if you aren't inverting the DC input, you're still choking your equipment downstream.

[@arnoldgrubbs2005]

@@paaao Well, guess if you are running QRO. I know people used to use leagel limit amps while on field day, or special events I suppose 2KW draw per station would be reasonable in that case. But for me, I hardly ever carry anything on a POTA or SOTA or even when I was bicycle riding (touring) that would need AC. My radios are 12v, and the charger for my phone is 12v, and even the crappy laptop I have for on the go radio stuff is charged by 12vDC. Most (but not all) of my radios take less than 3amps at 12 volts on transmit.. The home station uses AC, via a power supply to make the DC for the IC-9700, and the HF rigs, but only my 500w HF amp and desk computer/monitors use 115vAC. Those don't usually get taken out anywhere, especially the amp, so its really no big deal for needing AC away from home. Why bother converting DC to AC, and then back to DC when out doing radio, when you start with DC that will work just fine for the radios to begin with?

[@paaao]

@arnoldgrubbs2005 I agree. Ideally, you should try to avoid inverting from dc to ac at all costs. My position is if I'm going to be purchasing large batteries and inverters at all, for radio play, or what have you... I'm going to aim to make an investment that is multi purpose. Ie, grid down, back up power, radio, etc... To each their own.

[@ronbo422]

Hey Ape, just some notes about those certification stamps. CE is a European electrical standard, which mostly replaced UL (Underwriters Laboratories). ROHS (pronounced "Row'Hoss") is a lead-free mfg certification. The last one, FCC is pretty self-explanatory as Federal Communications Commission. All of these certs are likely pertaining to the BMS. It's designed to operate within CE specs, has been mfg'ed with lead-free solder and the FCC certified it as not causing harmful RF interference. The more you know. 😀

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks Ronbo

[@ronbo422]

@@TheSmokinApe Flex radios used to be built in our reflow ovens. Not sure where they're mfg'ed now but Flex contracted a board shop to build them in Austin, TX. You can imagine my surprise to see SO-239-ladened boards everywhere, only for their engineer to tell me "they're for high-end toys called ham radios...you know who Flex is?". Chills, I tell you. Chills!!!

[@DonzLockz]

I like these tests and I'm also a nerd.😅🔋🐈🐈🐈🐈

[@TheSmokinApe]

Me too!

[@AD6DMDennis]

This guy has more LiFePO4 in his house than DenCo.

[@AD6DMDennis]

Don't get it wet, and don't feed it after midnight.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Came in handy when I had a power outage over the weekend!

[@temporarilyoffline]

That name tho...

[@TheSmokinApe]

Right.

[@Thump2030]

slap it in a backpack for POTA. 😀

[@TheSmokinApe]

Haha, maybe put it on wheels?

[@ericd4098]

'promosm' ✅