This does not exactly address your question, but I am using a JTPS 35 BCM with a marine type pseudo deep cycle battery. The K3 runs at 13.8V from the power supply when the power is on and the battery is trickle charged. When the power drops the JTPS switches to the battery and supplies slightly more than 12 volts to the K3. You will not notice the swap when in receive and if you have good connections you will not notice it in transmit either (except your desk lamp will go out and you amp won't work. The K3 seems to work fine down to about 11.0 volts but I don't know about the IMD. I recommend reducing power when on battery to 50 watts or less to minimize the loss through the connectors. The K3 will shut down when you have drained your battery, but I have never observed that during a power out, just in testing without the battery and turning down the voltage on the power supply. The K3 operates much better at low voltage than the other transceivers that I have tried.
I don't see how you can save money with a battery and trickle charger over a power supply when you can get good power supplies as low as $99.95. A good battery is about $80 and a good charger maybe $50 unless you have better sources than I have. The low voltage operation would be helpful if you desire a solar charged battery system because a special 8 cell battery system to furnish 14 volts is not required. You can use regular car, boat or RV batteries with their limited ability for deep cycle or pay the higher price for a true deep cycle battery if you have the deep pocket that makes that possible. Willis 'Cookie' Cooke K5EWJ ________________________________ From: Steve Ellington <[email protected]> To: David Guernsey <[email protected]>; [email protected] Sent: Thu, July 15, 2010 8:32:08 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 battery power Is anyone using full time battery power and trickle charging? Considering the high price of power supplies and the security of a full time backup system, it would seem to make sense. The K3 draws so little current on receive that it would make sense to run it this way. I would be a bit concerned about gas from the battery however. Currently I use an Astron 35m and I love it but I just bet that it consumes more power than the K3! Perhaps the battery/charger concept would be more efficient? Steve N4LQ ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Guernsey" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2010 8:32 PM Subject: [Elecraft] K3 on Order >I have an Astron RS-35M as my power supply through a Rigrunner to my K3/10. > Enough left to upgrade to K3/100. > > 73s de Dave KJ6CBS > > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
