In this video I show you how I am now powering my radios. If you are tired of lugging around heavy lead acid batteries, just like I was, then check out this video on the 12 volt 20 amp hour LiFePO4 battery by Bioenno Power! Bioenno Power makes batteries as small as 3ah (amp hours) all the way up to 300ah. Not only are their batteries great form amateur radio, but they are also used for remote control items. Aside from selling batteries Bioenno also sells solar controllers and solar panels as well. The customer service at Bioenno Power is beyond superior! I say this because of how they did a repair on my 120 watt solar panels.
Yes I have seen the 12 VDC Bioenno Power Lithium iron phosphate batteries you are presenting and they are very light weight. I believe you mention they are 1/2 the weight of the SLA (sealed lead acid) kind. But they are nearly 3 times the cost too! You're right that Goal Zero Yeti DC system weighs a ton! And can the battery be easily changed out? Or does one have to send it back to the factory? I'll stick with my COMBATT 12V portable 12 VDC battery box for now. I can change out the battery within two minutes! See pics at QRZ.com. Thank you for sharing. Jesse- KK6PKN
I can say the Bioenno batteries are fantastic. I have a 12volt 12ah Lifepo4 for ham radio and also use it to runs the led lights on my pedal car at Burningman. This battery has been incredible. You can’t overcharge or overdischarge it. I’ve charged it using a solar panel and charge controller as well as a bench power supply. I bought a Bioenno starting battery for my Yamaha Rhino as well. It’s simply fantastic. Lighter smaller and more punch than the stock AGM battery. Due to it having a static voltage around 14.1 volts it starts much faster. I have an aftermarket CDI ignition module and it requires a higher start voltage for some reason. When using an AGM battery I would regularly have to jump start the Rhino. Yes, the technology is expensive at this time. But the shelf life and expected charge and discharge cycles are also longer than a lead acid or AGM battery. Bioenno’s prices are on par with everyone else selling the same thing. Being the Ham I Am, I tried to cheap out. Kevin at Bioenno has been great to work with too. I have no affiliation with them. Strictly a customer. Don N6NLX
30Ah Bioenno, 100W solar panel, buddiepole mini solar charger/controler and a ICOM7300 typically running 70W... I haven't turned on my power supply since I started running this setup.,. running about 80/20 duty cycle CW.. Their batteries are top notch.
Bioennos are worth every cent. Just from the ease of maintenance alone I will never go back to SLAs. SLAs are far to much a pain, and they dont last long.
As far as cost versus performance , just take a look at the power curve over time and you will to with the LiFe batteries. They keep on ticking until they are dead............
I will also add that this is a company with really great customer service. They literally consulted with me on my product application questions. I have 2 of the Bioenno compact, power-pole output, 20Ah BLF-1220W/A, LFP batteries, with chargers. Also have the 120 watt, BSP-120, folding solar panel with the protective carry case. Using a custom built solar charger. These LFP batteries pay for themselves over a very long lifetime, with the equivalent of 2 x the Ah potential of any SLA. The above 20Ah LFP has same or greater potential of a 40Ah SLA, while keeping up a usable voltage to discharge.
My Bioenno BLF1230 30ah (360wh) weighs less than 9 lbs and is small enough to strap to my Icom 706G for easy portable ops. I also Scotch Lok'd a Genasun 10amp MPPT solar charge controller and a cheapo Chinese battery monitor to the top and hook it all together with Anderson PowerPoles. The Genasun outfit is run by hams and is the only completely RF-quiet controller on the market, too. Now under $100 from a good ebay seller in California. I like my "big" Bioenno so much I got a second, smaller one for my homebrew bicycle lighting system (3ah LFP plus two 8 watt 12volt LED lamps from Walmart). With these two setups I can: 1) operate my 100 watt SSB rig all day long (even 50/50 contest style) and have power left over by the time I'm burnt out. 2) Blaze any night trail or road bright as day on my bike for as long as I care to ride. The battery will outlast me before it's time to recharge. Cost? With such great attributes I could practically care less about the price---it's truly a great value to me---and that is priceless in itself. No affiliation with any of the companies above but one very satisfied customer in more ways than one. I continue to save my old 70ah marine gel cells (54lbs each) that I bought new in 1998 mostly for emergency back up here at home (but also for sentimental reasons---I used to lug them up hilltops for portable VHF stuff back in my younger days---and they're still usable twenty years on.) If I find a need for any other battery-operated situations I will look no further than Bioenno---what a great company and product they provide to us!
In the backpack I fit the Bioenno 20AH, Icom 7300, MFJ-939 and LNR precision end-fed 40M-10M plus balun. Side handles and avalanche radio backpack are from http://portablezero.com/ The Bioenno is a terrific battery, and allows me to go QRO for SPOTA and SOTA.
Thanks for the comment and for taking the time to watch the video. Changing the battery in the Goal Zero Yeti isn't terribly difficult, but seeing as how the battery is nearly 100 pounds it will give some people some problems. I can change the battery in as little as 20 minutes.
I looked at the weights and costs of several options for 20W+ for HF SOTA/POTA including the 857D, KX3 plus amp and tuner, Icom 7100, etc. Since I already owned the 7300 and it will tune up to 3:1...or better in emergency mode (reduces power to 50W or less), it was an easy decision. I don't have to carry the 939, the LNR end fed quad does very well on 10, 15, 20, 40 with the 7300 internal tuner. If I were to pack into a site instead of driving to the proximity and then short hiking...I'd get an external backpack frame and mount the radio bag to it, with tent and camping gear below. Both ALPS and Eberlestock make very nice external frame packs. I like Eberlestock because they have a wide variety of modular systems you can tailor to your hunt...be you hunting DX or critters. My next purchase from Bioenno will be their 28 watt solar panels and low noise charge controller.
As one of their FIRST ham radio op to purchase their battery, I can close my eyes and recommend their batteries. They battery I bought so long ago still outperforms any battery I have ever purchased. The lightweight 12Ah version has powered my 857D portable rig without issue for a few years. http://k4ecd.com/cq/k4ecd-portable-equipment/ One of the best companies around.