36000mA/H Power Bank

Hi Glen,
I have been looking through some of the links, and it looks as thought here are some vast improvements in cell and battery technology.
I suppose that the invention of the electric car has a lot to do with development, but I will continue to read in my lunch break tomorrow.

I must see what the prices are for the 3,3V 2,2A/H cells (computer compatible?)

Thank you for your very comprehensive response.
Very best regards from Harry - SM0VPO

Please note that I presently do not own NEC/A123 Systems shares/stocks even though I advocate them :-)

The best and safest accumulator is here (LiFePO4-based = LiFe = LFP). When calculating the expense per full-cycle (charge/discharge), A123 Systems cells are close to or cheapest:

Newest technology: UltraPhosphate - third generation (NEC also sells under their name):
http://www.a123systems.com/
http://www.a123systems.com/lithium-starter-battery.htm

Safety test - and ought to last 15 years!:
A123Systems:
https://web.archive.org/web/20120301190507/http://www.rc-netbutik.dk/getdoc.asp?id=100&md5hash=9810C237586CF6B4325753101E37DAE1

Needs a BMS to last long:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_management_system

September 2008, Revealing positive Sandia-test:
SANDIA REPORT SAND2008-5583 Unlimited Release Printed September 2008 Selected Test Results from the LiFeBatt Iron Phosphate Li-ion Battery. Thomas D. Hund and David Ingersoll Prepared by Sandia National Laboratories Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 and Livermore, California 94550. Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. Approved for public release; further dissemination unlimited.
https://web.archive.org/web/20160306082717/http://www.lifebatt.com/sandiareport.pdf
Quote: "...
Test results have indicated that the LiFeBatt battery technology can function up to a 10C discharge rate with minimal energy loss compared to the 1 h discharged rate (1C).
...
The majority of the capacity loss occurred during the initial [!] 2,000 cycles, so it is projected that the LiFeBatt should PSOC cycle well beyond 8,394 cycles with less than 20% capacity loss.
...
[See illustration pdf-page 23]
[ Read: 65% capacity available at -20°C. ]
..."

First generation A123 Systems M1 cells (the four cells are and were not build to handle that amount of jumpstarter current!):
[Car] Pocket 12V Battery Jumpstarter in 2009:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1FAtXhIJYs

Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) and A123 batteries:
http://www.rcmodelreviews.com/baffledbybatteries4.shtml

March 24, 2014, NEC acquires grid energy storage and commercial systems business of A123 Systems from Wanxiang - Merger of the A123 Energy Solutions business unit with NEC's leading ICT creates a smart energy storage powerhouse -
https://www.nec.com/en/press/201403/global_20140324_01.html

February 8, 2012, Researchers Uncover Why Lithium Iron Phosphate Works So Well:
http://scitechdaily.com/researchers-uncover-why-lithium-iron-phosphate-works-so-well/
Quote: "...
That’s an unusual finding, Bazant says: “Usually, if you’re doing something faster, you do more damage, but in this case it’s the opposite.” Similarly, he and Cogswell predict that operating at a slightly higher temperature would actually make the material last longer, which runs counter to typical material behavior.
..."

DIY Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries (LiFePO4) for ... - Get a Free Blog:
http://marazuladventures.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/diy-lithium-iron-phosphate-batteries8.pdf

NEC ALM12V7s LiFePO4 battery:
https://www.aeroakku.com/LiFePO4-Batteries/-NEC-storage-batteries/NEC-ALM-12V7s::2434.html
“…
SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE
- IEC62133; UL 1973
- REACH, RoHS and Battery Directive (2006/66/EC)
- Meets FCC 47CFR 15 Class B, IEC61000-6-1,-2, -3, -4, ICES-003
- UN Manual of Tests and Criteria Part III subsection 38.3
…”

(NEC) A123 Systems; LiFePO4 starterbatteries:
https://www.aeroakku.com/LiFePO4-Batteries/-NEC-storage-batteries:::92_201.html
http://www.aeroakku.com/index.php/cat/c124_--LiFePO4-starterbatteries.html

Other brands:

1 649,35 kr Inkl. moms [one cell 3.2V]
Battericelle, LiFePO4, 100AH
https://cityel.dk/webshop/lithium/68-battericelle-100ah.html
Quote: "...
3,2V nominel spænding, 100 Ah.
Levetid > 10 år / > 100.000 km ved afladning < 100A (1C)
..."

https://cityel.dk/webshop/lithium/126-12v-90ah-lithium-akkumulatorbatteri.html
Same as:
https://www.ev-power.eu/LiFeYPO4-batteries-12V-1-1/Lithium-Battery-12V-90Ah-WB-LP12V90AH.html

http://www.ev-power.eu/
http://www.ev-power.eu/LiFePO4-special-cells/NPB-LiFePO4-Power-3-2V-100Ah.html?cur=1

-

Comparison of LiFePO4 and non-LiFePO4 accumulators:

Nail penetration testing A123 Li-ion [ one of the best LiFePO4-accumulators ! ]:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb_J2QQ0k-4

Most other Li-ion (non-LiFePO4) are unstable:

Exploding Laptops on Good Morning America:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvTRKKS0wpo

Nail penetration testing Standard Li-ion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f30fBFitkSM

Modify Li-Po Battery Nail Penetration Test:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vdOC8dN3_I

Spark, Smoke & Boom!: World's Most Dangerous Battery!:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DcpANRFrI4

Ok Ivan,
That is about what I thought. I think the 500/900mA current restriction is due to the inverter that steps up the voltage.
But I have 11.2V 6A/H LiPo batteries for my drone, and the drone sucks about 20 Amperes. Perhaps I can give one of those a try?

Probably will not last very long. The drone batteries have a very short life. After every flight they get hot, and they start to swell after about 10 flights, then the capacity starts to fall rapidly.

I must confess that I found a LiPo battery (in a plastic pouch) can be forced to live a little longer by pricking the pouch with a pin to let out the gasses, but don't breathe anywhere near it when you do it. It relieves the swelling that would otherwise cause the battery to jam in the battery compartment of the drone, due to swelling. I can usually get a couple of extra flights, giving me time to order another battery.

As you say, with low current loads they can last "an eternity".

Best regards from Harry - SM0VPO

Harry wrote:But I don't think you can power an FT-101ZD with three of those (3x 5v) pulling 20 Amperes on TX. It would be interesting to try pulling 6 Amperes to power a car headlamp.

USB may be limited to 0,5 A only. But this powerbank can be used to power a small receiver or similar. I imagine using it with a small LED torch - 40 days of illumination !  

BR from Ivan

Glenndk wrote:How about this powerbank brick (built-in smartphone)?:

Energizer P18K Pop:
https://www.gsmarena.com/energizer_power_max_p18k_pop-9573.php

February 26, 2019, Energizer’s 18,000 mAh Phone May Be the Most Revolutionary Device of 2019:
https://www.reviewgeek.com/13406/energizers-18000-mah-phone-may-be-the-most-revolutionary-device-of-2019/
Quote: "...
Clearly, Energizer’s head is in the right place. The people of Earth have no need for a phone that folds, or clamps to another phone, or whatever. They need a phone that can last for weeks without a charge, a phone that can hold the door open while you bring in your groceries, a phone that can charge other phones.
..."

27. februar 2019, Få en uges batterilevetid med denne murstens-smartphone:
https://www.recordere.dk/2019/02/nu-holder-android-smartphones-en-uge-paa-batteriet-hvis-du-kan-leve-med-en-mursten/
“…
Og det giver jo ret meget mening, taget i betragtning at der jo nærmest er tale om en powerbank med en indbygget telefon.
…”

There were a few interesting links. I wonder exactly how these things are rated?

Do they have 18A at 3.7V, then an inverter/regulator so that you get more voltage and less current?
I have seen a few of the powerbanks tested, and a 5200mA/h pack only gave about 3000mA/h at 5V.

I suppose I would have to butcher one to find out what they are made of. 1A at 5v is probably sucking 2A from the battery cell. I may do that, one fine day, when I fancy playing with a bit of power/smoke.

I have collected computer batteries for a while and they can usually deliver a few amperes, but they also get hot, even the ones with parallel 2600mA/h cells.

Gotta go now - Maj-Lis is waiting for me to give her some attention. She has inly been in Sweden for 2 1/2 hours!

Catch you later and thank you very much for the links. Really appreciated. Very best regards from Harry - SM0VPO

Hi Ivan,
Yes, I have seen this sort of thing, and they are getting cheaper and larger. But I don't think you can power an FT-101ZD with three of those (3x 5v) pulling 20 Amperes on TX. It would be interesting to try pulling 6 Amperes to power a car headlamp. A HP laptop battery (5.5 A/H LiPo) cannot power the 6A lamp for more than a minute or so. After about a minute the cells were really warm.

But it was a scrap computer that I took the battery pack from. Perhaps the cells were a bit weak?

BR from Harry - SM0VPO

Hi all,
a pocket size 30000 mAh powerbank with solar charging is here. USB, i.e. 5 V.

BR from Ivan

How about this powerbank brick (built-in smartphone)?:

Energizer P18K Pop:
https://www.gsmarena.com/energizer_power_max_p18k_pop-9573.php

February 26, 2019, Energizer’s 18,000 mAh Phone May Be the Most Revolutionary Device of 2019:
https://www.reviewgeek.com/13406/energizers-18000-mah-phone-may-be-the-most-revolutionary-device-of-2019/
Quote: "...
Clearly, Energizer’s head is in the right place. The people of Earth have no need for a phone that folds, or clamps to another phone, or whatever. They need a phone that can last for weeks without a charge, a phone that can hold the door open while you bring in your groceries, a phone that can charge other phones.
..."

27. februar 2019, Få en uges batterilevetid med denne murstens-smartphone:
https://www.recordere.dk/2019/02/nu-holder-android-smartphones-en-uge-paa-batteriet-hvis-du-kan-leve-med-en-mursten/
“…
Og det giver jo ret meget mening, taget i betragtning at der jo nærmest er tale om en powerbank med en indbygget telefon.
…”

Hi Densil,
It was a very interesting project for me. I really needed a portable power bank.

I used 3x 12V 12A/H VRLA batteries, the type you put in UPS's and such.

I connected them in parallel.

The front lamp is a 55W "Extra lamp":

I made a 3D bracket to fix it to the end of the box, with a panel inside to the weight is spread. Heat is not a problem.

The box itself is tough polythene. A little flexible but there is no problems to support the lamp or the inverter.


Here is the power bank, finished. The lamp is to the left and the 230V 350W inverter is at the right. It is really easy, there is nothing clever about it, just three batteries in a box. But now I can run my radios on 230V AC for a few hours, some lighting that is perfect in an emergency. 


Internally you can see the batteries paralleled, but with the terminals > down > up > down > so that there is no chance of shorting when I put on the alligator clips. There is also a little 100W inverter in there, but the idle current is higher than the 350W inverter. Also a cigarette outlet adapter.

The inverter runs almost stone-cold, but the lamp gets a bit warm. Nowhere near enough to melt the plastic.
Total weight is about 12kg, but I use a nylon strap around the box to make sure the lid does not come off.

I have a lovely 1m length of high intensity LED lamps, intended for kitchen use, from Ikea. That takes only 100mA, 12 lamps, so that will provide light for up to 350 hours. That fits in a small Strepsils tin, including a couple of metres of wire.
And if you are wondering, yes, it will power the refrigerator or freezer (but not at the same time). The inverter sometimes trips if you start it, stop it and start it again within a few seconds. The freezer is 200W but on average the thermostat will kick in only about 10% of the time, so the average consumption is about 30W. I would guess it could run the freezer for 12 hours, providing it has not got warm.

Have I answered all your questions?

Best regards from Harry - SM0VPO

hi Harry. i'm interested to see pictures. I thought about something like it but a car battery is too heavy to carry and expensive. Yours must be a lot lighter if it has plastic carrying handle.

35 a/h .. did you use a lawnmower battery or several batteries? The box you showed is thin. Is it stable to support the inverter? and lamp? What about heat?
/D

I am just preparing for the spring when I can start using my HF rig from work. Again I will be QRV on 14MHz as soon as the weather gets better.


Last year I was running the FT-101ZD from a pair of 12V 12A/H batteries and using the internal inverter.

Today I assembled a carry-around toolbox with 36A/H battery, a 12V car headlamp and a 350W DC-AC converter. Now I can power either of my 230V rigs, jump-start the car, and have powerful lighting.


Had a power cut last Friday 6AM. Pitch-dark, but at the flick of a switch I had the house illuminated like a Christmas tree. I even had a good lamp in the bathroom so I could get myself ready for work.

I am using the workbench lab PSU to float-charge the battery so it is well maintained and not overcharged.

Is there any interest in publishing such a simple project on http://www.sm0vpo.com, or is it a bit too simple to be of interest?

Anyway, as soon as the weather improves I will be on 14.120MHz +/-20kHz. Will drop a line here, and on Twitter, when I expect to be QRV. Just waiting until the wild Lilly Of The Valley start to bloom (sign of Spring).

Regards from Harry - SM0VPO