Ive had 2 22a/h versions of this battery for 2 years and i love them , i work portable activating wwff , castles, lighthouses, iota etc and they never let me down !!! M0dxt Bill 👍
@@MM0OPXFieldRadio yeah makes sense to buy the biggest you can afford and makes sense for the use case given prices are only going to go up next year. I’m praying for a nationwide power cut so all us hams can have a qrm free day at the home qth :)
I bought the 22Ah version a few months ago. I agree it's great for portable use on holiday or the like; perfect for higher power use. Comes highly recommended by myself.
Hi Colin I bought the 22Ah version, to date I too can say it meets my needs. Using FT-991a at 100W. Lightweight, charges from new 4 1/2 hrs. Subsequent charges in about 3 hrs. Not sure what the discharge capacity remaining before recharge. I work in the basis use for 4hrs elapsed time then recharge. G7LJL
You can't compare the price of these with LA batteries as the difference in performance is night and day. I built a portable pack from 4x Headway 15AH cells some time ago for a bit less than half the price, admittedly with no onboard BMS as I already have a bespoke Lithium battery balance charger, plus I always have spare Powerpole connectors on hand.👍The headway pack has a much higher "C" rating (max charge rate 45A, max cont discharge 150A, pulse discharge of 225A) and weighs about the same. As a plug-&-go solution though, the Ultramax is a good buy, plus the price of the Headway cells has increased markedly since I bought some so a ready made solution like the Ultramax will be my next purchase if/when I need another portable pack.👍
Nice, ive got the 18AH version; still going to be overkill for my trusty FT 818; this should keep me going for a couple of days, not worrying; I will be out of power. Thank you for your advice, many 73,s de M7SZY.
Nice video and well timed for me, as iam trying to go battery power only in my shack, as some of my switch mode psu,s give me s6 of noise on rx. But I sometimes run 200w with the ts 480hx and I think requires about 40A, but iam never too sure what battery I need to have in the shack. Any ideas are more than welcome, as the big old car battery I am using now takes up half the shack hi. 73.
Hi Brian, depends how big your wallet is but you will need a 100ah battery for decent running time in my opinion. Check out this one which looks good and has 100a current draw which is more than capable for your needs. Just charge it from time to time th-cam.com/video/lH-GX94D1sA/w-d-xo.html
Hi, I currently use eco-worthy batteries, but I've been looking at these too - so thanks for the upload. Incidentally, do you use a voltage booster? I've seen a YT video where a 7300 caused major splatter when the voltage dropped below 12.8v on TX (although that was CW not SSB ). I wonder how much voltage is being lost through that spring loaded connector?
No voltage booter needed. Under load its about 12.8v and no load 13.2v so another benefit not needing a buck booster. I've almost had my 7300 connected to my leasure battery which will be just less than 12v with no issue.
@@MM0OPXFieldRadio Hi Colin, thanks for the info, it's very reasuring. I should be fine as I only run a maximum of 50W SSB & 25W DATA, but often a lot less.
Great little review, just discovered your channel today. I have a 20ah Miady Lifepo4 battery and I bought a lifepo4 charger for it, the charger puts out s9+30 of noise right across HF when charging (but it charges at 10amps)! How is the charger that came with the battery in that regard?
Thank you great review of this battery I've had the same battery for nearly 2 years its had daily heavy use powering my radio kit which pulls a shade over 15A at full power as well as running a Victron Phoenix 12/250W inverter powering a 22 inch PC screen, a 65W type-C powered laptop and 8TB enterprize HDD pulling a shade over 80W when the laptops fully charged. These "golf trolley" batteries are ideal for radio userrs as they use standard Powerpoles out of the box and they are next to impossible to short circuit as you can't fit the T-bar lead in reverse plus you can easily remove the T-bar if required and hardwire 6MM or larger ring terminals to PP cables direct to the terminals using 8mm washers, 8mm nuts and the original screws. I've traveled with this battery on trains and had it powering my SG2 in public using a PP to cig socket cable and 100W type-C adapter with no funny looks or questions so certainly a lot safer than my smaller Ultramax 12V 10Ah and 12Ah batteries which use F2 terminals pitty Ultramax don't make a 12Ah version of this battery which would be perfect for airtravel as they are next to impossible to short out with the T-bar in place. Just wishing the battery regs change but can't see it happening anytime soon as these are perfect to use on holiday and don't look like regular batteries with their terminals exposed. I don't charge using the lotus 10x5.5mm jack but directly charge using a 5A Powerpole charger and from March to late November I keep this charged most of the time using a 100W solar panel and Powerwerx LFP solar controller terminated in Powerpoles so these can take a lot of abuse and are much safer than F2 terminals. I've pushed 15.3V through the T-bar cable using a 30A bench supply with no issues the BMS cuts off the voltage at 15V so every HAM needs one of these.
Great review in the comments. Can I ask if you directly charge (not using the lotus 10mm jack) do you know if the charge goes through the internal BMS and is being protected as it would be using the lotus jack? Thank you
So frustrating. It didnt work initially, worked fine last 2 days now not working again. I will send another mail but likely few days before anything happens with holidays.
In the end they are not. For the same usable Ah you will need minimal a 36 Ah AGM battery. You can not use more then about 50% of that. That battery can be charged about 350 times when you do it really good. A lifepo can be used to about 5% left and can be charged around 1500 times. In the lifetime of the Lifepo you would need to buy 4 x a AGM.
This is the one I use, proved to be Great for me as now I have to Walk or use a bus to go portable Previously I as using two 7 Amp Gel Cells Many Thanks....GM4NNC
Lifepo4 for the win! Great video Colin.
Ive had 2 22a/h versions of this battery for 2 years and i love them , i work portable activating wwff , castles, lighthouses, iota etc and they never let me down !!! M0dxt Bill 👍
The 22Ah are the ones I'm looking at buying, so thanks for the recommendation 👍
@@2E0RME you won't regret it cracking Battery
That looks like a really nice battery Colin, thanks for the look!
It is Chuck. We cant get Bioenno here and for me this is the closest. The form factor is also better with its case and carry handle.
I bought the 18Ah version last summer, loved it and I have it on good authority that Santa is brining me another for Christmas.
Already I'm thinking about the 22ah version. I don't think that has the USB though which is handy but not critical.
@@MM0OPXFieldRadio yeah makes sense to buy the biggest you can afford and makes sense for the use case given prices are only going to go up next year. I’m praying for a nationwide power cut so all us hams can have a qrm free day at the home qth :)
@@G5STU Got a genny here too. Just in case.
I bought the 22Ah version a few months ago. I agree it's great for portable use on holiday or the like; perfect for higher power use. Comes highly recommended by myself.
I just need an FT-891 to go with it now 🤔
I have two, love em.
Loving this one 👍
Many thanks Colin, very interesting, have a wonderful Christmas and a Good New Year
Thanks Brendan. Have a good one 👍
Do let us know how many hours you get when working at full power that would be interesting
@@brendanhynes473 will do
Nice documentary Video again, Colin. Happy Holidays to you and yours. 73 de YFUG fra SW-Germany 💯🙋♂
Always appreciated UG. Have a great Holiday 👍
@@MM0OPXFieldRadio Tnx Colin 👍
Hi Colin I bought the 22Ah version, to date I too can say it meets my needs. Using FT-991a at 100W. Lightweight, charges from new 4 1/2 hrs. Subsequent charges in about 3 hrs. Not sure what the discharge capacity remaining before recharge. I work in the basis use for 4hrs elapsed time then recharge. G7LJL
Thanks for feedback, not heard anything bad about them yet.
You can't compare the price of these with LA batteries as the difference in performance is night and day. I built a portable pack from 4x Headway 15AH cells some time ago for a bit less than half the price, admittedly with no onboard BMS as I already have a bespoke Lithium battery balance charger, plus I always have spare Powerpole connectors on hand.👍The headway pack has a much higher "C" rating (max charge rate 45A, max cont discharge 150A, pulse discharge of 225A) and weighs about the same. As a plug-&-go solution though, the Ultramax is a good buy, plus the price of the Headway cells has increased markedly since I bought some so a ready made solution like the Ultramax will be my next purchase if/when I need another portable pack.👍
Nice, ive got the 18AH version; still going to be overkill for my trusty FT 818; this should keep me going for a couple of days, not worrying; I will be out of power. Thank you for your advice, many 73,s de M7SZY.
Excellent, I love mine. You have future proofed yourself for a 100w radio to use with.
Nice video and well timed for me, as iam trying to go battery power only in my shack, as some of my switch mode psu,s give me s6 of noise on rx. But I sometimes run 200w with the ts 480hx and I think requires about 40A, but iam never too sure what battery I need to have in the shack. Any ideas are more than welcome, as the big old car battery I am using now takes up half the shack hi. 73.
Hi Brian, depends how big your wallet is but you will need a 100ah battery for decent running time in my opinion. Check out this one which looks good and has 100a current draw which is more than capable for your needs. Just charge it from time to time th-cam.com/video/lH-GX94D1sA/w-d-xo.html
Hi, I currently use eco-worthy batteries, but I've been looking at these too - so thanks for the upload. Incidentally, do you use a voltage booster? I've seen a YT video where a 7300 caused major splatter when the voltage dropped below 12.8v on TX (although that was CW not SSB ). I wonder how much voltage is being lost through that spring loaded connector?
No voltage booter needed. Under load its about 12.8v and no load 13.2v so another benefit not needing a buck booster. I've almost had my 7300 connected to my leasure battery which will be just less than 12v with no issue.
@@MM0OPXFieldRadio Hi Colin, thanks for the info, it's very reasuring. I should be fine as I only run a maximum of 50W SSB & 25W DATA, but often a lot less.
@@MM0OPXFieldRadio Here's a link to the video in question: th-cam.com/video/EmfRzqhONyo/w-d-xo.html
Great little review, just discovered your channel today. I have a 20ah Miady Lifepo4 battery and I bought a lifepo4 charger for it, the charger puts out s9+30 of noise right across HF when charging (but it charges at 10amps)! How is the charger that came with the battery in that regard?
Great question, I haven't checked! When I do, I will report back.
@@MM0OPXFieldRadio It would be enough reason to buy the battery and get the charger for free! The noise is like a wideband 10w HF transmitter!
Thank you great review of this battery I've had the same battery for nearly 2 years its had daily heavy use powering my radio kit which pulls a shade over 15A at full power as well as running a Victron Phoenix 12/250W inverter powering a 22 inch PC screen, a 65W type-C powered laptop and 8TB enterprize HDD pulling a shade over 80W when the laptops fully charged. These "golf trolley" batteries are ideal for radio userrs as they use standard Powerpoles out of the box and they are next to impossible to short circuit as you can't fit the T-bar lead in reverse plus you can easily remove the T-bar if required and hardwire 6MM or larger ring terminals to PP cables direct to the terminals using 8mm washers, 8mm nuts and the original screws. I've traveled with this battery on trains and had it powering my SG2 in public using a PP to cig socket cable and 100W type-C adapter with no funny looks or questions so certainly a lot safer than my smaller Ultramax 12V 10Ah and 12Ah batteries which use F2 terminals pitty Ultramax don't make a 12Ah version of this battery which would be perfect for airtravel as they are next to impossible to short out with the T-bar in place. Just wishing the battery regs change but can't see it happening anytime soon as these are perfect to use on holiday and don't look like regular batteries with their terminals exposed. I don't charge using the lotus 10x5.5mm jack but directly charge using a 5A Powerpole charger and from March to late November I keep this charged most of the time using a 100W solar panel and Powerwerx LFP solar controller terminated in Powerpoles so these can take a lot of abuse and are much safer than F2 terminals. I've pushed 15.3V through the T-bar cable using a 30A bench supply with no issues the BMS cuts off the voltage at 15V so every HAM needs one of these.
Great review in the comments. Can I ask if you directly charge (not using the lotus 10mm jack) do you know if the charge goes through the internal BMS and is being protected as it would be using the lotus jack? Thank you
Thank you for the vid.
Code not working for me. "The coupon code isn't valid. Verify the code and try again"
So frustrating. It didnt work initially, worked fine last 2 days now not working again. I will send another mail but likely few days before anything happens with holidays.
@@MM0OPXFieldRadio Waiting patiently. 😊
I've emailed again! Likely no one working until today after Xmas.
That's it working again, my contact had been off ill.
Hi John,
Thank you for your feedback on the code. It has since been fixed, we hope you managed to avail of it
Code doesn’t work, is it correct..?
Yep UMX5 let me chase it for you tomorrow to make sure its been activated by Ultramax.
Have they responded to you? Chomping at the bit ready to hit the buy button
No they haven't which is disappointing! I will chase them again tomorrow.
Tried it myself this morning and its working for me 👍
@@MM0OPXFieldRadio yep, thanks… have it ordered now cheers
They are expensive batteries.
They are compared to lead acid but the technology will hopefully get cheaper over time as it becomes more popular.
In the end they are not. For the same usable Ah you will need minimal a 36 Ah AGM battery. You can not use more then about 50% of that. That battery can be charged about 350 times when you do it really good. A lifepo can be used to about 5% left and can be charged around 1500 times. In the lifetime of the Lifepo you would need to buy 4 x a AGM.
I have been useing them for years there very good for powering my radio equipment chris G0WFH
Cant see past it. Super handy for me.
This is the one I use, proved to be Great for me as now I have to Walk or use a bus to go portable Previously I as using two 7 Amp Gel Cells Many Thanks....GM4NNC
I love mine. Use it all the time with my 7300 portable. I would have another, only larger capacity for a weekends operating.