Power Queen LiFePO4 for Christmas

December 19, 2023 Julian OH8STN battery power, charge controller, Education, Genasun, Grid Down Communications, Ham Radio, LiFePO4, Off-grid Comms, oh8stn, Power Queen LiFePO4, Preparedness, Solar Power, Solar Power for Ham Radio 0

Hello Operators.
By now you’ve noticed the Power Queen LiFePO4 batteries I’ve been using in the Off-Grid Ham Shack project. I thought to go ahead and share their Christmas offers, to help y’all save some money, while supporting the blog/channel.

Remember, the batteries in this post are just a few of those available from Power Queen. Be sure to check out the regional sites, to find a suitable LiFePO4 battery for your project.

Introduction

No More Lead-Acid batteries!

We’ve discussed this on the channel and blog before, but it needs to be stated, then restated. Lead-acid batteries are a terrible investment for an off-grid station!

  • Relatively low cycle life means we’ll be replacing lead-acid batteries far more often.
  • Even with the “lower price” of lead-acid, we would have been through ~8x lead-acid batteries before our first LiFePO4 equivalent even thinks about getting tired.
  • ~50% of stated capacity means we’re only getting about half the storage capacity we expect from a lead-acid battery. 100 amp hours means 2x 100 amp hours lead acid batteries in parallel (food for thought).
  • Peukerts Law shows us the diminishing capacity of a lead-acid battery, as the load increases.
  • LiFePO4 batteries provide nearly 100% depth of discharge without damaging them.
  • LiFePO4 batteries don’t vent toxic fumes into the air. This means they can be located inside the station, without harming the Operator.

There are lots of benefits to LiFePO4 compared to lead-acid. Performance, capacity and cost-savings over the lifetime of the battery are the most important. The only downside to LiFePO4 is below-freezing charging. This is one reason for the diesel heater in my ham shack. Still, lead-acid batteries are great for starting engines. I can’t imagine many other applications where I’d use them over a LiFePO4 battery.
Food for thought. OK, let’s get started.

Battery Storage

In an off-grid solar system, a battery acts as a reservoir, storing the energy produced by our solar panels for later use. This stored energy can power our electrical devices in real-time, when there is no sunlight, or provide additional current when current from the solar panels is insufficient. The battery is like the fuel tank in our cars. It allows us to store the solar energy collected during the day, so we can use it when we need it. The battery in an off-grid system, ensures continuous and uninterrupted power, independent of the grid.

United States

Power Queen United States site:
https://ipowerqueen.com/?ref=0q1c0pan
5% Coupon code: JULIANOH8STN

4% Discount for orders over $50
5% Discount for orders over $600
6% Discount for orders over $2000

This is the smallest “big” battery on offer from Power Queen. It is a 50 amp-hours, 640 watt-hours with a 50 amp max current load. If you’re on a tight budget, but still wanting to get your station off-grid, this might be the way to go.

Keep in mind, Power Queen batteries go together like Lego blocks. You can start with one, and add additional batteries are your station grows.

12V 50Ah:
Link: https://ipowerqueen.com/products/12-8v-50ah-life-po4-battery/?ref=0q1c0pan

This is the battery used for the off-grid ham shack project. 100 amp-hours, 1280 watt-hours, and 100 amps current load. It has been an absolute performer, with no purchase regrets.

12V 100Ah: $229
Link: https://ipowerqueen.com/products/12-8v-100ah-lifepo4-battery-built-in-100a-bms/?ref=0q1c0pan

Similar to the 100 amp hour, 1280 watt-hour battery above, the Power Queen 12V 100Ah Mini LiFePO4 battery has a higher energy density, making it 22% smaller in length, & 24% smaller in width than the Power Queen 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery from the off-grid ham shack project.

12V 100Ah Mini: $239
Link: https://ipowerqueen.com/products/power-queen-12-8v-100ah-mini-built-in-100a-bms/?ref=0q1c0pan

100ah 1280 watt-hour LiFePO4 battery with low temperature protection. The low-temperature sensor will automatically cut charging when the cell temperature is lower than 32℉/0°C. Once the cell temperature is above 32℉/0°C, the BMS automatically resumes charging. Excellent protection during cold weather operation.

12V 100Ah LTP:  $239
Link: https://ipowerqueen.com/products/power-queen-12-8v-100ah-low-temp-lifepo4-battery-built-in-100a-bms/?ref=0q1c0pan

This is a 200 amp-hour, 2560 watt-hour LiFePO4 battery with 200 amp load. This is perfect for your first “larger” off-grid (always on, always ready) station. It’s also perfect as a power supply for a large contesting amplifier, repeater, or Winlink gateway.

12V 200Ah Plus:  $499
Link: https://ipowerqueen.com/products/power-queen-12v-200ah-plus-lifepo4-battery-built-in-200a-bms/?ref=0q1c0pan

If you are getting serious about the amount of battery storage available for your station, this massive 300 amp-hour, 3840 watt-hour LiFePO4 battery is a dream. With a max current output of 200 amps and 3.84kwh of storage, this battery has enough power to keep your station and other peripherals up and running for quite some time.

12V 300Ah: $749 (The price of this product is the lowest price in 2023)
Link: https://ipowerqueen.com/products/power-queen-12v-300ah-lithium-battery-built-in-200a-bms/?ref=0q1c0pan

Europe

Power Queen on Europe: https://www.ipowerqueen.de/?ref=732d60hj
5% Coupon: JULIANOH8STN

3% Coupon on a battery
4% Coupon on two batteries
1 free 6Ah battery, when buying 4 batteries

This is the smallest “big” battery on offer from Power Queen. It is a 50 amp-hours, 640 watt-hours with a 50 amp max current load. If you’re on a tight budget, but still wanting to get your station off-grid, this might be the way to go.

Keep in mind, Power Queen batteries go together like Lego blocks. You can start with one, and add additional batteries as your station grows.

12V 50Ah: 154,63€ (inkl. Mwst.)
Link: https://www.ipowerqueen.de/products/power-queen-12-8v-50ah-lifepo4-akku-eingebautes-50a-bms/?ref=732d60hj

This is the battery used on the off-grid ham shack project. 100 amp-hours, 1280 watt-hours, and 100 amps current load. It has been an absolute performer, with no purchase regrets. The second 100ah battery arrived mid-December. We’ll be showing the parallel configuration on the channel as well.

12V 100Ah: 268,03€ (inkl. Mwst.)
Link: https://www.ipowerqueen.de/products/power-queen-12-8-v-100-ah-lifepo4-akku-eingebautes-100a-bms/?ref=732d60hj

100ah 1280 watt-hour LiFePO4 battery with low temperature protection. The low-temperature sensor will automatically cut charging when the cell temperature is lower than 32℉/0°C. Once the cell temperature is above 32℉/0°C, the BMS automatically resumes charging. Excellent protection during cold weather operation.

12V 100Ah LTP: 278,34€(inkl. Mwst.)
Link: https://www.ipowerqueen.de/products/power-queen-12-8v-100ah-niedrigtemp-lifepo4-akku-fur-trollingmotor/?ref=732d60hj

This is a 200 amp-hour, 2560 watt-hour LiFePO4 battery with 100 amp load. This is perfect for your first “larger” off-grid (always on, always ready) station. It’s also perfect as a power supply for a large contesting amplifier, repeater, or Winlink gateway.

12V 200Ah: 529,99(inkl.Mwst)
Link: https://www.ipowerqueen.de/products/power-queen-12-8v-200ah-lifepo4-akku-integriertes-100a-bms/?ref=732d60hj

This is a PLUS model of the 200 amp-hour, 2560 watt-hour LiFePO4 battery. It has a 200 amp max load. Like the battery above, this LiFePO4 pack is perfect for your first “larger” off-grid (always on, always ready) station. The difference with this “PLUS” model from the basic 200ah version is double the max current load. It’s also perfect as a power supply for high current draw applications like a large contesting station, repeater, Winlink gateway, or some combination of them on a single site.

12V 200Ah Plus: 549,99(inkl. Mwst.)
Link: https://www.ipowerqueen.de/products/power-queen-12-8v-200ah-plus-lifepo4-akku-eingebautes-200a-bms/?ref=732d60hj


Canada

Power Queen on Canada: https://ca.ipowerqueen.com/?ref=y0igztbu
5% Coupon: JULIANOH8STN

Spend C$300, Get 5% Coupon
Spend C$800, Get 6% Coupon
Spend C$1200, Get 7% Coupon
Spend C$1500, Get 8% Coupon

This is the smallest “big” battery on offer from Power Queen. It is a 50 amp-hours, 640 watt-hours with a 50 amp max current load. If you’re on a tight budget, but still wanting to get your station off-grid, this might be the way to go.

Keep in mind, Power Queen batteries go together like Lego blocks. You can start with one, and add additional batteries as your station needs grow.

12V 50Ah:
Link: https://ca.ipowerqueen.com/collections/12-8v/products/power-queen-12-8v-50ah-lifepo4-battery-built-in-50a-bms/?ref=y0igztbu

This is the battery used on the off-grid ham shack project. 100 amp-hours, 1280 watt-hours, and 100 amps current load. It has been an absolute performer, with no purchase regrets. The second 100ah battery arrived mid-December. We’ll be showing the parallel configuration on the channel as well.

12V 100Ah: C$329.99
Link: https://ca.ipowerqueen.com/products/power-queen-12-8v-100ah-lifepo4-battery-built-in-100a-bms/?ref=y0igztbu

Similar to the 100 amp hour, 1280 watt-hour battery above, the Power Queen 12V 100Ah Mini LiFePO4 battery has a higher energy density, making it 22% smaller in length, & 24% smaller in width than the Power Queen 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery from the off-grid ham shack project.

12V 100Ah Mini: C$336.83
Link: https://ca.ipowerqueen.com/products/power-queen-12-8v-100ah-mini-lifepo4-battery-built-in-100a-bms/?ref=y0igztbu

If you are getting serious about the amount of battery storage available for your station, this massive 300 amp-hour, 3840 watt-hour LiFePO4 battery is a dream. With a max current output of 200 amps and 3.84kwh of storage, this battery has enough power to keep your station and other peripherals up and running for quite some time.

12V 300Ah: C$1087.99
Link: https://ca.ipowerqueen.com/products/power-queen-12-8v-300ah-lifepo4-battery-built-in-200a-bms/?ref=y0igztbu

For those operators wanting to run inverters in their off-grid cabin, overland vehicles, campers or RV setup, a 24 volt battery might be an attractive option.

If you’re converting your solar power to AC with an inverter, the higher voltage battery will supply energy to the inverters more efficiently. This means dealing with RFI from our inverters in our radio, but this might not be a big problem if your radio gear is used periodically.

24V 100Ah: C$699.99
Link: https://ca.ipowerqueen.com/products/power-queen-25-6v-100ah-lifepo4-battery/?ref=y0igztbu

United Kingdom

Currently Power Queen UK only has a few of the Power Queen LiFePO4 battery modes enjoyed by other markets. I’ll list them here, but unfortunately there are no Christmas offers to share. Keep in mind, you can still get my 5% discount in the UK, by using JULIANOH8STN as a coupon code during checkout.

This is the battery used on the off-grid ham shack project. 100 amp-hours, 1280 watt-hours, and 100 amps current load. It has been an absolute performer, with no purchase regrets. The second 100ah battery arrived mid-December. We’ll be showing the parallel configuration on the channel as well.

12v 100ah LiFePO4
Remember to use JULIANOH8STN coupone code for 5% off.
Link: https://uk.ipowerqueen.com/products/12-8v-100ah-lifepo4-battery-built-in-100a-bms/?ref=k0j3c653

This is a 200 amp hour, 12.8 volts LiFePO4 battery. It is the equivilent of having 2x 100 amp hours LiFePO4 batteries from the off-grid ham shack, in parallel.

If you’re getting serious about your off-grid solar storage in the UK, this pack might be worth taking a look at.

12v 200ah LiFePO4 with 200 amp max current load. Remember to use JULIANOH8STN coupone code for 5% off.
Link: https://uk.ipowerqueen.com/products/power-queen-12v-200ah-plus-lifepo4-battery-built-in-200a-bms/?ref=k0j3c653

Charge controllers

If you’re running a 12 volt system for your ham radio station, I will always suggest the Genasun series of radio-friendly charge controllers, to keep your Power Queen LiFePO4 batteries topped up. A solar charge controller, also known as a solar regulator, is a critical component in a solar power system. Its main function is to regulate the flow of energy from the solar panels to the battery/batteries while preventing overcharging or damage to the solar storage system. Don’t let anyone tell you a charge controller is not required!

The solar charge controller is the first and last defense in protecting our battery. Here’s how:

  1. Current Regulation: When sunlight hits the solar panels, the panel will generate direct current (DC) electricity. The charge controller helps regulate (or limit) the amount of current from the panels to the batteries. It ensures that the batteries receive the appropriate charging current, preventing the battery from being overcharged, or charged at too high current.
  2. Battery Protection: Solar charge controllers monitor the battery voltage. The charge controller will alow charging when the battery voltage is within certain voltage limits. It will also prevent charging of the battery, if the battery is full. These features help protect the battery from excessive discharge, and inadvertently oversharging our battery. Both scenarios can lead to damage or reduced battery life.
  3. Preventing Overcharging: As mentioned above, overcharging can damage the batteries and reduce their lifespan. Solar charge controllers use a technique called pulse width modulation (PWM) or maximum power point tracking (MPPT) to prevent overcharging. PWM controllers (Bad!) regulate the charging voltage by pulsing the current flow to the batteries, while MPPT controllers optimize the solar panel’s output voltage to deliver maximum power and adjust the charging parameters accordingly.

Genasun USA & Europe

Genasun in North America and Europe offer discounts to my viewers and readers.

Use coupon code “5forOH8STN” for both regions.
North America: https://sunforgellc.com/genasun/
Europe: https://genasun.eu/

Power Queen discount codes

Use discount code JULIANOH8STN

Final thoughts

For nearly half a year at the time this post was published, the Power Queen 100 amp-hour, 100 amp max load LiFePO4 battery has served me well. It has done such a great job that I now have a second one for a total of 200 amp-hours of solar storage in my off-grid ham shack.

It has been an almost impossible task finding a LiFePO4 battery manufacturer who services many of the markets where my content is consumed. Add the requirements of good customer service and product quality and the field gets thinned out pretty quickly. As I’ve mentioned already, so far so good with Power Queen. If that changes, I’ll certainly update you all.

73
Julian oh8stn
Buy my book Grid Down Emergency Communications on Patreon or Ko-fi
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@oh8stn
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Blog: https://www.oh8stn.org

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