[Llanigraham]

As well as being a Rally Safety Radio operator I also occasionally do radio cover for another group, and with the present Covid situation our resources we are likely to be asked to help. On all my old cars all I ever do is connect the radios to the battery with a set of clips and stick the aerial on the roof. However with the current Niro that isn't going to be possible since there is no accessible battery to connect to.

I know there is a stud in the engine compartment fuse box that is positive at all times, and there are plenty of places to clip the negative leads to, but how "safe" is that going to be? I am also unable to find out the capacity of the "internal" battery so am unable to work out how long my radio is going to be able to be powered. Does anyone know?

The only solution that has so far been given to me has been to buy a battery pack or a spare battery and power off that.

 

[Llanigraham]

No one?

 

[Gerd_NL]

Does your Niro has no cigarette lighter ?

 

[Llanigraham]

Does your Niro has no cigarette lighter ?

2 problems with that:
The socket is only live when the ignition is on and I am often at a fixed point without the engine running.

Those sockets and their plugs are well known for causing poor connections, especially when taking power for a long time and causing interference, which is why it better to fix directly to a battery terminal.

Typically I can be sat in a forest or on the top of a hill for 6 to 8 hours.

 

[Radiorail]

A supplementary battery pack, charged from the cig lighter would be my personal solution.

Small sealed lead acid 12 volt batteries are not all that expensive and are the simplest solution or one of those LiPo car start chargers if you want lighter weight and are flushed with funds

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=sealed+lead+acid+batteries&ref=nb_sb_noss or Jump Starter | Battery Jump Starter | Halfords UK

Whatever you do make sure you protect the unit and power cables with a suitable fuse - especially if you connect direct to the car battery.

Edit: I gave up sitting on tops of mountains waiting for rally cars some years ago Worst time was one winter waiting a'top the Pennines, cars were due at 2am nothing came, at 3am we gave up and traced the route backwards only to find the road blocked by a rock fall - no comms in those days LOL.

 

[Llanigraham]

Those small batteries just aren't powerful enough. Looked at the price of some of those LiPo packs and no-way!! Much too much. The radios transmit at 10 watts, and I can often have 2 or 3 radios on the go.(MSUK B band, MSUK C band and a PMR)
And don't worry, I've been doing this for many years and BOTH leads are fused.

 

[iooi]

Could you not run a accessory battery, like you might for a caravan?

Other than that 12V socket may be live a lot longer than you think. If I plug my phone in as soon as I get in the car. It pings it is being charged.

 

[Radiorail]

Those small batteries just aren't powerful enough. Looked at the price of some of those LiPo packs and no-way!! Much too much. The radios transmit at 10 watts, and I can often have 2 or 3 radios on the go.(MSUK B band, MSUK C band and a PMR)

There are larger lead acid batteries available (e.g. 18 Ah) and while the radio's TX at 10 watts (assume 3 radios =30W TX or 50 watts when efficiency is considered) they will not draw that current on Standby/RX.

TX/RX/Stby is often calculated on a 20/40/40 ratio for heavy use so 18Ah would last a pretty long time - and you could always run the car every hour for 15 mins (to keep warm!) I agree the LiPo pack solutions are not cost effective for your purpose. Given my experience of this sport, and operating as marshal / check point, a wind generator would do very well LOL

 

[Radiorail]

Could you not run a accessory battery, like you might for a caravan?

Other than that 12V socket may be live a lot longer than you think. If I plug my phone in as soon as I get in the car. It pings it is being charged.

Could you not run a accessory battery, like you might for a caravan?

Other than that 12V socket may be live a lot longer than you think. If I plug my phone in as soon as I get in the car. It pings it is being charged.

The problem with 3 radios is the current draw if all are in TX at the same time and heating across the *** socket connection, they should deliver current (around 100 watts I think) but often don't reliably. However a *** light connection floating a small Lead acid would solve that. I also think the OP is concerned about the capacity of the car battery for long periods of use.

 

[Gerd_NL]

If you need such power over a longer time, then the internal 12V battery is not enough! You must have the engine running ...
Do you have a button for reset the 12V? If that, then you have not a separate 12V battery, then is this a part of the high voltage battery.
This will make it more complex I think ...

 

[Llanigraham]

Could you not run a accessory battery, like you might for a caravan?

Other than that 12V socket may be live a lot longer than you think. If I plug my phone in as soon as I get in the car. It pings it is being charged.

That is a possibility, but it would mean taking the one out of the caravan, which is in storage.

On my 2020 car the power socket turns off as soon as you turn the ignition off. (as do the USB sockets)

 

[Turnup]

Get a small protable generator

 

[Llanigraham]

If you need such power over a longer time, then the internal 12V battery is not enough! You must have the engine running ...
Do you have a button for reset the 12V? If that, then you have not a separate 12V battery, then is this a part of the high voltage battery.
This will make it more complex I think ...

The new models do not have a separate 12v battery which is my concern, and agree why it is making life more difficult.

There are larger lead acid batteries available (e.g. 18 Ah) and while the radio's TX at 10 watts (assume 3 radios =30W TX or 50 watts when efficiency is considered) they will not draw that current on Standby/RX.

TX/RX/Stby is often calculated on a 20/40/40 ratio for heavy use so 18Ah would last a pretty long time - and you could always run the car every hour for 15 mins (to keep warm!) I agree the LiPo pack solutions are not cost effective for your purpose. Given my experience of this sport, and operating as marshal / check point, a wind generator would do very well LOL

I can certainly have 2 radios TX and RX at the same time, which is my concern.
Agreed a wind generator when up at the top of Hafren or Myherin would be great, often I end up at stage starts or finishes, and those are often down in the valleys!
More and more I'm looking at one of the larger starter packs, or even a spare leisure battery. Might look at what Halfords have on offer since as a MSUK Official I can get discount there. (and I don't normally like Halfrauds!)

 

[Llanigraham]

Get a small protable generator

They cause more problems than they solve!!