[TenTec] Batteries - my 2 cents worth

[Gord Hamilton]

My recommendation for either standby or power for your 12 volt amplifier
is to find your local forklift dealer and sweet talk him.  Providing you
have the space and a friend with a pickup this is the best way to go.  A
standard pallet mover battery is either 12 volts at 510 amp hours (that
means it will deliver 510 amps for 6 hours continuously).

They weigh about 800 lbs., but with a couple of friends to help your dc
power problems are over for years.  Also these industrial batteries do
not have to be babied.  Park the battery beside your shack and run in
some heavy cables.  Float a 10 amp auto charger across it and forget it
(except check the water occasionally).

And now for the best part.  You can probably get one that has been
pulled out of service for free.  A 5 or so year old battery may not
enough power to last in a machine all day any more but will sure out
last anything a ham can do to it.

Out local packet cluster has been running off of standby batteries as
described for years now with no problems.

Gord, ve7on

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