TalentCell 12V Lithium Battery Pack
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| Frequency | n/a (rechargeable 12 V lithium battery pack) |
| Bands | n/a (portable battery) |
| Power | A lithium-ion battery, not a power supply. Common sizes run from ~3 Ah up to ~12.8 Ah (142 Wh); the 12 V output is unregulated lithium (about 12.6 V down to 9 V as it discharges), so it suits QRP/low-power gear rather than a 100 W radio. |
| Modes | rechargeable 12 V lithium-ion battery pack (portable power) |
| output | DC 12 V barrel output (~12.6-9 V, unregulated) plus a 5 V USB output |
| charge | DC charge jack (12.6 V wall charger included) |
| power req | Self-contained rechargeable battery; recharge from the included 12.6 V charger. Built-in over-charge, over-discharge and short-circuit protection, with a multi-LED charge indicator. |
Cheap, light and convenient portable power: a self-contained 12 V pack with a 5 V USB output, a charge-level LED gauge, built-in protection and an included charger - ideal for running a QRP radio, a Raspberry Pi SDR, lights or accessories in the field. The range of capacities lets you match size to your needs.
Its 12 V output is unregulated lithium-ion, sagging from about 12.6 V toward 9 V as it discharges, and current capability is modest - so it is for QRP and low-power gear, not a 100-watt transceiver (which wants a stable 13.8 V at high current). Li-ion (not LiFePO4) chemistry is less ideal for deep-cycle/high-current ham use than a dedicated LiFePO4 pack.
The TalentCell 12V Lithium Battery Pack is a cheap, light, well-protected portable power bank for QRP and low-power ham use - perfect for a small radio, an SDR or accessories in the field. For powering a 100-watt radio or for deep-cycle high-current duty, a dedicated LiFePO4 battery is the better choice.
TalentCell 12V lithium battery packs are an inexpensive, popular line of portable power banks that many hams use to run low-power gear away from the mains. Each pack is a self-contained rechargeable lithium-ion battery with two outputs - a 12-volt DC barrel jack and a 5-volt USB port - so it can power a QRP radio, a Raspberry Pi running SDR software, LED lighting, a camera or a phone from one compact box. They come in a range of capacities, from about 3 amp-hours up to roughly 12.8 amp-hours (142 watt-hours) in the larger models, which use 18650 cells.
They are designed to be foolproof: a multi-LED gauge shows remaining charge, built-in circuitry protects against over-charging, over-discharging and short circuits, and a wall charger is included. That, plus their light weight and low price, has made them a staple of QRP and portable kits.
The important caveat for ham use is the nature of the output. The 12-volt port is unregulated lithium-ion, so it starts around 12.6 volts and sags toward 9 volts as the pack discharges, and the current it can deliver is modest. That is fine for a QRP transceiver or accessories, but it is not suited to a 100-watt radio, which wants a steady 13.8 volts at high current. The cells are also standard lithium-ion rather than LiFePO4, which is less ideal for deep-cycle, high-current service. Prices run from about $30 for a 3 Ah pack to around $90 for the largest.
For powering a 100-watt radio or for heavier deep-cycle duty, a Bioenno LiFePO4 battery is the better choice, and a station UPS like the West Mountain Epic PWRgate manages battery backup at home.