Portable Power Box

thingiverse

I was on the hunt for a portable power box to fuel my amateur radio adventures, so I picked up a pair of TalentCell LF120A1 12V 12Ah LiFePO4 batteries that fit the bill perfectly. These batteries had all the specs I needed and more, making them an ideal choice. To contain them and provide the necessary connections, I turned to Harbor Freight for a small ammo box that cost me about $5. The fit was spot on, so I designed this project with a place to mount the power connections and keep everything in its place. It worked like a charm, but then I stumbled upon Sheffield Field boxes on Amazon, which come in all sorts of colors. So, I ordered one in orange, and it fit perfectly too. The assembly requires just two #6 x 3/8 screws, which are used to attach the battery cover to the panel bottom. You can use nuts if you need to, but they're not required since the fit is nice and snug. The STL file shows exactly how everything fits together - the "Panel Top" and "Panel Bottom" are held in place by the jacks mounted in the panel, which have holes that are about 30mm in diameter and can accommodate semi-standard 28-30mm panel-mounted components. The included components are a standard automotive 12v jack, two 5v USB ports with a voltage meter, and a switch to turn them on and off. I bought these as a set from Amazon and used them pretty much as is, except without the mounting panel they came with. I also threw in an Anderson PowerPole jack, which is a standard APP connector that's perfect for my radio activities - this will be available for download someday in the future. As for securing the top, I don't use anything at all. When it's closed, the lid should be pressing against the panel and battery cover, and when it's open, it has a light friction fit.