Yaesu FT-857D Battery Sensor Mod

I wire up the optional battery sense pin to create a custom low power "battery mode" cable.
Parts:
- HF 6-pin connector www.powerwerx.c...
- OEM Molex type 6 pin connector (HF6) to Powerpole adapter www.powerwerx.c...
- Piece of thin wire. Try not to use something with many thin strands, or it'll make your solder joint look "fluffy" like mine.
If you have a nice crimp tool and want to create it without the preassembled cable, you'd need to buy two HF 6-pin connectors since each set comes with 4 pins and you need a total of 5 for this mod. You'd also need a 45amp Anderson Powerpole connector and some 12-14 gauge wire. Doing this would allow you to strengthen the joint further with something like a butt splice or heat shrink tubing.

[@derektrounce937]

I completely missed that while browsing my manual thank you for the info!

[@James_Bowie]

Thanks for this. Great feature that many would not be aware of. 👍

[@angeldanilobruntellez3681]

Very good video, well explained, just lacking makes an isolation of the most neat cable ...

[@SendLead]

Going to install that in my go box with a disconnect switch so I can toggle low power mode.

[@Wyowanderer]

Very well done video. I'm going to buy this radio soon.

[@steinshaw2490]

Did you measure the standby current with your new adapter (with the lights out)? I was wondering how much current drain it saved.

[@chrisbartlett6022]

Nice video.

[@laroche73]

My new FT-857D have that brown cable but even connected to my DP Power supply, it's lowering the power output on HF from 100W to 20W...... Then, what shoud I do to bring it back to 100w? It's configured to 100 in the settings.

[@VladiGeo]

You should read the manual for this tranciever, part about power supply. There are you can find the answer for your question. Very simle decision - to delete jumper from pin3 power input jack. 73

[@HugDeeznueces]

What crimp tool do you have? Model number? I hate crimping without the proper tool. Thanks!

[@JeffreySerpas]

PowerWerx CrimpBag - powerwerx.com/crimpbag-tricrimp-tridies-gear-bag (it's expensive but has changeable die sets to crimp pretty much anything I've needed for small electronics)

[@n1kkri]

By any chance did you happen to measure the difference in the current drawn on Receive before and after mod?

[@JeffreySerpas]

I didn't Ken... i would imagine idle/receive is similar to non-battery mode with backlight off. Transmit power max is limited to 20W when in battery mode.

[@olechuga2]

Sir, can this radio be used in a 2016 diesel-motored truck, with two seperate 12-volt batteries?
Thank you Sir, for your help.

[@GearHeadHam]

Yes. Your batteries should be wires in parallel so no difference in voltage. Check with a volt meter to be sure but I doubt it's 24 volts.

[@neiltan1939]

Nice video. I'm confused about the need for both packages. Are you just using one pin taken from the HF6 package to make up the battery sense mod to the HF6-PP? Thanks es best 73 de wa4chq

[@JeffreySerpas]

You don't need both packages. I just didn't have an extra pin sitting around, so I bought the other kit to get the one extra pin I needed.

[@neiltan1939]

That's what I thought. One other question. Right now I'm just running the 857 at 5w. I haven't made up the cable for the battery sense mod. Do you see a difference in battery drain without the fans kicking on? Thanks for the speedy reply. 72/73 wa4chq

[@JeffreySerpas]

I haven't objectively monitored the current draw difference, but it feels like the battery lasts longer. The one annoyance is the backlight shuts off very quickly with the battery cable mod to conserve power. Fine if it's bright out but not great if it is dusk... haven't found a way to override it.

[@neiltan1939]

OK, thanks again. Maybe some sort of LED light from Dollar Tree..... 72 de wa4chq

[@James_Bowie]

@@JeffreySerpas Attach an LDG FT Meter?

[@ragheadand420roll]

Cut that monstrosity yaesu pos plug apart Put power poles on the radio side Done if i need low power i go to the menu and turn the pwr down