Right from the start, I should explain that this is not a generator at all. It is a power bank. My friend Brian, G0RDH bought this and brought it round for me to look at.
I was really surprised at how small and light it is. Figures are fine but there is nothing like actually seeing something in the flesh and checking the weight for yourself.
It actually weighs 2.2kg but if anything, feels even lighter and has a nice handle on the top. The case is a metal alloy of some kind and is very nicely built.
It comes nicely packed and has several leads with it. You can charge the unit from the mains, or from the car with the supplied leads, a nice touch.
The mains socket is quoted as 150W but is not a pure sine wave, so caution is required. This is the one part of the design I do not like. The socket is not covered in any way and it would be easy for a child to poke something in there.
I would strongly suggest using a blanking plate. However, the rest of the unit is very sturdily built indeed.
One of the best features is the inbuilt LiFePo4 battery. This should have an excellent lifespan and is much safer than a LiPo and lighter than an AGM or equivalent leisure battery.
A MPPT controller is built in, so you can plug a 100W solar panel straight in to keep the battery topped up. All in all, a really nice little unit that should be perfect for portable work from close to the car.
As usual, here is a little video. In the video I am not sure what a particular lead is for. It is actually to connect a solar panel.
Hi Ian, thanks for the post - interesting.
ReplyDeleteNot much use if you're doing SOTA, but looks pretty darned good for POTA and around the garden, etc. I'm very happy with the 13.2V FlightMax LifePO4 batteries I've got for my QRP activities, but I do fancy something that I can keep in the truck. I'll keep an eye out for one.
And YES that thing needs a blanking plug LOL
73, Tom, M7MCQ
www.m7mcq.com
Indeed it does. It will work well for Brian. He will always have the car near. It remains to be seen if it is RF quiet but it should be.
ReplyDelete73 Ian