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Greetings,
I began building this power pack over 3 years ago while working for a local systems integrator. That job didn't pan out, but I knew the pack had promise and kept working on it. With some more free time, I finally had the opportunity to get my ham license and drop in on the local radio club. I met some really nice and knowledgeable people there, and saw how others got power in the field. I realized that my power pack could help with EmComm (Emergency Communications) and SAR (Search and Rescue) operations, so I redoubled my efforts and spent what little money I had to make it a reality.
It took over a year of buying parts piecemeal and many rounds of upgrading / testing various prototypes before the project was finally "completed". Many thanks to fellow ham Chris, K7CMC, who provided invaluable help with this process. The pictures below are of the pack I made for him.
During the summer of 2009, we tested it on the roof of his building during some 104-108F days. When it got really hot inside the pack, only the inverter temporarily shut itself off. Even at 132F+ internal temps, the rest of the hardware worked fine.
Now for the good stuff... The case contains a 40AH fire-retardant battery pack (two 20AH EnerSys DataSafe NPX batteries in parallel), a SEC-1235 35Amp AC to DC switching power supply, Super PWRgate PG40S battery charger, DC volt /amp meter, fused DC power panel and a 200W (600W surge peak) DC to AC power inverter.
In a nutshell, it can be powered / charged by AC or DC, and can provide AC or DC power out as well. It can also charge an external battery...
There are only 4 holes in the case, which are sealed by IP68 (waterproof) bulkheads. There's no metal through the case to exacerbate condensation issues or accidentally conduct electricity. The AC / DC bulkheads are customized so people can't get shocked, and so they can't plug power cords in the wrong way. It weighs approx. 45lbs, but is still buoyant. Theoretically, it could safely power devices even if completely submerged.
Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.
Thanks & 73,
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The AC input cable is ready to charge the pack, and the AC out cable is ready to help waste the battery's precious amp-hours. DC to AC inverters are really inefficient, but this one isn't too bad. It's metal and fit perfectly below the RIGrunner... I wouldn't use it for anything with more draw than a laptop, though. |
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Everything is visible here. The power cord hanging down between the PWRgate and RIGrunner is draped behind the polycarbonate backplate and exits on the right of the RIGrunner. To charge an external battery with the PWRgate, you just disconnect the internal battery, plug the hanging cord into it and plug the other side into the cable going to the PowerPole bulkhead on the far right. You can charge an external battery from either PowerPole bulkhead without swapping cables; however, without using the PWRgate the charge will be unregulated. Not recommended... The thin power cords hanging down over the inverter are going to a modified 12V to 5V USB adapter that provides the backlight for the white digital thermometer in the upper left. The thermometer has an internal watch battery, but its blue backlight is very cool. :-) It also has a temperature probe (red / white cable on the left side of the RIGrunner). Pretty nice for only $7. I have since eliminated the 12V to 5V adapter and replaced the RIGrunner 4005 with a 4004U that has two integrated 5V USB power jacks. After starting to build a battery sled that I could easily slide out of the pack, I soon discovered a simple solution: a ballistic nylon strap and furniture sliders on each side. |
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I picked up the LED strip at AutoZone for $20. It's very thin and flexible. |
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Other than the inverter temporarily shutting itself off and a transient blue shift in the LCD displays, everything worked fine at 131.5F. The sun was so bright and hot that it was difficult to take these pix. Thanks again to Chris, K7CMC, who got roasted on his roof when getting these shots. |
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Actually, when the pack is powered by AC, the DC jack on this side of the case is an unfused output. The Red-Dee-2 PS-4 makes that possible by tapping into the output line from the Samlex SEC-1235 AC to DC power supply, leading to the input of the PWRgate battery charger. When AC is disconnected, the DC jack drops to about 0.12V and is ready to accept power. The PWRgate can't tell the difference between the internal power supply and an external DC source... |
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Input side 3q profile close up As you can see, nothing except power cables sticks out past the pack's lid. The Red-Dee-2 PS-4 is held in place by a modified paper clamp. I cut it to match the PS-4's length, drilled a screw hole through the back, squeezed the PS-4 into the clamp and twisted an industrial twist-tie to keep it from sliding. It's rather low-tech compared to the rest of the pack, but it works. |
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I cut an outdoor-rated AC extension cable and screwed the three wires into the back of a Bulgin SA3230 screw terminal insert that's surrounded by a Bulgin PX0800 flex cable connector. |
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I already had the flat AC cable seen here on the inverter, but had to rotate the inverter's AC jack in order for the cable to fit properly. That took a LONG time... As you can see, the AC output bulkhead on the pack is the same as the one on the input side. You cannot be shocked by either one. I've since replaced the round Bulgin PX0805 AC and DC input / output panel mount connectors with sturdier, teardrop-shaped Bulgin PX0802's. I also upgraded the PowerPoles by using a modified pin insert. See it HERE. |
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The pack is ready to go... Delp's Awards in Eugene laser engraved the labels for only $3 each. Great deal. |
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Here's the 1430 in yellow, with red labels. The boat bracket on the back is barely visible. |
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| Total images: 11 | Last update: 12/8/09 11:49 PM | Made with JAlbum & Chameleon | Help |