Author Topic: Rockpals Portable Power for EMCOMM  (Read 774 times)

Offline Romeo Foxtrot

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Rockpals Portable Power for EMCOMM
« on: April 07, 2020, 12:08:32 PM »
As an amateur radio operator and IT guy by profession, I am serious about keeping power up to operate.

I have several options from small 2000w pure sine wave genies to bigger 4000w genies and various solar kits and agm batteries ,charge controller, inverters, the whole nine yards.

The past year i took the plunge into portable battery/power stations, for when i go camping and/or do field days.

I purchased the Rockpals 300w power station and 60w folding solar panel and couldn't be happier with the system  https://www.rockpals.com/collections/portable-power-station

I am able to recharge it via wall ac, car plug or solar panel.

It works great for powering my ht via the built int ac plug or a 12 adapter from it to rario, and i can charge my FLIR Thermal via usb, and i can connect a qrp uhv/vhf/hf rasio and power thru 12v socket, its rated at 8amps.

Does a great job on the smaller 25 watt dual band radios and and 817 hf rig.

Small, portable, easy to operate, so i bought another one as back up...

I have additional solar panels, not rockpals to connect up too..

Worth a look see..

Offline Jackalope

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Re: Rockpals Portable Power for EMCOMM
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2020, 05:35:53 PM »
   That looks like a decent unit, and the price is okay too.  I went a slightly different route: https://www.renogy.com/the-phoenix-portable-solar-generator-with-built-in-20w-solar-panel/.  I have a couple of the Renogy Phoenixes and like them because the solar panel is integrated, so it just looks like a briefcase.  There are no extraneous wires, unless a foldable external solar panel is used.  I've had some bad luck with the flexible panels, as the internal connections become intermittent.  The Phoenixes have an inverter built in, and a light too!

    For my tertiary portable power setup, I went with a Hardened Power System Revolt G2 power pack, with a built in solar charger controller which accepts power from folding solar panels.  https://www.portableuniversalpower.com/revolt-g2/  The revolt G2 is a hardened power pack with 12 VDC powerpole ports and USB charging ports built in.  Hardened Power Systems products are designed and manufactured here in Tennessee.

     Amateur radio operators and preppers are fortunate to have so many power options available, let's hope they continue to available.
« Last Edit: April 07, 2020, 05:38:40 PM by Jackalope »

Offline Romeo Foxtrot

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Re: Rockpals Portable Power for EMCOMM
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2020, 06:54:51 PM »
Nice looking kit, gonna have to look into that...

I have a 100w renogy panel w built in inverter too, great stuff...

Thanks for sharing...

Be well..

RF


Offline bennington.camper

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Re: Rockpals Portable Power for EMCOMM
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2020, 07:46:14 PM »
I am in the solar and battery backup business, so have a number of kits I have built.
At the end of last year I saw a new product by Maxoak - the Bluetti 1500. I did some research and plunked down the $1300 for one.
It has very impressive specs - 1500Wh battery, 1000W pure sine wave inverter, built-in MPPT charge controller, digital display, portable with a built-in handle, multiple DC outlets, cigarette lighter, 4x USB and a USB-C port. Two AC outlets on the back. You can't put together all the components for anywhere near that price and they just released a 2400Wh unit - I wish I had waited...
It can charge from an AC brick, or multiple PV modules as long as they don't exceed 60 VDC and 10A - so almost all the large 300W+ modules can be used.