Very useful unit By Guest
I originally purchased the Epic PWR gate to use on my former vehicle as a means of charging an external battery and running my dual band mobile radio. The addition of the solar panel input port allowed for connecting a foldable array when we were stationary to keep the auxiliary battery topped off. The intent in this case was to run my mobile rig as an APRS repeater to extend the range of my hand-held radio while hiking and get my signal out of the valleys.
The programmable voltage cut-off and charging logic are great features that make it possible to set-up the power gate for either Li or Pb batteries and negate the need for an additional charger.
You can assemble the sub-components needed to execute the same functions (battery cut-off, vehicle power relay, external charge controller and transfer switch), but, having these elements built into one integrated unit makes wiring and setup far easier and the install cleaner. While not inexpensive, the execution is well done and the total cost of the separate components needed to perform the same functions as the power gate would equal or exceed its cost. I believe the value for the money is reasonable and I have had good experience with West Mountain Radio products in the past.
The only negative is that the power pole ports are not overly robust so I have integrated strain relief to reduce the risk of breaking the connectors off of the board.
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