- Mar 10, 2004
- 5,113
Background:Here is a review on a product that will solve most power related issues for voltage sensative electronics. Its called the PowerPak12. I found it at a boat show last spring and have since been testing it in my boat to make sure it is all its cracked up to be. My conclusion: It Is!
First I'll describe the issue I was having, then I'll tell you all about how the PP12 fixed it. I have a 23' Seacraft decked out in Raymarine gear among other things. I have a E120 12" Display, DSM300 Fishfinder Module, 2kW Radar Dome, SR100 Satellite Weather Receiver, Kick-Butt Stereo, Lights galore, and more, much more. Needless to say my electrical system is probably stressed out. See..lots of companies send me stuff to test, and I 'm a junkie for this stuff so most of it stays on the boat
. This spring I noticed my Fishfinder module was shutting down, and my E120 would flicker as power was used from other devices like theVHF, or trim tabs. At the peak of my frustration my E120 was even shutting down. This is hardly a Raymarine problem, actually it is just a problem with my electrical system. I have too much going on.
Then there was the PowerPak12
The fix. I knew I needed a power conditioner of some sort. There are a few on the market that can help bridge the gaps across the low voltage drops to keep things running so I had planned to install one of those. That is, until I saw the PP12. What’s different about the PP12? First of all it is very compact and ruggedly constructed. I had no problem finding a spot to install it in my electrical system. The major advantage to the PP12, however, is thatis can convert anything from 6 volts to 30 volts into pure 12V power (13.8 Volts actually). What does this mean to you? Basically, no matter if your electrical system is putting out too much power or too little power (think dead batteries) the PP12 will still provide perfect juice to your key electronics. Here are some real examples:
1. You are offshore fishing and your batteries go dead - While this doesn't happen often it certainly is a reality, especially in smaller outboard boats. Without a PP12 you will need to rely on what you brought as backup, like a handheld VHF. With the PP12 you can power your main 25W VHF for literally up to a day while your battery drains below 12V. Most VHF's would shut off once the battery gets below 12V, the PP12 is able to convert that low voltage into usable power all the way down to 6V. The PP12 adds a nice measure of safety, enabling you to continue communicating to help get rescued.
2. Every time you start your boat the electronics shut off - How annoying is this? We see this all too often especially with the new crop of electronics. 5 years ago it would be a big deal for a 25' boat to have a 6" electronics display. Now its common for a 25' boat to have (2) 12" displays along with lots of other peripheral equipment. On many boats when the engines are started the voltage drops so much that the displays shut off and reboot. The PP12 will totally eliminate this problem because it will "bridge" these voltage drops. In other words while the power is fluctuating up and down, by the time it gets through the PP12 it is converted back to pure 12V. Sweet!
The PP12 provides up to 70 Watts of output from a 6V-30V source. It has fuses on both the input and output to protect the PP12 and your electronics. the physical dimensions are 5.5" x5.5" x 1.5". All of the components have been marinized to stand up to the harsh marine environment..
Installation:
Installation is really very easy, definitely a do-it-yourself job in most cases. First you want to pinpoint the voltage sensitive components in your system. In my case my E120 12" Display and the FF module were cycling on and off. Since everything else was working fine I decided to let the PP12 supply just these two components. The PP12 can in fact supply up to 70 watts worth of components. My E120 consumed 32 of that and the DSM300 FF Module uses about 30, for a combined 62 Watts. Next I simply needed to put the PP12 between the existing power supply and these 2 components. I ran some 12 ga wire from my existing bus bars to the positive and negative input on the PP12,then ran the E120 and DSM300's power cables with fuses into the output on the PP12. I wish there was more to it but there isn't, it is this simple.
Performance:
Ummm....my electronics now work fine. Not too much to talk about regarding performance. Either it works or it doesn't, and in the case of the PP12 it works amazingly well. I NEVER have an issue with low voltage anymore. No matter what my E120 and DSM module, along with everything else work fine on the boat at all times. In retrospect, it appears as though my voltage issues this spring stemmed from my batteries reaching the end of their life, I would not know it however as thePP12 has addressed any voltage issues I had. It is a real testament to me as to how well it works, and it is a definite upgrade I will recommend to anybody having voltage issues, good batteries or not.
Ratings:
Buy the PowerPak12 at BOEmarine.com
Likes: Eliminates a common problem. Whats not to like about that. Easy installation.
Dislikes: Would prefer a stackable layout so 2 could easily be stackedwhen requiring more than 70 watts. Would like some idiot lights on it just to confirm its working at a glance.
First I'll describe the issue I was having, then I'll tell you all about how the PP12 fixed it. I have a 23' Seacraft decked out in Raymarine gear among other things. I have a E120 12" Display, DSM300 Fishfinder Module, 2kW Radar Dome, SR100 Satellite Weather Receiver, Kick-Butt Stereo, Lights galore, and more, much more. Needless to say my electrical system is probably stressed out. See..lots of companies send me stuff to test, and I 'm a junkie for this stuff so most of it stays on the boat
. This spring I noticed my Fishfinder module was shutting down, and my E120 would flicker as power was used from other devices like theVHF, or trim tabs. At the peak of my frustration my E120 was even shutting down. This is hardly a Raymarine problem, actually it is just a problem with my electrical system. I have too much going on. Then there was the PowerPak12
The fix. I knew I needed a power conditioner of some sort. There are a few on the market that can help bridge the gaps across the low voltage drops to keep things running so I had planned to install one of those. That is, until I saw the PP12. What’s different about the PP12? First of all it is very compact and ruggedly constructed. I had no problem finding a spot to install it in my electrical system. The major advantage to the PP12, however, is thatis can convert anything from 6 volts to 30 volts into pure 12V power (13.8 Volts actually). What does this mean to you? Basically, no matter if your electrical system is putting out too much power or too little power (think dead batteries) the PP12 will still provide perfect juice to your key electronics. Here are some real examples:
1. You are offshore fishing and your batteries go dead - While this doesn't happen often it certainly is a reality, especially in smaller outboard boats. Without a PP12 you will need to rely on what you brought as backup, like a handheld VHF. With the PP12 you can power your main 25W VHF for literally up to a day while your battery drains below 12V. Most VHF's would shut off once the battery gets below 12V, the PP12 is able to convert that low voltage into usable power all the way down to 6V. The PP12 adds a nice measure of safety, enabling you to continue communicating to help get rescued.
2. Every time you start your boat the electronics shut off - How annoying is this? We see this all too often especially with the new crop of electronics. 5 years ago it would be a big deal for a 25' boat to have a 6" electronics display. Now its common for a 25' boat to have (2) 12" displays along with lots of other peripheral equipment. On many boats when the engines are started the voltage drops so much that the displays shut off and reboot. The PP12 will totally eliminate this problem because it will "bridge" these voltage drops. In other words while the power is fluctuating up and down, by the time it gets through the PP12 it is converted back to pure 12V. Sweet!
The PP12 provides up to 70 Watts of output from a 6V-30V source. It has fuses on both the input and output to protect the PP12 and your electronics. the physical dimensions are 5.5" x5.5" x 1.5". All of the components have been marinized to stand up to the harsh marine environment..
Installation:
Installation is really very easy, definitely a do-it-yourself job in most cases. First you want to pinpoint the voltage sensitive components in your system. In my case my E120 12" Display and the FF module were cycling on and off. Since everything else was working fine I decided to let the PP12 supply just these two components. The PP12 can in fact supply up to 70 watts worth of components. My E120 consumed 32 of that and the DSM300 FF Module uses about 30, for a combined 62 Watts. Next I simply needed to put the PP12 between the existing power supply and these 2 components. I ran some 12 ga wire from my existing bus bars to the positive and negative input on the PP12,then ran the E120 and DSM300's power cables with fuses into the output on the PP12. I wish there was more to it but there isn't, it is this simple.
Performance:
Ummm....my electronics now work fine. Not too much to talk about regarding performance. Either it works or it doesn't, and in the case of the PP12 it works amazingly well. I NEVER have an issue with low voltage anymore. No matter what my E120 and DSM module, along with everything else work fine on the boat at all times. In retrospect, it appears as though my voltage issues this spring stemmed from my batteries reaching the end of their life, I would not know it however as thePP12 has addressed any voltage issues I had. It is a real testament to me as to how well it works, and it is a definite upgrade I will recommend to anybody having voltage issues, good batteries or not.
Ratings:
- Installation Time: 1 hour
- Installation Difficulty: Moderate - requires basic electric knowledge
- User Interface: N/A - You will never look at it again one installed
- Cool Factor: 2 out of 10 - electrical stuff is not very cool
- Value: 7 out of 10 - this is not cheap, there are less expensive alternatives, but none as compact or that provide the added safety measure
Buy the PowerPak12 at BOEmarine.com
Likes: Eliminates a common problem. Whats not to like about that. Easy installation.
Dislikes: Would prefer a stackable layout so 2 could easily be stackedwhen requiring more than 70 watts. Would like some idiot lights on it just to confirm its working at a glance.
