Power distribution for DC in the ham shack is something that doesn’t seem like a big deal until you need to power more than just the transceiver. I remember the day that I decided to pony up the funds and purchase the tools needed to powerpole the shack. At the time it seemed like a big investment in something that I may not need very often. Now, I couldn’t imagine life without it! It’s just so easy now to add and remove components to the shack that require DC power. Any new equipment get’s a shiny new powerpole installed as soon as it comes out of the box.
When it comes to Anderson Powerpole connectors, there are many options for distributing DC power in the shack. Having a limited budget, I decided to give a gamble to a product I found on Amazon.
The Chunzehui Model F-1005 is an 8 outlet DC distribution block with built in fused links offered currently for $58 for prime members. There are other options for more or less money, but this one seemed to have good reviews, and a 4.5 star rating. For the budget minded ham, this seemed to fit the bill. I ordered a unit, and it arrived in a few days.
Upon arrival and unboxing, I was surprised at the heft and craftsmanship of the case. Things are put together well, and all seems tight. I decided to open the box and view the details of the unit inside. To my surprise, the components seemed of good quality, and well constructed. There were some leftover flux from the soldering process left, but I cleaned that off with some electronics cleaner, just in case it could impact longevity. The traces on the circuit board are of high quality, and wide where they will need to carry heavy current.
Putting the case back together, I connected the DCIN to 13.8 volts, and tested the blown fuse indicator. With a component that would draw a load, removing a fuse to simulate a blown fuse lite the indicator. This is a bonus feature that I could see providing needed feedback in dimly lit areas where power distribution units such as this often find themselves.
Overall, I’m impressed with the unit for the price. It seems to do what I will need it to, and I’m running out of ports on my current distribution block. I will be putting this into service as soon as I have the time, and moving the old one to the workbench.
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