QRP-UPS Portable Power System

QRP-UPS delivers 11.5 to 15.5 Volt DC and outputs up to 8A continuous current. It has a built-in lithium-ion battery and charging circuit with MPPT function.

QRP-UPS works well with all QRO transceivers. If your device can operate at a higher power, then limit it in the settings to 20W and operate “off grid” even for days without recharging at home or in the car.

QRP-UPS Key Features

• built-in lithium-ion battery
• output voltage range from 11.5V to 15.5V
• can deliver up to 8A continuously
• overload and short-circuit protection
• features to extend the life of the built-in battery
• fully automatic MPPT function for charging from the photovoltaic panel, continuous PV power scanning
• dynamic power path function, the energy from the PV is divided appropriately for charging the battery and for the DC output
• advanced charger inverter, no visible RF interference in the amateur bands
• DC output filter 1 MHZ – 100 MHz with an attenuation of at least -60dB
• robust housing with rubber protector
• additional acoustic indication of low battery level

QRP-UPS Operating principle

When a solar panel is connected to the QRP-UPS, energy is directed to charge the built-in battery and the excess to the DC output of the unit. While the radio is in receive mode the built-in battery is charged. When it switches to transmit, the current consumption increases, then the radio station is powered entirely from the photovoltaic panel and some from the battery. In use with a 30W solar panel, the QRP-UPS will provide continuous power throughout the day for a small radio station. It will be perfect for long field trips.

Built-in Rechargeable Battery

The unit has a built-in lithium-ion battery in a 4S configuration, i.e. with a maximum allowable voltage of 16.8V. However, the charging circuit is configured to charge the battery to a maximum of 15.6V. This charging arrangement extends the nominal life of the battery from 500 to 1,000 charge cycles. The battery pack stores up to 36 Wh of energy.

Output Voltage Range

Most radio amateur equipment is designed from the factory for a DC supply of 13.8V +/-15%. Also, most transceivers give off higher power when transmitting when powered in the upper voltage range. The QRP-UPS will deliver at least 11.5V when the battery is low.

Powerful Solar Charger

The built-in charger has a fully automatic MPPT circuit to work with Solar panels cells. This circuit constantly ‘tracks’ the maximum power point and performs a full scan every few minutes. A full scan repeated every so often increases the charging efficiency considerably with changing solar conditions. The MPPT circuit working in this way detects and bypasses the ‘false’ maximum power points of the photovoltaic cell.
The charger’s inverter is designed for high efficiency and to minimise interference across the RF range. In addition, the unit’s DC output includes a 1-100MHz filter with an attenuation of no worse than -60dB.

Simple and Clear Operating Status Indication

The top LED bar indicates the state of charge of the battery. For example, a 20% LED means there is at least 20% energy remaining in the battery, when it blinks it is half of that, or at least 10%. The lower LED bar, on the other hand, indicates the charging current of the battery. This is information that indicates directly how efficiently the connected PV module is producing energy from the sun.

QRP-UPS Technical Specifications

QRP-UPS In the Box

• QRP-UPS
• PowerPole DC cable, 60 cm
• User manual

QRP-UPS Suggested Accessories

• Plug-in Power Supply Unit for quick charging
• QRP-UPS DC Cable, general
• QRP-UPS DC Cable for G90