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Reviews For: MFJ-1126

Category: DC Power Supply Distribution

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Review Summary For : MFJ-1126
Reviews: 9MSRP: 84.95
Description:
Power distribution panel - 8 powerpoles
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-1126
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0092.3
N3HKN Rating: 2018-03-25
Meter Failed Time Owned: more than 12 months.
In my case just the meter has failed. However, MFJ has, by practice, either hired workers of dubious morality, or were given a 5 minute soldering lecture. When they cannot even insert screws properly I wonder about the people who work for MFJ. Where do they get them. Is this always an outside contractor? The guy that owns the store does not seem to care. Their engineering seems ok. Imagine designing a great product and then ruining it with an almost deliberate child-like assembly. MFJ must pay engineers above scale just to keep them.
KE6IB Rating: 2018-03-24
Junk Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
It appeard to be the answer for what I was looking for in my RV mobile station. I liked the volt meter and the ability to customise the fuses in the switched on contacts but I have a huge compliant about the Anderson Power Poles. These are flimsy and poorly designed connectors which do not hold up under the rigors of mobile operations. Any tention at all on the wires will cause a disconnect and will requires a makeover on the Power Pole. This happened ro me too many times to the point of I constider this product useless.
AB2IR Rating: 2014-05-30
working Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Worked right out of the box. Never opened it up for checking. Went the extra money for the voltmeter display, and now use a digital voltmeter, so was a waste of extra money for meter to me. First three power outlets power up,and second five power outlets on switch. Would buy again with out a meter display. My unit sits on top shelf and out of view when operating anyway.
K4WSG Rating: 2011-04-10
Excellent Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
After reading the reviews, I felt like I better open it up and check for cold solder joints, poorly stripped wire, etc. Upon inspection, there were no cold solder joints and all wiring was as it should be. In actual use, it performs as expected. Recommended.
KB1NXE Rating: 2010-08-27
Not recommended Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had one of these for years. The switch was always a problem and would not snap as it should. One night, while lying in bed (the shack is in an adjacent bedroom), I heard something hitting the floor in the shack. I went into the shack and found switch pieces all over the floor. The switch self destructed in the middle of the night and with very little actual use (I left it in the ON position 99% of the time).

I ended up wiring around the switch as I seldom used it anyway. But nonetheless. Switches should not self destruct.
VE3CWJ Rating: 2009-05-18
Poor wiring Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After avoiding MFJ for over 10 years, I figured what could go wrong with a basic power distribution device? So, I bought one at Dayton, and decided to check the internal wiring before use. The wiring from the board to the switch for the switched circuit, was stripped such that several strands of the (marginal) 14 gauge wire were cut off. On top of that, about 3 or 4 of the strands remaining were not even soldered to the switch post. On the switched side, the wire was also stripped so that several strands were cut off.
At best, I had maybe an effective 18 gauge wiring for the so-called 20 amp switched circuit.
Very poor quality control, and poor soldering practices. If they would simply wrap the wire around the post (after inserting on hole first), they would have full wire contact. Their wire strippers need adjustment for sure. I wonder how many other devices they have wired with only half the strands actually connected....
Finally, the grommet on the main wire feed, for the V+ line was loose, on the cable. Not even seated in the hole of the metal case...

That's the 4th strike for MFJ now - I've seen bad firmware (492 keyer), broken displays (SWR analyzers - we've all seen those), and mis-calibrated SWR/Power meteres. No more MFJ from now on, they can't even properly solder a wire to a switch for 12V
AB5CC Rating: 2008-08-12
Poor Quality Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased this distribution panel thinking it would be the same as the West Mountain Radio version. I hope it isn't the same. First, I noticed a large enough voltage drop that my Yaesu FT-2800 would reset when keyed up at high power. Then, I noticed that the "Switched Outlets" wouldn't switch off. I opened it up and wired around the switch so it wouldn't catch on fire or something. I also re-soldered all the cold solder joints. Then, I noticed that the really thick DC cable coming out of the panel is just really thick insulation with small wire in it. I replaced this with #8 wire which is suitable for the rated 40 amps. It is now usable, but only because of my own re-working of the poor workmanship. And, I still don't have the ability to switch off terminals 4-8. I guess I could have called MFJ and waited for an hour on hold to take advantage of their "No Matter What" guarantee and they would have sent me a new switch. Or, I could have emailed them as I have before and received NO reply as before. Do you ever wonder why the technical hotline number is always busy? I think I know. Everyone that has bought anything from them is calling that number to get something fixed. It is a shame too, they have developed many innovative and unique items that would be of value if they had any quality control.
Kenneth
AB5CC
VE3XQQ Rating: 2008-07-23
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This puppy works and is solidly built, not a loose part or a rattle.

What turned me towards this product was the RF filtering (bypassing) that is built in. Granted they are only .01uf caps, but the simplicity of it did make a difference with my switching power supply.

Bottom line: Simple and functional.
WB6FLL Rating: 2008-04-01
Awful Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this product new in box at a local hamfest. I figured a power distribution panel was a pretty safe purchase, in spite of lots of bad reviews of MFJ equipment. When I opened it, I discovered first that the connecting cables did not have the strain reliefs installed in the case - they were sliding on the cable. Figuring I could deal with that, I opened the case and installed them. I discovered in the process that all four case screws were overtightened and stripped. Then I discovered the absolutely unbelievably awful assembly processes MFJ uses. Almost every solder joint in the box was cold. The fuse holders were haphazardly installed, many of them only partially inserted in the circuit board. One of the fuse holders was not even attached to the board and came off in my hand! I then discovered that the switch did not work - it was an open circuit, so half of the panel was unpowered! I ended up resoldering and repairing the entire device over the next several hours, including replacing the switch with one from the local auto shop. I will never purchase another MFJ item after this experience!!