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Reviews For: MFJ-4416 Battery Booster

Category: Power Supplies

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Review Summary For : MFJ-4416 Battery Booster
Reviews: 16MSRP: 139.95
Description:
Battery voltage booster
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00163.8
N6WBL Rating: 2011-11-22
Works as described Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have the MFJ-4416B (which I believe is the second generation), and I find that it works as advertised. I've used it portable so I could run full power off my gel cells and even a new LiFePo battery which has a better voltage profile almost not needing the boost. I haven't used the RF sensing or voltage sensing functions, just engaged all the time so the rig sees 13.8 volts and stays happy. And per the manual I find it to be over 90% efficient in battery draw over an afternoon of operating. Got it on a pretty good sale, and very happy with the purchase.
N6CZE Rating: 2011-07-29
MfJ-4416B Review Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Mine is the MFJ-4416B revised booster. It works exactly as advertised. My Icom IC-706MkIIG would reduce output when dry camping in a motorhome using the house batteries. At a full charge 12.6v the output was at 100 watts, but dropped as the voltage dropped. Installing the Battery Booster brought the XCVR to a full 100 watts output. No breakdowns, No blown fuses, No problems of any kind. A great product from MFJ.
W7DME Rating: 2010-11-24
Not good! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this product with the understanding that it would not filter engine or other noise from the D.C. line. I installed it in my truck to work with my IC-7000.

The first thing I noticed was that I was receiving reports of a high pitched whine on my FM transmitted audio that was about 25% of my audio envelope. Hooking up my Tektronics scope to the DC feed, I noted that when the unit was on, it produced about a 1200Khz noise going out to the radio. I did not expect it to filter noise, but never expected it to add to the noise. On SSB, I did not receive any reports, but then other operators may have thought it was just a week carrier on frequency. Then, in a QSO with a Japanese station on 18 MHZ, the unit blew a fuse internally and stopped working. I replaced the internal fuse and it started working again, but I removed it and purchased another brand which has been working well for the last two weeks. No noise generated by that unit, and no failures. It also clean up truck generated noise. I will review that one in another forum.
KL7YK Rating: 2010-03-29
Works fine for me Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Been online for several days now, does as advertised. Maintains the battery voltage above 12 volts under a 100 watt radio load. Actually have multiple VHF packet/APRS systems on the supply as well. Not using the RF Sense, just letting it manage the battery bank.
Bank consists of 5 x 18ah 12 VDC Lead sealed Batteries. Shut off the power supply (using the PWRGate 40 as well) and the feed stayed over 12 volts over a 2 hour period of operations. No overheat no blown fuses. So up to now its exactly as advertised.
KI6DKC Rating: 2010-02-22
MFJ-4416b Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I picked up one of these units for my new FT857d and Deep Cycle Battery. I noticed when I was running 100 watts on battery the radio really drew down the volts. So wanting to keep the voltage more steady and use the battery longer I began researching different battery boosters. The reviews for this particular booster were not spectacular but they were all for the earlier version, not the "b" model.

I have only used it in the full time operation mode not the RF sense mode and do not use it in a vehicle for mobile operation. For what I have used it for it works fantastic. It works just as advertised and keeps the voltage strong and stable even running the full 100 watts. I had a nice 15-20 minute QSO with a guy with no problems. The unit worked great. Then after ending that QSO talked another 10 minutes with another ham. So about a half hour of jaw yacking with two different hams and the unit worked great. I'm pleased with it's performance and can't wait to use it for field day or some other field operations.
W0SJ Rating: 2008-04-29
Design problems Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
My newly purchased MFJ-4416 was connected to a 12 volt 24 Ah gel lead acid battery and my Icom 7000 transceiver. A "T" connector was used on the 4416 RF sensing input, connected between the transceiver and a 50 Ohm load. The transceiver was operated in CW and SSB (microphone and two tone test) at power levels of 100, 75, 50 and 25 Watts.

Within a two hour span, the 30 amp fuse between the battery and the 4416 blew three times. After the first time, a scope was connected to monitor the voltages. A Tektronix P6302 (with AM503 amplifier) DC to 50 MHz current probe was connected to monitor the current. While looking at the transients, the input 30 amp fuse blew 2 more times. The input 30 Amp fuse blew one time when the transmitter power was set to 50 Watts and blew another time when a two tone test signal was connected to the microphone input.

I replaced the input fuse with a 40 amp, only to have the 30 amp fuse internal to the MFJ-4416 blow about 10 minuets later. This meant that the MFJ-4416 dumped a 30 Amp plus transient into my Icom 7000. This was very disturbing and further testing with the Icom 7000 as a load was discontinued. When the MFJ-4416 thirty amp internal fuse was replaced, the battery booster went back to working, so it was a transient and not a hard failure.

The Icom IC-7000 was tested monitored for problems. None were found. It appears that it survived without damage (Good job Icom). In subsequent use, it has never drawn more than 21 amps.

With the test equipment connected to the MFJ-4416 I was able to observe a number of transients. When RF sensing turned the booster on (while sending a series of dots), voltages greater than 1 volt above the 13.8 volt set point could be regularly observed. In the SSB mode using the microphone, I saw the scope trace go off the top of the screen on two occasions.

I believe the problem is related to RF from the 4416 sensing input getting into some of the regulator circuitry but I can not be sure of that. This product has great potential but it is still a work in progress. The MFJ-4416 was returned for a refund. My recommendation is delay purchasing one of these until the design is finished and properly tested.

Email from MFJ indicated that they are aware of the problem.