West Mountain Radio Super PWRgate PG 40S Owner's Manual

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Super PWRgate PG40S
Owners Manual
March 28, 2008

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing the Super PWRgate....the high power OR-gate with a built in four-stage battery
charger. It makes a true solid state UPS for the ham shack.
The Super PWRgate eliminates the danger of connecting a power supply directly across a battery. Many
power supplies will be damaged if this is done. The Super PWRgate also avoids introducing hum and RF
interference, caused by most lead acid battery chargers, by using a standard power supply. Furthermore
most lead acid battery chargers are designed for flooded lead acid marine or automotive batteries and are
inappropriate for charging sealed lead acid gel and AGM type batteries. The Super PWRgate will extend
the life span of a sealed lead acid battery compared to using a flooded lead acid charger.
The Super PWRgate transfers 40 amperes at 12 Volts dc continuously in a very safe manner. It connects
a battery and a power supply to a load, while electrically isolating both the battery and the supply from
each other. Whenever the power supply is on, the supply feeds the load. It also charges the battery with
a high-current four-state safe battery charger. Whenever the power supply is off, the battery feeds the
load. If either the power supply or the battery is malfunctioning, neither draws current from the other.
Switching is instantaneous.
A Super PWRgate is very useful in the ham shack, and even more useful in a repeater installation.
Communication equipment will remain operative during ac power blackouts and power supply failure.
Power supplies and batteries can be swapped out while equipment remains on. No glitches.
Additionally, the Super PWRgate and a power supply may be used solely as a permanently installed
battery charger. This also may be configured to run a radio station directly from the battery, as described
by W1ZR in QST, December 2003.
Before installing the Super PWRgate, please read the following instructions.

Choosing a mounting location

Pick a location that is close, or central to, your power supply, battery, and load or 12volt distribution panel.
Radios and many 12 volt devices draw large amounts of current. Remember, all wires have resistance so
they must be kept as short as possible and should have large wire size in order to minimize the voltage
drop.
The Super PWRgate can be installed in any orientation in a cool dry location preferably well ventilated.
Do not tightly enclose the unit because the heat sink will become quite warm under maximum current. It
will rise about 40 degrees Fahrenheit over ambient temperature at 40 A continuous current in free air. Do
not place it in direct sunlight; it will absorb the suns rays and get unnecessarily hot.
The Super PWRgate can be mounted using number 8 hardware in the two mounting holes.
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