New version of the ArkPak (AP730)

[AK7 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close AK7]

As per a request, I'm posting a review on the new Arkpak AP730, after picking one up on the cheap. It's the newer, improved version of the original ArkPak AP630. It's still not listed on the Ark website. This is what the AP730 has compared to the AP620:

• 7 Amp (max) charger / 6 Amp (max) charger
• 300W inverter / 150W inverter
• 140Ah battery capacity / 130Ah battery capacity
• DC-DC car charging as standard / Optional extra
• Supports LiFePo4, Gel, AGM, Calcium, Lead Acid / Supports Gel, AGM, Calcium, Lead Acid

After installing my dual battery setup and doing a couple of trips where the car couldn't be parked close the the cooking area, I realised that it was also important to be able to run my fridge away from the car. Having an inverter to charge stuff while the car wasn't running would also be a real bonus. Then I had to work out how to charge the batteries on the run... Making my own battery box to meet these conditions would probably work out more expensive.

At the moment I have an 85Ah Fullriver AGM battery in it (got it cheap). I tested it with my 40L Engel over 40 hours, keeping half a carton of cold stubbies at a very drinkable 3°C. It was using 10% charge every 6 hours - you could set your clock by it. As per the specs, it only charges at a maximum of 7A of the inbuilt charger. At just over 30% charge (~12.2V according to the display), it was telling me that the battery would be charged in 8.5 hours. It was done in 7 hours, but while it was charging, the 240V adaptor was getting up around 50-55°C. When it reached the float cycle, the plug pack cooled. The manual states that this thing can get up to 75°C! I think the battery might be tired. Not sure if the battery is tired or if the ArkPak is conservative with it's battery capacity readings...

I don't have solar panels yet, so I've been pondering how best to charge it when I go away on longer trips. For now I can charge it off the accessory ports attached to the auxiliary battery, then take the car for a spin to charge the auxiliary when the need arises.

If I was to consider an alternative, it would be the Thunder Weekender.

[djcharliek Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close djcharliek]

Thanks for that review. I'm still trying to make up my mind which box to go for. This or Thunder Weekender as per your suggestion. Having a pure Sinewave inverter could be more appealing for some folk. I'm probably more interested in the Arkpak 730 though since it can charge a LIFEPO4 battery. I don't want to be lugging around SLA batteries due to their mass.

So you basically have a dual battery setup on top of the Arkpak? That's hardcore!

[djnapkin Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close djnapkin]

Thanks for posting this. I had never heard of the Thunder Weekender until your post. With a Pure Sine Wave inverter, it seems to edge out the AP730 as far as I can see.

[djcharliek Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close djcharliek]

Thanks to AK7, I too have purchased an ARKPAK 730. Purchased for about $500 on Feebay. A bit expensive if you ask me but it does the goods. Charging LiFEPO4 batteries is a huge plus and I'm using a 60AH LIFEPO4 battery. The negatives are that it only has 1 USB charger, the Inverter is not that powerful, no Hella/Merit/Engel sockets. Other than that it does a great job running my National Luna 40L fridge through the Anderson plug. My thoughts are that Ark Corp will release a newer version in the next 12 - 24 months and add other sockets to the pack. It is a convenient power supply but if I had my time again I probably wouldn't have bought it and just been content with my dual battery setup.

[BusinessConnected Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close BusinessConnected]

I purchased an ArkPak AP730 and had issues within 3-4 months of purchase.
It's had a fairly "cushy" life in the back of the Land Rover Discovery 3... Nothing Hard.

Wasn't charging with the DC to DC or AC to DC Chargers. Return Unit to Ark Directly via Courier with the 2 x Chargers (as I wanted it handled ASAP rather than relying on BCF etc.. to return the unit) and called them a couple of times during the next week to ensure it was repaired promptly.

They advised they were waiting on some Capacitors to repair my unit, and it shipped the Next Friday as they stated they needed to complete an exhaustive 24 hour testing process before getting the unit to me. (about 1-1.5 weeks repair time).

I got the unit back... Plugged the Battery back in...
DC-DC Charger not working with Blown Fuse (Replaced Fuse working ok... obviously didn't test that one in the "Exhaustive Testing Stage".
Anderson Plug and Inverter not working (Guess the Exhaustive Testing stage is plugging the unit into their own power cords... and perhaps plugging in a Cigarette Lighter socket in... or perhaps nothing at all).

End result is I'm supposed to be heading away with this as My Camping Backup... and its still broken.

I honestly wish I purchased a Thunder Weekender instead. I've left them a fairly terse message on their Phone Service in the last 10-15 minutes because I'm simply appalled.

Update:

Contact ArkPak again today at 1pm and 3pm. Eventually their Technical Product Manager/Lead returned my call at around 3:30pm. Wanted to go through further troubleshooting, and was generally "defensive" about everything.

We ended up wasting around 20-25 minutes discussing how it was connected etc.. I genuinely thought they'd just send me a replacement "Top" part of the unit... however he stated that

a) The person who repaired the unit was on leave until Thursday so nothing could be discussed with him
b) if the product is faulty I'm going to have to return it again at my cost, or take it back to BCF for them to process the return instead.

There really wasn't much genuine apology or concern about the fact that it was returned faulty. I requested whether they could arrange for a replacement Top Piece to be shipped to me... but it wasn't even considered as an option.

We then proceeded to have a conversation about the Warranty process... and how everything was done in accordance with the law. He told me a story about how he was still waiting for a 1 month old couch worth $8000 to be repaired/changed over.

I retorted with how Apple and similar companies simply change over defective products with Advanced Replacement/Refurbished items... and that whilst their Warranty process is technically compliant, it doesn't exactly enamour the consumer to their products.

I think I used the term "Least Possible Warranty Effort". I got frustrated and he wanted to test more items. He's calling me back at 8:30am tomorrow to check the status of something he wanted me to check... which I've confirmed isn't working.

I guess the motto of the story is that sadly Businesses these days can have some bizarre concepts to Customer Service. Instead of what happened above, the process could have been

1) Gets my message... calls me in the AM... Apologises and states he'll send an Advance Replacement "Lid" to me Next Day. I accept that stuff happens.. and I'm left fairly happy at the nature of their prompt response. This process probably takes around 5 minutes of Telephone call... maybe 5 minutes of Warehouse time arranging shipment of a replacement lid.

Instead its
Almost 30 Minutes of Phone "Troubleshooting" an obviously defective product (They are aware I have another ArkPak and I'm not stupid about they operate.
Probably another 10-15 minutes fluffing about on the phone tomorrow, me shipping the item back again etc etc...

Surely when he states he had a massive backlog of calls etc from the weekend (100 cases he stated) its simply poor time management..

Anyway... My update is over, I'd be inclined to steer well away from this mob at the moment. There are good alternatives around.