MFJ-4230MV MightyLite Switching Power Supply
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| Frequency | N/A - DC power supply |
| Bands | N/A - power supply |
| Power | Switching supply: 25 A continuous, 30 A surge (up to 5 min) at 13.8 V DC. Output adjustable 4-16 V with a detent at 13.8 V. ~75% efficient; ripple under 100 mV pp. |
| Modes | N/A - DC power supply |
| Weight | 1.35 kg (3 lb) |
| dc out | one pair of rear 5-way binding posts (the MFJ-4230MVP variant adds Anderson Powerpoles) |
| ac in | IEC inlet - FACTORY-SET 115 V (a separate 230 V model exists); NOT user/field-switchable |
| power req | 115 V AC (factory-set; 230 V is a separate factory variant, not field-switchable), 47-63 Hz, 6.3 A fuse |
Estimated (unverified): Exact introduction year is not documented. Weight is 3.4 lb per the manual; the product page rounds to 3 lb.
Compact and light (about 3 lb), so it travels easily for Field Day and portable use. The 'MV' features are practical: a front-panel meter for volts or amps, and an adjustable 4-16 V output with a 13.8 V detent. Output is clean for a switcher (under 100 mV ripple, FCC Class B), and it carries over-voltage and over-current protection. The same chassis is sold under other brands, so spares and accessory brackets are easy to find.
It is 25 A continuous, not 30 A - that figure is a surge rating. The base model has only rear binding posts (the MVP variant adds Powerpoles). The AC input is factory-set, not a field-switchable 115/230 selector despite the marketing wording. It is a switching supply, so it can add hash on the most sensitive bands where a linear unit would be silent, and the fan runs continuously. It is discontinued, so it is a used-market buy.
A tidy, lightweight switching supply for a 100-watt station or a portable kit, with a handy meter and adjustable voltage. Mind that the headline 30 A is a surge figure (25 A continuous) and that the AC input is factory-set rather than switchable. It compares with the Alinco DM-330MV; for the quietest receive an Astron linear is the alternative. Now a used-market find since MFJ closed.
The MFJ-4230MV is a small switching power supply that puts a voltmeter, an ammeter, and an adjustable output into a box light enough to carry to Field Day - about three and a half pounds, against the twenty or more a comparable linear supply would weigh. The "MV" in the name is the point: a front-panel Meter and a Variable output. It delivers 25 amps continuously, 30 amps in surges of up to five minutes, at 13.8 volts.
The output knob runs from 4 to 16 volts with a detent at 13.8, so it powers normal radio gear at the click-stop but can also feed something that wants a different voltage. A single backlit meter reads volts or amps at the push of a button, and the supply protects itself against over-voltage and over-current, resetting after a power cycle. Output is a single pair of five-way binding posts on the back; for Anderson Powerpoles, the MFJ-4230MVP variant adds them.
One detail the marketing blurs: the AC input is set at the factory. There is a 115-volt model and a 230-volt model, but unlike the bigger 4275MV there is no rear-panel switch to change it yourself. Ripple is held under 100 millivolts and the design meets FCC Class B, so on most receivers it is quiet for a switcher - though, like any switching supply, it can put hash on a sensitive band that a linear unit such as the Astron RS-35M would not.
It is a sensible compact supply for a 100-watt station or a portable setup, in the same class as the Alinco DM-330MV. Like everything MFJ, it went out of production when the company closed in 2024 - last priced around $150 - so it is now a used-market find, and the same Taiwanese-built chassis turns up under other brand names.