[AMRadio] Suggestions for restoring a DX-100

[Donald Chester]

>From: "Bill Smith" <billsmith at ispwest.com>
>
>Bring
>up line voltage slowly with a variac, or light-bulbs in series with the
>power line.
>
>Start with about 60 volts.  Just enough to light the filaments in the
>rectifier and feed voltage into the power supply.  Ramp it up slowly from
>there, over the next several minutes.  It should begin to operate at about
>90 volts.  Play it at 110 volts for a while (ten or so minutes) before
>giving it the full gas, watching for trouble.
>

Remember, a lot of older equipment was designed when "full gas" was 110 
volts.  For some reason, the ac power in most areas has now been boosted up 
to about 125 volts, which will shorten the life of the components.

I have thought of rigging up a variac with a rotary switch, so that it 
functions like the old fashioned on-off/volume control they used to put on 
radios.  To turn on the rig, rotate the variac clockwise, and the switch 
snaps on.  Then manually run the variac slowly up to max (or to the desired 
voltage).  To turn off, rotate the variac anti-clockwise until the switch 
snaps off.  This would gently turn the rig on and off with every use and 
undoubtedly extend the life of many of the components.

Don K4KYV

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