[Elecraft] What K2 power out at 16 amps?

Ron D'Eau Claire [email protected]
Mon Jun 9 22:31:02 2003


It varies with the band, but you can expect about 100 watts at 16 amps. =
My
K2 runs from about 14 amps to 18 amps (on 160) at 100 watts, and =
cranking
the power wide open (about 110 watts) I can't actually reach 20 amps on =
any
band (which is good since the in-line fuse Elecraft specifies is a 20 =
amp
fuse!)

Keep in mind that the KPA100 is rated for 100 watts INTERMITTENT duty
(CW/SSB) not "continuous" duty, so a 16 or 20 amp continuous duty power
supply is more than enough to operate it with plenty of current capacity =
to
spare.=20

Indeed, I've run my K2/100 on a 11 amp intermittent duty supply, =
although
that was stressing the supply a bit <G>.  Also, I was one of the ops =
testing
the PLL Reference Oscillator stability mod, and cycled the temperature =
in my
K2 by running it in CW for half an hour or more at 100 watts output into =
a
dummy load. (It was being keyed with CW constantly at 100 watts - NOT =
held
"key down").=20

I got the KPA100 amp heat sink hotter than I'd want to leave my hand on
doing that. The air temperature inside the K2 was over 50C (>120 F). My =
20
amp Astron supply loafed along helping my K2 "cook" <G>.

You'd have no problem running your K2/100 "flat out" at full power with =
a 16
amp intermittent duty supply. The recommendation from Elecraft for a 20 =
amp
"intermittent duty" supply was VERY conservative.=20

Ron AC7AC
K2 # 1289

-----Original Message-----
Could some K2/100-equipped Elecrafter measure for me the approximate =
power=20
output when it's pulling 16 amps?  I'm trying to gauge roughly how much=20
power out I would expect from a 16-amp continuous supply.  If your power =

meter shows the effective output (after deducting reflected power) it =
would=20
probably be helpful for me to know also how much power is being =
reflected.

Thanks,
--Andrew