[Elecraft] Blown ammeter question used with KX1/gelcell/solar panel

[Doug Forman]

Thanks to Don and Ron for their detailed help, I think I'm on the right 
path to fixing this now.

-doug

On Nov 28, 2004, at 12:22 PM, Doug Forman wrote:

> I use inexpensive (now discontinued) Radio Shack bench volt and 
> ammeters when I am combining rechargeable batteries and a small solar 
> panel for QRP portable use.
>
> (btw, Volkswagon places small 12v solar panels in the windshield of 
> some of their cars when shipped from overseas to keep the batteries 
> trickle charged...  these are ruggedly built, are labeled for 
> 3.2w/18.8v/170ma, and have a cigarette-lighter plug attached...  
> bought mine for around $9 on eBay).
>
> In a "senior moment" (cough) I recently mistakingly hooked 12v from a 
> small 0.8ah gelcell battery (that I connect to my KX1) directly across 
> the + and - terminals of my 0-1000mA meter.  After the smoke cleared, 
> and I disassembled the case, I noticed that I had melted a wire 
> connecting the meter to a binding post.
>
> The ammeter is a simple meter with three binding posts...  0-500, 
> 0-1000 and common.  It sold for around $13 at Radio Shack (part number 
> 22-401) but was discontinued over a year ago (I've tried to just buy 
> another one with no luck).  Inside the small plastic case is the meter 
> and wires, no other parts.
>
> Internally, the meter has no part markings other than the word 
> "CHINA".  The black (hookup) wire from the meter terminal was soldered 
> to a bare wire covered with loose fabric insulation, which was then 
> soldered to the common (black) binding post (this was the wire that 
> melted), and the red (hookup) wire connects to a bare wire which 
> connects the (red) 0-500 and (red) 0-1000 binding posts and is covered 
> with loose fabric insulation close to the 0-500 binding post (the red 
> side is still there and did not melt).
>
> Any thoughts, suggestions and wisdom from the "wizards of the list" 
> would be most appreciated - as this question may be a little 
> off-topic, perhaps replies should be sent to me off-list (or not?) 
> your choice...
>
> 72,
>
> Doug  N7BNT
>
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