[Elecraft] Which PS for K2/100, linear or switcher?

[Phil Kane]

On Mon, 27 Feb 2006 08:10:12 -0800, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

>A 35 Amp supply is *way* over-kill for a K2/100. A 20 amp supply provides
>all the power you need at 100 watts with several amps to spare to run other
>things. My K2/100 draws, typically 16 amps "wide open" on the bands
>requiring the highest current.

  Hello Elecrafters...... (and Ron - good to see you from the 600M list)

  I'm in the process of joining "the crowd" - ordered my K2/100 on
  line this weekend, at the urging of Robert Crocker, WN7O and with
  the support of Karl N7NLU, two local K2 owners and boosters.

  My two electrons' worth:

  My station power supply is a 12V Group 31 (truck-size) 100AH
  gel-cell battery with a commercial 10A "smart-charger" (which cost
  as much as the battery) backed up with a MFJ 45A switcher (currently
  out for repair, replaced with an Astron 15A linear supply).  The
  computers run on a separate UPS system.

  When we moved here 6 years ago, my wife (who is a utilities engineer
  as was I originally) insisted that the 12V supply be installed to UL
  and USCG standards.  That about doubled the cost but the digital
  meters and the LED circuit-status indicators look so neat in the
  darkened room !!

  At present the supply powers 4 VHF/UHF transceivers, 6 receivers,
  and 4 TNCs, all running 24/7, all on individual circuit breakers.
  The standby current draw is about 5A (if I am to believe the
  ammeters).  There are separate breaker panels for the load bus,
  receivers, and transmitters, and I can run the load from the battery
  and/or the AC supplies depending on which bus breakers are set
  "hot".  I usually set the P/S to be 0.3V lower than the "smart
  charger" (13.8 V float for the gel-cells) so I can leave both
  breakers "hot" and if one supply fails the other takes over. That's
  an old "redundant rectifier" trick that I learned from designing and
  testing communication site power units.

  Well, here I am...waiting for the kit to be delivered.  I'll be
  around.  I'm looking forward to getting on HF again after 40
  years!!!

--
   73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

   From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
   Beaverton (Washington County)  Oregon

   Retired and loving every minute of it....
   Work was getting in the way of my hobbies