[Elecraft] Re: Elecraft Digest, Vol 31, Issue 3

[Cathy James]

elecraft-request at mailman.qth.net wrote:
> The K2 has a series
> diode in the power supply line for reverse polarity protection - that diode
> drops about .2 volts.
>
> What that means is: to obtain 13.8 volts at the battery terminals, one must
> connect a supply of 14.0 volts to the K2 to maintain full charge on the
> battery.
>
> There is an intenal pot in the Astron to adjust the output voltage, so it
> may be a simple matter to increase the Astron voltage - locating the correct
> pot may be more of a challenge, be certain you adjust the proper pot.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>   
I adjusted my Astron to 14.1V output using the internal pot, but be 
warned that it is a semi-major project.  The pot is on the underside of 
the small floating board IIRC; every time I wanted to adjust it, I had 
to short out the large electrolytic capacitor in the Astron, unscrew the 
board, pull it up, make a guess as to how much to adjust it, screw it 
back down, power up the supply, check the voltage, see that it's still 
wrong, power down, short out the cap, unscrew the board....

There may be an easier way to do it but it wasn't obvious.  I'd guess 
that it took me a dozen iterations.  I don't ever want to mess with it 
again.

What was Astron thinking burying the pot where it can't be safely and 
readily accessed just by removing the cover???

Cathy
N5WVR