[Elecraft] K3 Noisy fans?

[Joe Planisky]

I find that at an ambient temp. of about 17C, 75 W into a dummy load,  
it takes about a minute and a half of CW at 18 WPM to raise the PA  
temp from 23C to 37C, the temp at which the fans come on at the  
slowest speed.

73
--
Joe KB8AP

On Dec 9, 2008, at 10:55 AM, Richard Ferch wrote:

> The fan noise depends on the fan setting, which in turn depends not  
> only on
> the duty cycle but also on the ambient temperature.
>
> On mine (#1595), FAN1 is almost inaudible (almost completely drowned  
> out by
> the noise of my computer's fan), FAN2 is audible but not obtrusive,  
> and FAN3
> and FAN4 get progressively louder and more noticeable. During  
> operation, I
> don't believe I have ever heard them get beyond FAN2, and that only  
> in data
> modes with relatively long transmissions. In CW, the speed has never  
> gotten
> above FAN1, even while running stations in a contest.
>
> Ambient temperature may have a lot to do with it, though. The fan  
> speed
> depends on PA temp, and if the ambient temperature starts out high,  
> it takes
> less heating to reach the next set point. The temperature in my  
> shack right
> now is a balmy 15C (that's just about 60F), so my K3 has to work  
> pretty hard
> just to get up to the FAN1 set point. In summer, when even with A/C  
> running
> it is about 10 degrees C warmer in here, I expect the fans will be  
> more
> noticeable.
>
> 73,
> Rich VE3KI
>
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