[Elecraft] K2.. capacitor... need info

[JEAN-FRANÇOIS MÉNARD]

Hi everybody,

When I was doing the alignment of my 3rd built KPA100, I found that I  
have a "HI CUR" message on 80m only.

A short history, I always have this message on 80m and need to set the  
"CAL CUR" value a little bit higher when using the K2 in QRP mode....  
2.8 amp instead of 2.5 amp. I working that way since 2004.

But now, "HI CUR" message appear on 80m with or without the KPA100  
installed, and more than that.... even at 1W power level !!

So I suspected a problem in the "LOW PASS" section of the K2 itself. I  
found that a capacitor was a little bit burned. I went to my local  
electronic store and only found a ceramic capacitor with the SAME  
VALUE, but not with the same physical material.... normally these  
capacitors are blue and little, and I found only a round ceramic  
capacitor a little bit bigger.... but with the same value.

I finally changed the bad capacitor, and by removing the PA area of  
the K2, I also did a complete, clean, resoldering of both toroïds of  
the 80m band.

The amazing part is now, when I did a complete test on 80m, I can now  
set the correct "CAL CUR" value of 2.5 amp when using the K2 at low  
power without the KPA100, and when set to the recommended value of 3.5  
amp when using the KPA100. I never saw the "HI CUR" again. So I think  
I solved 2 problems... a bad capacitor and bad soldered toroïds.

All this history for this small question......

Is there a big difference when using ceramic capacitor in the low pass  
section instead of the smaller blue capacitor !?!? I don't know if  
there a difference in their properties........ Or I can leave it like  
this.

Thank all for your time.

J-F VA2SS