[Elecraft] [K3] K3 fan noise, part XXLIV

[David M. Elliott]

You can download a pretty good spl meter for the iphone through the App Store.  It is free and works well.  Search for sound meter at the App Store.

I downloaded it at a rock concert with a friend's kids -- went immediately to the drug store and bought ear plugs.


73 de W6BK

On May 29, 2010, at 3:31 AM, Tom W8JI wrote:

>> It seems pretty clear that the early fans were indeed 
>> silent, certainly the
>> same cannot be said of the UTEC ones in my #980.  Gary 
>> kindly even sent me
>> some more but the difference was negligible.  I have spent 
>> a lot of time on
>> this, even mounting the fan panel on rubber bushes - all 
>> to no avail.
> 
> That isn't surprising. Fan mounts, although people really 
> like to mess with them, almost never have a noticeable 
> effect on noise.
> 
> Other than the design of the fan itself, the number one 
> thing that affects noise is having an object near the blades 
> (especially out near the tips). Restricting the airflow also 
> doesn't help. The worse thing to do for a given amount of 
> restriction is place it on the fan inlet.
> 
> I haven't played with a K3,  but cutting some thick spacers 
> to move the fans outward from the PA might be worth a try. 
> Cheap sound meters are readily available, and a good way to 
> test.
> 
> 73 Tom 
> 
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