[Elecraft] Power Supplies

Edward R. Cole kl7uw at acsalaska.net
Sun May 6 21:06:20 EDT 2012


I guess in any case "your experience may vary", but here is mine.

I have an Astron VS-35M that was bought in 1980 and only repaired 
once when I back biased the LM923 by charging a battery,  Pass 
transistors are the originals.  That is 32-years of service!  It now 
serves as my service bench supply, because I replaced it with a 
RS-50M which runs 24/7 for at least 10-years.

I had dozens (35 to memory) of the R20A at work that served very 
reliably in severe maritime environments on boats and kept on 
working.  I did have one or two croak but they were in-service 
continuously on the boats (24/7).  Those that went I suspect from 
boat generator voltage surges (to 160vac).  The transformers failed.

The Astron's are very basic design and completely reparable if the 
transformer is OK.  I did even order a replacement for the 
transformer that cost > 50% the new price on the PS.  IN my final 
years on the job I ordered some of the 20A switching supplies for 
their size/weight to package into portable packages.


73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45
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