[Elecraft] [KAT500] KAT500-K thermal pad question

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

No, it is NOT an insulator. That's why it's called a pad and not an
insulator. 

That resistor can be called upon to handle quite a bit of dissipation at
times. The "pad" helps improve the thermal path to the cover which acts as a
heatsink. The pad is soft so it makes more intimate contact with the cover
metal than just the metal tab and cover alone. 

Many KAT500s have undergone rigorous usage without benefit of the pad. It
was added as part of Elecraft's philosophy of doing everything they can to
make the rig as robust as possible.

It's not a big deal to install it later. You'll need to remove the top cover
and then remove screw and nut holding the resistor tab to the bottom cover.
Then you can remove the bottom cover, stick the thermal pad (it has
self-stick material) on the resistor tab and put everything back. 

73, Ron AC7AC



-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Phil Hystad
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2012 8:09 PM
To: Sam Morgan
Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [KAT500] KAT500-K thermal pad question

Sam,

My KAT500 kit #223 arrived yesterday and I did the parts inventory and I was
missing the thermal pad too.  I immediately sent off a part request to
parts at elecraft.com and got immediate response and I expect the thermal pad
to arrive in tomorrow's mail.

Unless you are in that much of a rush to get the kit built, why not wait for
the actual replacement part from Elecraft.  They are very responsive and
quick to deal with these things.  Judging from my own experience, I think
that the total "business hours" time from the point of receive of my e-mail
to getting notice from Elecraft that they sent the part to me in the mail
was no more then 3 hours at the most!  That is speedy service.

73, phil, K7PEH


On Nov 29, 2012, at 6:12 PM, Sam Morgan <k5oai.sam at gmail.com> wrote:

> My KAT500 K #0233 arrived missing the 'thermal pad'
> perhaps some of you who have already built your kit, could answer my 
> question.......
> what is this missing 'thermal pad'?
> 
> Is it something to insulate R6 from the case, like used on a 
> transistor to insulate it from ground?
> 
> or
> 
> is it something to help transfer heat to the case?
> 
> if it's the latter could I temporally use some CPU thermal paste until 
> the replacement part arrives?
> 
> TIA
> 
> --
> 
> GB & 73
> K5OAI
> Sam Morgan
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