[Elecraft] K3 Current Drain When Off

[Fred Jensen]

K3 #642 measures just over 4mA when off.  FT-847 reads 12mA.  However, 
with both those loads on the FP-1030A power supply, it appears to be 
consuming about 3wH [72 watt-days/26.28 kw-years], apparently just to 
light the little LED on the panel.  In fact, it's very close to 3wH with 
all the loads disconnected.  Our highest marginal PG&E rate is $0.34/kWh 
which works out to $8.94/yr max.

Maybe a "leak" outside the K3(s)?

It does raise the question, just how many electrons are being wasted in 
the TV, DirecTV receiver/DVR, microwave, and the myriad of phone/Kindle 
chargers plugged in all over the house, not to mention this computer 
which is on nearly all the time?  I suspect it's a lot more than 9 bucks 
a year.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2014 Cal QSO Party 4-5 Oct 2014
- www.cqp.org

On 10/16/2013 12:15 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
> Nope. I measured both units several times, and just now repeated the
> measurements.
>
> 73, Jim
>
> On 10/16/2013 11:23 AM, Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft wrote:
>> Hi Jim - you must be misreading the meter by several decimal points :-)
>>
>> We just measured several K3s in the lab and they both draw less than 5
>> mA when off.
>>
>> Eric
>> elecraft.com