[Elecraft] K2 - sudden death

[Hans Bonnesen]

K2 - sudden death
My K2  # 7359 running firmware 2.04 , with internal battery and KAT2 has been behaving wonderfully for more than a year now.
This morning I switched it on, and heard familiar chatter from other hams -  And after the normal tuning procedure (on approximately 2-3 watt output) I sat down ready for a general SSB rag-chew.
Suddenly its front panel display said : Low battery, the general hiss of the loudspeaker faded down, the display went dead and the entire K2 went dead.
Immediate restart wasn’t possible, but after a 10 minutes I could repeat the procedure.
I then removed the battery and the adjoining cables and placed the K2 battery switch in the battery OFF position, relying now on a small external PS 
The battery seems never the less to  be ok and up to standard.
At a new attempt the K2 shuts itself of after app. 30 seconds saying : LOW BATTERY (  with no battery connected ????)
Changed the P7 jumper to ext, and tried once more.
Still:  LOW BATTERY
Took another well known 12,5 v gel battery, and checked the amperage when the on button is pressed.
The K2 is consuming well above 1,5 amps. A loud relay clatter was heard inside the K2.
Shut it off immediately
What is suddenly happening ? 


OZ5RB, Hans