[Elecraft] circuit breaker

Mon May 16 23:21:00 EDT 2016

Todd,

Was the K3 in receive or transmit mode when it went dead?

73,

Scott  K9MA

On 5/16/2016 20:58, Richard Fjeld wrote:
> I have seen breakers let go for no apparent reason. It seemed like it 
> was a mechanical failure in the breaker.
>
> Dick, n0ce
>
>
> On 5/16/2016 5:27 PM, Rick Bates (WA6NHC) wrote:
>> Is it possible that it 'belched' and the power reset is what really 
>> fixed it?
>>
>> 73,
>> Rick WA6NHC
>>
>> Tiny iPhone keypad, spell check happens
>>
>>> On May 16, 2016, at 1:40 PM, Todd Ruby <todd at ruby-wine.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Well Ron, I guess there's a first time for everything. Although the 
>>> radio was deaf and dumb, I had display function and it looked as it 
>>> normally does after turning on the power. There was just no receive 
>>> nor output power.
>>>
>>> I turned it off, pressed the 20 amp circuit breaker on the rear 
>>> panel and sigs were coming through the headphones and I had full power.
>>>
>>> Today it's also operating perfectly.
>>>
>>> 73
>>>
>>> Todd
>>>
>>>> On May 16, 2016, at 3:30 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire <ron at cobi.biz> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Todd responded to me off the reflector that he lost all power to 
>>>> the K3 so it wasn’t the 20A breaker. That only controls power to 
>>>> the KPA3. The front panel is still powered and the receiver 
>>>> continues to work.
>>>>
>>>> I suggested it might be the self-resetting breaker inside the K3. 
>>>> That will turn it off completely. Actually power will still be on 
>>>> the KPA3 module and anything plugged into the 12V external power 
>>>> connector on the K3 rear panel, but the K3 itself will look dead 
>>>> with no front panel lights, receive or other functions until it 
>>>> cools and resets itself.
>>>>
>>>> I’ve never had an issue with either breaker opening unexpectedly.
>>>>
>>>> 73, Ron AC7AC
>>>>
>>>> From: ac5p at sbcglobal.net [mailto:ac5p at sbcglobal.net]
>>>> Sent: Monday, May 16, 2016 12:18 PM
>>>> To: Ron D'Eau Claire; 'todd ruby'; 'Elecraft Reflector Reflector'
>>>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] circuit breaker
>>>>
>>>> I believe Todd is referring to the breaker on the K3, not his house 
>>>> panel circuit?
>>>> Ron has some good advice, but I wonder how common this circuit 
>>>> breaker operates?
>>>>
>>>> I looked thru my manual for more info on it.  The block diagram 
>>>> shows it as a 25A fuse,
>>>> text and device indicate 20A circuit breaker, but NO  info on the 
>>>> type operating curve, or current vs. time for minimum trip?
>>>>
>>>> I have a 10A circuit breaker on my 40Ahr battery supply and it has 
>>>> never tripped.  It is a thermal time delay like most house breakers.
>>>>
>>>> Anyone out there have any clue?   Wayne?
>>>>
>>>> Mike  AC5P
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Monday, May 16, 2016 12:28 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire <ron at cobi.biz> 
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The normal underlying cause for the breaker to open is 
>>>> over-current. That's
>>>> a 20A breaker that protects only the KPA3 100 watt amplifier 
>>>> module. The
>>>> first thing I'd do is check the current drain from your power 
>>>> supply on the
>>>> band where you experienced the problem. First set the power to 10 
>>>> watts so
>>>> the KPA3 is bypassed and note the total current drain key down. Now 
>>>> crank up
>>>> the power and see if the part used by the KPA3 is pushing 20A. For 
>>>> example,
>>>> if your total current at 10 W was 3A, does the total at 100 watts 
>>>> approach
>>>> 23A? IF so, the breaker was simply doing its job. Note that circuit 
>>>> breakers
>>>> are not precision devices so it may trip a couple of amperes one 
>>>> way or the
>>>> other from 20A.
>>>>
>>>> A primary reason for excessive KPA3 current is a high SWR on your 
>>>> antenna
>>>> system. The higher the SWR, the less efficient the KPA3 becomes and 
>>>> the more
>>>> current it has to draw to produce the power.
>>>>
>>>> A defective breaker can also start tripping at lower currents.
>>>>
>>>> 73, Ron AC7AC
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf 
>>>> Of todd
>>>> ruby
>>>> Sent: Monday, May 16, 2016 9:08 AM
>>>> To: Elecraft Reflector Reflector
>>>> Subject: [Elecraft] circuit breaker
>>>>
>>>> Would anyone venture to guess what would cause the circuit breaker 
>>>> to trip
>>>> on a K3? Mine did all of a sudden yesterday. Fortunately, my friend
>>>> suggested the reset and voila, I am back on the air. But if there 
>>>> is an
>>>> underlying cause, I think it would be wise to be aware of it so as to
>>>> preclude this episode from repeating. Any thoughts are welcome.
>>>>
>>>> 73
>>>>
>>>> todd
>>>>
>>>> WB2ZAB
>>>>
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-- 
Scott Ellington  K9MA
Madison, Wisconsin, USA

k9ma at sdellington.us