[Elecraft] Electrolytic Capacitor failure

[Lyn Norstad]

Currently (no pun intended) I am using an Astron VS35M which gives me a linear, fully variable (both voltage and max current) metered supply.  It's a workhorse and the size is perfect for my shack.

I also have a decent switching 35 amp supply as a backup.

73
Lyn, W0LEN


-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bob McGraw K4TAX
Sent: Friday, April 17, 2020 2:50 PM
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Electrolytic Capacitor failure

All of my supplies have both voltage and current meters and they are in 
a position I can see them when I turn them on.  With supplies which do 
not have meters, when one turns them on, you never know in advance and 
get what they deliver.  In my case, I observe the meters BEFORE turning 
on a radio.  On more than one occasion this has saved a radio due to a 
power supply regulation failure.  Dumping 24 to 32  volts into a $3000 
radios is not very pretty.   Oh yes, the supplies do have OVP, Over 
Voltage Protection, but I've seen this fail as well and I've repaired 
several supplies where this did fail.   And one doesn't know it has 
failed until the voltage goes to maximum value.   Its too late then to 
find out the OVP circuit has failed.   A meter would have prevented 
radio and accessory equipment damage.

73

Bob, K4TAX