[Elecraft] KAT500 Blinking "MAN" LED - Bad Astron P/S On/Off Switch

[Jim Brown]

On 5/3/2021 4:07 PM, John W2XS wrote:
> The other day I turned on my Astron RS-35M and then my K3, P3, KAT500, and
> KPA500. I've done this at least once per day for the last several years.
> This time, however, I heard arcing from the Astron's on/off switch. Then I
> saw that the KAT500 LED was blinking constantly about 3 times per second.

Every Astron I've checked had a manufacturing defect that fails to bond 
AC power line green wire to the chassis, thanks to paint under the lug 
to which it was soldered. In addition, the V- terminal is soldered to 
the same lug, connecting it to the green wire, but not to the chassis. I 
suspect that when the switch broke, it put some voltage on V- and 
failure to bond stuff properly in the shack coupled some voltage to the 
KAT500.

73, Jim K9YC