[Elecraft] K4 Remote: My QTH vs. a friend's, many miles to the north
Dave (NK7Z)
dave at nk7z.net
Sun May 5 00:08:53 EDT 2024
Jorge,
I can only go by what you said:
"Last week I experienced a lightning strike"
That sounds a lot like a direct discharge into the shack, so I am
responding to your comment, if that is not correct, please help me
understand what actually happened...
Lightening is strange, it can take out one piece of equipment, and not
touch another... It all depends on how your shack is grounded, and how
it is bonded. When grounding commercial equipment, even the path the
wire takes is important... Curves, straight line runs, etc...
What sort of ground system are you using, and what sort of lightening
protection did you have in place at the time of the lightening event?
Take a look at:
https://www.nk7z.net/building-a-coax-entry-panel/
That is my entry panel. I am slowly building a ground ring around the
house... Why? Because only I can build a system to help reduce the
chances of lightening taking out something in my environment. It is
after all my home, and my environment, so I can not, and do not, hold
Elecraft responsible for things they can not control. Elecraft, can not
be responsible for my grounding, and bonding practices.
Respectfully, in your original question you implied that Elecraft should
have done more to make the KPA1500 withstand an as yet, correctly
defined lightening event. Again, respectfully, if you believe Elecraft
failed in some way, then you should say what, and how they failed...
Not imply they should have done more... That is unfair.
With respect to the weekend-- I hope to see you in the 7QP contest! I
will be on Sunday, but I fear the Sun will not assist much... Take care
my friend...
73, and thanks,
Dave (NK7Z)
https://www.nk7z.net
ARRL Volunteer Examiner
ARRL Technical Specialist, RFI
ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources
On 5/4/24 17:42, Jorge Diez - CX6VM wrote:
> hi Dave
>
> I don't know what to tell you, I imagine that a direct discharge into
> the shack would have burned everything.
>
> I had 6 USB cables connected to the laptop, they burned the USB of a box
> of GHE that costs $160 and the USB of the KPA1500 that costs +$7000
>
> rotor controls and other PCs did not burn
>
> In short, it was the fear I had of buying new and sophisticated
> equipment living so far from where the company is located.
>
> Have a good weekend
>
> 73,
> Jorge
> CX6VM/CW5W
>
> El sáb, 4 may 2024 a las 21:31, Dave (NK7Z) (<dave at nk7z.net
> <mailto:dave at nk7z.net>>) escribió:
>
> Hi Jorge,
>
> That device would not stand a strike... As per the US Weather service,
> (https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-power
> <https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-power>), a typical lightening
> bolt runs around 300,000,000 volts, at 30,000 amps. That device is
> speced for 4000 volts...
>
> For Elecraft to protect the amp against a lightening strike as you
> described you had, they would need to add a LOT more hardware than that
> to the price of an already expensive amp, and most people would never
> see need the protection. Hence why they don't even try and protect
> against a direct lightening strike.
>
> The onus for lightening protection always rests with the device owner.
>
> 73, and thanks,
> Dave (NK7Z)
> https://www.nk7z.net <https://www.nk7z.net>
> ARRL Volunteer Examiner
> ARRL Technical Specialist, RFI
> ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources
>
> On 5/4/24 16:36, Jorge Diez - CX6VM wrote:
> > Dave
> >
> > I am not an engineer and I don't know anything about electronics
> either,
> > but I am very receptive to the solutions that many radio friends
> give me.
> >
> > which made me think if the kpa1500 or k4 usb was built with
> something
> > like this,
> >
> https://www.blackbox.com/en-ca/store/product/detail/USB-to-USB-Isolator-4-kV-1-Port/SP387A <https://www.blackbox.com/en-ca/store/product/detail/USB-to-USB-Isolator-4-kV-1-Port/SP387A> <https://www.blackbox.com/en-ca/store/product/detail/USB-to-USB-Isolator-4-kV-1-Port/SP387A <https://www.blackbox.com/en-ca/store/product/detail/USB-to-USB-Isolator-4-kV-1-Port/SP387A>> it might be beneficial or not, just thinking out loud
> >
> > 73,
> > Jorge
> > CX6VM/CW5W
> >
> > El sáb, 4 may 2024 a las 19:06, Dave (NK7Z) (<dave at nk7z.net
> <mailto:dave at nk7z.net>
> > <mailto:dave at nk7z.net <mailto:dave at nk7z.net>>>) escribió:
> >
> > Jorge,
> >
> > I would imagine if you approach Elecraft with that mindset, their
> > thoughts will be you should take care of your own lightening
> protection.
> >
> > 73, and thanks,
> > Dave (NK7Z)
> > https://www.nk7z.net <https://www.nk7z.net> <https://www.nk7z.net
> <https://www.nk7z.net>>
> > ARRL Volunteer Examiner
> > ARRL Technical Specialist, RFI
> > ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources
> >
> > On 5/4/24 09:10, Jorge Diez - CX6VM wrote:
> > > Last week I experienced a lightning strike and the I/O
> module of
> > my KPA1500
> > > was damaged, what has Elecraft thought to ensure that the
> > equipment is not
> > > damaged?
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> > --
> > 73,
> > Jorge
> > CX6VM/CW5W
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> --
> 73,
> Jorge
> CX6VM/CW5W
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