[Kenwood] Kenwood AT-230 Manual Antenna tuner PEP limit

[Terry Clinard]

Can anyone advise me if the specs. on the AT-230 manual torroid tapped inductors / variable capacitors, can withstand 450watts PEP when on SSB?  The manual states that it is rated at 100 watts CW carrier and 200 watts PEP.  If the load conditions do not allow for arcing, then it seems possible to do this once you use the tuner and determine at what wattage it will begin arcing at.  Maybe it will withstand 350 watts PEP.  Is there any way to test prior to using it with higher wattage than what it is rated at? 

  I am using a TS870S exciter at 20 watts output to drive a homebrew 400 watt out solid state amp SSB only.  This set up works well with my Heqathkit SA2060A antenna tuner but the Heathkit is rated at 2000 watts PEP.

 

Thanks Terry WA8OPR