[MFJ-Ameritron] Re Failed AL-1500

Tue, 3 Sep 2002 23:30:33 -0400

hi duane   i am getting bad feelings here.....  i have a 1500 on the way !!!
73  paul w8jn
----- Original Message -----
From: "Duane Fischer, W8DBF" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 03, 2002 10:46 PM
Subject: [MFJ-Ameritron] Re Failed AL-1500


>
>
> Hi All,
>
> I had a discussion today with a tech at Ameritron and also with Jim Smith
the
> owner of Burghardts Amateur Center in SD. The concensus is that the 8877
shorted
> out.
>
> This amp was purchased new and is just under the warranty by six days. The
tube
> is warrantyed by Emoch. (Not sure how to spell that company) I am hoping I
can
> get the tube replaced by the manufacturer uner warranty. Ameritron seemed
to
> think it would be replaced under warranty.
>
> I was told that this amplifier was one of the best made by Ameritron. I
was told
> it was rugged, dependable and well designed. i was told that the single
8877 was
> superior to running a matched pair of 3-500zs tubes. Now I wonder how much
of
> what many told me was really accurate.
>
> Does the 8877 have a history of failure out of the clear blue? This amp is
well
> ventilated, used only for 20 meter NCS duties, was tuned and left alone
and gets
> about one hour of actual transmit time per week. I drive it with 60 watts,
> average modulation and zero compression. I do not use an antenna tuner, as
the
> swr on the three antennas are all less than 1.5 without one. In short, the
amp
> is well treated and well taken care of.
>
> It worked just fine last Wednesday. No problems of any kind. Sunday it
failed
> when it reached the warm up point and engaged the relay. That is when the
one
> fuse blew. Only one blew. The same fuse blew again on a second test. I
think it
> is F2, but I am not positive of this. Being totally blind I can not read
the
> schematic to be certain.
>
> Is this behavior typical for the AL-1500? I do not want an amplifier I
have to
> live in the fear of it failing like this in so short of a time. I realize
> anything can happen to any amp under the best of circumstances. I just
want your
> collective wisdom to tell me if the AL-1500 is apt to do this same thing
again
> in six months, eleven months or sixteen months.
>
> Thank you for your candor.
>
> Duane Fischer, W8DBF
> [email protected]
>
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