K2 heatsink

[Cloud Runner-3]

Assembly and removal of the heatsink, as everyone knows, is a royal pain.  If it could be lifted straight off, instead of having to be slid back over the connectors on the rear apron, it would be SO much easier.

My question:  

* Could the heatsink be smaller?

* What if a substantial rectangle of the bottom were cut loose from the rest of the bottom back piece so that the right-angle part that goes backwards off the connectors, and the part which is the heatsink and held on by two screws.  I am imagining a piece that could be about two inches by three inches...

What do people think?

73  Fred - kt5x

K2 # 700
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[Don Wilhelm-3]

Fred,

The consequences of your solution is that the K2 enclosure would be
weakened, and a smaller heat sink area would dissapate less heat requiring
that the maximum power of the K2 be reduced.

The heat sink is not that difficult to remove.  The real 'problem' is that
if one is not careful, the screws fall out and the PA mounting hardware
falls out.

I remove the heat sink on a regular basis - here is an easy way to do it:
Cut 2 pieces of 3/4 inch electrical tape each about 1 1/4 inches long.
Stick the tape over the screwheads and also to the RF Board and the sides of
the T4 core.
Remove the hex nuts and the 6 screws holding the heat sink - also remove the
nuts from the BNC connector and the key jack if they are present.
Push the projecting screw threads on hte PA transistor screws back so they
are just below the inside of the heat sink (a phillips screwdriver point
works fine).
Tilt the heatsink up a bit to 'unstick' the thermal pads and slide the heat
sink to the rear.
Put the hex nuts finger tight on the screws to hold them in place while
working with the K2.

Reverse the steps to re-install.

73,
Don W3FPR

> -----Original Message-----
>
> Assembly and removal of the heatsink, as everyone knows, is a
> royal pain.  If it could be lifted straight off, instead of
> having to be slid back over the connectors on the rear apron, it
> would be SO much easier.
>
> My question:
>
> * Could the heatsink be smaller?
>
> * What if a substantial rectangle of the bottom were cut loose
> from the rest of the bottom back piece so that the right-angle
> part that goes backwards off the connectors, and the part which
> is the heatsink and held on by two screws.  I am imagining a
> piece that could be about two inches by three inches...
>
> What do people think?
>
> 73  Fred - kt5x
>
> K2 # 700
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
>  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
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