K3 power consumption

[Bill Churchill]

Hi Wayne,
I would like to use my K3 for Field Day again this year. I have installed the sub receiver and am concerned about my power budget. I use a 15 watt solar panel to charge a battery and find that the K3 is now drawing over an amp on receive. Is there any simple way to disable or turn off the sub receiver? I am only going to use CW and 5watts output.
73, Bill AA1O
K3 287
K2 1740
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[wayne burdick]

Hi Bill,

If the sub receiver is installed but turned off, the K3's current
consumption in receive mode should be around 1 to 1.2 amps depending on
other installed options, supply voltage, etc. At 5 watts in transmit
mode, current drain will be around 3 to 4 amps.

A 15-watt solar panel would just keep up with RX current during the
day. That may be adequate, but only if your battery has enough reserve
to get you through planned night-time operation.

The K3 will run down to as low as about 10 V without any stability
issues, but I'd suggest swapping batteries at more like 11 V.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

On Jun 15, 2009, at 2:15 PM, aa1o wrote:

> Hi Wayne,
> I would like to use my K3 for Field Day again this year. I have
> installed the sub receiver and am concerned about my power budget. I
> use a 15 watt solar panel to charge a battery and find that the K3 is
> now drawing over an amp on receive. Is there any simple way to disable
> or turn off the sub receiver? I am only going to use CW and 5watts
> output.
> 73, Bill AA1O
> K3 287
> K2 1740
>  

---

http://www.elecraft.com

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[JIM DAVIS-11]

Wayne,

Thanks for putting up with all of everybody's sometimes "great" ideas and then some others
who always seem to push you and "Elecraft" more towards the "ABYSS"!!!  Your crew did create
a "Great Box" in the guise of the K3, but it'll be a never ending struggle because there's
a lot of guys out here who are always trying to make a better "mouse-trap", not that it's
bad but you've got to move on with your company's original plans and create bigger and better
products!!!  I'm a "confirmed LOYALIST" of your products!


Regards,

Jim/nn6ee

S/n:2406 (using rev. 3.11) and doing well with it!!!
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