K3 - reliability
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I have been reading the posts about the KX3 and it brings up a question
about K3 reliability. Prior to my purchase of a K3 last winter, I did all the usual research on reflectors and boards. I was looking for real-life user information and experiences. What impressed me most was the lack of reported serious failures - those requiring a visit to the factory. I do know that some K3s have required factory level warranty repairs. The question is: how many or what percentage. And, is there a particular problem(s) that appears often. Most rigs, after being on the market for a period of time, have known short comings. Not so for the K3. I have read nothing that indicates a chronic problem(s). Based on the above, I purchased and built a K3. Five months after completion - the rig is at the factory awaiting warranty repair (dark display with MCU LD shown). Needless to say, I do question the K3's reliability factor and would be very interested in the particulars of other failures requiring a return to the factory for warranty repairs. I am still on the air, using my trusty Kenwood 480 while on vacation - so no total washouts. Kindly keep the flames to a minimum - this is a serious question that I should have pushed prior to purchase. Thanks, Bill W2BLC -- IN GOD I TRUST (but, NOT a single politician) ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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I am one who had returned a K3 to the factory. I am convinced that it was a builder error which has not been identified by either me or the factory, but everything has worked fine to the last five years. As good as Elecraft is, they are still subject to the usual component failure and OEM difficulties. They expose themselves to builder errors and even ask for problems from owner repairs. Yes, even Elecraft sometimes makes mistakes like the other manufacturers. But, they will always send you a spare part or board if you order it, they may pay the return shipping and they will be there for you to give you the level of repair you require. And they will bend over backwards to treat you fairly. You can ask more from a manufacturer, but I know of no others who will go as far as Elecraft. Be glad you have a TS-480. It is the only other rig I would consider after owning a K3. (I own one that I bought after the K3 and before the KX3 was
rumored.) Willis 'Cookie' Cooke K5EWJ & Trustee N5BPS, USS Cavalla, USS Stewart ________________________________ From: Bill <[hidden email]> To: [hidden email] Sent: Saturday, August 4, 2012 9:08 AM Subject: [Elecraft] K3 - reliability I have been reading the posts about the KX3 and it brings up a question about K3 reliability. Prior to my purchase of a K3 last winter, I did all the usual research on reflectors and boards. I was looking for real-life user information and experiences. What impressed me most was the lack of reported serious failures - those requiring a visit to the factory. I do know that some K3s have required factory level warranty repairs. The question is: how many or what percentage. And, is there a particular problem(s) that appears often. Most rigs, after being on the market for a period of time, have known short comings. Not so for the K3. I have read nothing that indicates a chronic problem(s). Based on the above, I purchased and built a K3. Five months after completion - the rig is at the factory awaiting warranty repair (dark display with MCU LD shown). Needless to say, I do question the K3's reliability factor and would be very interested in the particulars of other failures requiring a return to the factory for warranty repairs. I am still on the air, using my trusty Kenwood 480 while on vacation - so no total washouts. Kindly keep the flames to a minimum - this is a serious question that I should have pushed prior to purchase. Thanks, Bill W2BLC -- IN GOD I TRUST (but, NOT a single politician) ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by Bill Clarke
For those asking offline: Yes, attempts were made at reload, download,
etc. Support was contacted, parts were shipped, time was spent installing the new parts - - unfortunately made no change in the rig's status. Support then asked that I send the rig in for warranty service. -- IN GOD I TRUST (but, NOT a single politician) ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by Bill Clarke
On 08/04/2012 04:08 PM, Bill wrote:
> I have been reading the posts about the KX3 and it brings up a question > about K3 reliability. > > Prior to my purchase of a K3 last winter, I did all the usual research > on reflectors and boards. I was looking for real-life user information > and experiences. What impressed me most was the lack of reported serious > failures - those requiring a visit to the factory. I do know that some > K3s have required factory level warranty repairs. The question is: how > many or what percentage. And, is there a particular problem(s) that > appears often. I've never had to return my K3 to the factory. But I've had failures which required soldering 7 times. The latest was the oxidized PA power supply pins issue. Others include blown front end transistor, blown LPA transistors, blown SWR bridge diode, and a choke on the subreceiver board that had fallen off during transport. I don't have much experience with other brands of ham gear, so I don't know what is considered expected reliablity. But I can't say that I'm impressed. Elecraft support, however, is *really* impressive. Too bad that it's needed so often. Actually, if I had been living in the USA, I probably *would* have sent it back to the factory for a checkup. Jon LA4RT > > Most rigs, after being on the market for a period of time, have known > short comings. Not so for the K3. I have read nothing that indicates a > chronic problem(s). > > Based on the above, I purchased and built a K3. Five months after > completion - the rig is at the factory awaiting warranty repair (dark > display with MCU LD shown). Needless to say, I do question the K3's > reliability factor and would be very interested in the particulars of > other failures requiring a return to the factory for warranty repairs. > > I am still on the air, using my trusty Kenwood 480 while on vacation - > so no total washouts. > > Kindly keep the flames to a minimum - this is a serious question that I > should have pushed prior to purchase. > > Thanks, > > Bill W2BLC > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by Bill Clarke
I've had 5 different K3s over 3.5 years and no failures necessitated a return to the factory. That's not to say there weren't any failures but all were fixed by me with the help of k3support@elecraft.com and excellent parts support. Parts typically take 2-3 days from CA to NC via First Class...they ship and trust you to return high value assemblies in a prepaid mailer. "MCU LD and dark display" is a failure caused by interrupting a firmware download. I've done this a few times but was always able to recover by carefully following the procedure in the manual. I'm sure you've tried that so it will be interesting to hear what the root cause was if you're willing to share. 73, Bill |
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In reply to this post by Bill Clarke
As you said below Bill, the reviews and instance of repair reports were good enough to convince you that the K3 was a good choice.
It would be great if yours had zero problems, of course. Elecraft support will get it fixed in a manner you are happy with I'm sure. While you are waiting, don't be nervous and imagine future problems that have not and probably will never occur. My S/N 3012 has never had a problem, only it's operator. And Elecraft has been a terrific company to do business with. I rate the customer service up with W2IHY, Apple, Amazon, DirecTV and my A/C guy. On Aug 4, 2012, at 9:08 AM, Bill <[hidden email]> wrote: > I did all the usual research > on reflectors and boards. I was looking for real-life user information > and experiences. What impressed me most was the lack of reported serious > failures - those requiring a visit to the factory. I do know that some > K3s have required factory level warranty repairs ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by Bill Clarke
Bill,
Reliability must be weighed against the repeatability of a problem in numerous similar radios. I purchased my first Elecraft product in Sept 2010 which was a K3 kit and I've been reading the Elecraft reflector messages since then. My K3 continues to work fine after assembly without any catastrophic problems necessitating a trip back to Elecraft. My experience suggests the occasional catastrophic failures we read about are the result of a series of preceding events including but not limited to; Assembly mistake(s) Configuration mistake(s) Firmware loading mistake(s) Interfacing mistake(s) I'm sorry to read that your K3 is giving you trouble but rest assured that short of electrocuting the radio any problems with it are repairable and Elecraft will get it working. 73, Gary N6LRV -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Bill Sent: Saturday, August 04, 2012 7:08 AM To: [hidden email] Subject: [Elecraft] K3 - reliability I have been reading the posts about the KX3 and it brings up a question about K3 reliability. Prior to my purchase of a K3 last winter, I did all the usual research on reflectors and boards. I was looking for real-life user information and experiences. What impressed me most was the lack of reported serious failures - those requiring a visit to the factory. I do know that some K3s have required factory level warranty repairs. The question is: how many or what percentage. And, is there a particular problem(s) that appears often. Most rigs, after being on the market for a period of time, have known short comings. Not so for the K3. I have read nothing that indicates a chronic problem(s). Based on the above, I purchased and built a K3. Five months after completion - the rig is at the factory awaiting warranty repair (dark display with MCU LD shown). Needless to say, I do question the K3's reliability factor and would be very interested in the particulars of other failures requiring a return to the factory for warranty repairs. I am still on the air, using my trusty Kenwood 480 while on vacation - so no total washouts. Kindly keep the flames to a minimum - this is a serious question that I should have pushed prior to purchase. Thanks, Bill W2BLC -- IN GOD I TRUST (but, NOT a single politician) ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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