[KX3] A Comparative Performance Assessment (of Aftermarket KX3 Heatsinks)

[Gary W. Hvizdak]

    An independent head-to-head thermal performance evaluation of several
aftermarket KX3 heatsinks was recently concluded by Adrian Ryan (5B4AIY),
who holds degrees in Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.  The
clear winner of his testing is the Cooler KX PlusT, which is produced by
VE7FMN of Simply Better Manufacturing!  This means claims that the PAE-Kx31
is "best-performing" are not substantiated by fact!  (Actually, such claims
are hereby dispelled by fact!)

    Adrian's test report can be found at ...
http://www.ve7fmn.ca/this-is-cool/pdfs/performance_page/head-to-head.pdf 

--- - - - ---

    In other news ...

1) The Cooler KXT installation guide has (finally) been published.

2) Tech-Note #3 (PEM nut thread repair) was completely rewritten.

3) I recently added some of the nicest customer-submitted photos to Fred's
homepage.  Thanks to Matt (N2IDW) and Ed (W6ELA).

4) Before too long I hope to implement "instant checkout" for most if not
all Cooler KXT customers.  What makes this task particularly challenging, is
that unlike the USPS (which offers flat-rate international mail) the cost of
shipping via Canada Post varies by country.

73,
Gary  KI4GGX
webmaster http://www.ve7fmn.ca/
Posted on behalf of VE7FMN


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[Randy Moore-3]

Thank you very much for the comparison of the available heat sinks for the
KX3.

I bought the KB8UHN heat sink and I am quite happy with it.  Using his heat
sink I am able to run Digital modes at 10 watts on 20 and 40 meters with no
problems and my radio temperature is lower than the comparison at 5 watts.
I did use the included heat sink compound so perhaps that makes a
difference.

I did some testing on my own using assorted heat sinks from old audio and
video cards and found that almost any heat sink will make a big difference.

Thank you for supporting the Elecraft KX3 with your aftermarket accessories.

Randy Moore
AI4CO


-----Original Message-----
From: Elecraft [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Gary
W. Hvizdak
Sent: Monday, September 01, 2014 3:05 AM
To: [hidden email]
Cc: Adrian Ryan; Fred; Edouard Lafargue; [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] [KX3] A Comparative Performance Assessment (of
Aftermarket KX3 Heatsinks)

    An independent head-to-head thermal performance evaluation of several
aftermarket KX3 heatsinks was recently concluded by Adrian Ryan (5B4AIY),
who holds degrees in Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.  The
clear winner of his testing is the Cooler KX PlusT, which is produced by
VE7FMN of Simply Better Manufacturing!  This means claims that the PAE-Kx31
is "best-performing" are not substantiated by fact!  (Actually, such claims
are hereby dispelled by fact!)

    Adrian's test report can be found at ...
http://www.ve7fmn.ca/this-is-cool/pdfs/performance_page/head-to-head.pdf 

--- - - - ---

    In other news ...

1) The Cooler KXT installation guide has (finally) been published.

2) Tech-Note #3 (PEM nut thread repair) was completely rewritten.

3) I recently added some of the nicest customer-submitted photos to Fred's
homepage.  Thanks to Matt (N2IDW) and Ed (W6ELA).

4) Before too long I hope to implement "instant checkout" for most if not
all Cooler KXT customers.  What makes this task particularly challenging, is
that unlike the USPS (which offers flat-rate international mail) the cost of
shipping via Canada Post varies by country.

73,
Gary  KI4GGX
webmaster http://www.ve7fmn.ca/
Posted on behalf of VE7FMN


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[Johnny Siu]

Hello Randy,

I concur with your findings though I believe the Cooler plus should be the best product in accordance with the performance assessment.  Perhaps, I would like to summarise my views as follows:

1.  It is correct that any old heat sink obtained from other electronic device attached to the KX3 will make a real difference (I experimented some of them).  Of course, those heat sinks may not look good as a purpose built product (the Cooler plus is beautifully made as I saw one in VR2);
2.  I struggled for a long time whether I should spend over USD100 (including shipping) for a piece of metal as heat sink.  It implies over 1/10th of the KX3 kit price;
3. I eventually settled with a KB8UHN heat sink to strike a balance between items 1 and 2 above.

I run the KB8UHN heat sink under 10m FM full power without any noticeable power drop or problems.  I subsequently suggested KB8UHN to make some minor changes in his heatsink dimensions so that it will fit the Side KX covers / plates as well.

Therefore, KX3 users now have a range of choices from an abandoned heat sink of any old electronic device at $0 to the high end Cooler plus at $100.


73

Johnny VR2XMC
 

________________________________
 寄件人︰ Randy Moore <[hidden email]>
收件人︰ 'Gary W. Hvizdak' <[hidden email]>; [hidden email]
副本(CC)︰ 'Fred' <[hidden email]>; 'Adrian Ryan' <[hidden email]>; [hidden email]; 'Edouard Lafargue' <[hidden email]>
傳送日期︰ 2014年09月2日 (週二) 12:29 AM
主題︰ Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] A Comparative Performance Assessment (of Aftermarket KX3 Heatsinks)
 

Thank you very much for the comparison of the available heat sinks for the
KX3.

I bought the KB8UHN heat sink and I am quite happy with it.  Using his heat
sink I am able to run Digital modes at 10 watts on 20 and 40 meters with no
problems and my radio temperature is lower than the comparison at 5 watts.
I did use the included heat sink compound so perhaps that makes a
difference.


I did some testing on my own using assorted heat sinks from old audio and
video cards and found that almost any heat sink will make a big difference.

Thank you for supporting the Elecraft KX3 with your aftermarket accessories.

Randy Moore
AI4CO


-----Original Message-----
From: Elecraft [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Gary
W. Hvizdak
Sent: Monday, September 01, 2014 3:05 AM
To: [hidden email]
Cc: Adrian Ryan; Fred; Edouard Lafargue; [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] [KX3] A Comparative Performance Assessment (of
Aftermarket KX3 Heatsinks)

    An independent head-to-head thermal performance evaluation of several
aftermarket KX3 heatsinks was recently concluded by Adrian Ryan (5B4AIY),
who holds degrees in Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.  The
clear winner of his testing is the Cooler KX PlusT, which is produced by
VE7FMN of Simply Better Manufacturing!  This means claims that the PAE-Kx31
is "best-performing" are not substantiated by fact!  (Actually, such claims
are hereby dispelled by fact!)

    Adrian's test report can be found at ...
http://www.ve7fmn.ca/this-is-cool/pdfs/performance_page/head-to-head.pdf

--- - - - ---

    In other news ...

1) The Cooler KXT installation guide has (finally) been published.

2) Tech-Note #3 (PEM nut thread repair) was completely rewritten.

3) I recently added some of the nicest customer-submitted photos to Fred's
homepage.  Thanks to Matt (N2IDW) and Ed (W6ELA).

4) Before too long I hope to implement "instant checkout" for most if not
all Cooler KXT customers.  What makes this task particularly challenging, is
that unlike the USPS (which offers flat-rate international mail) the cost of
shipping via Canada Post varies by country.

73,
Gary  KI4GGX
webmaster http://www.ve7fmn.ca/
Posted on behalf of VE7FMN


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[alorona]

 
Here's a dumb question from a person with little thermal engineering knowledge: As these various heat sinks are being compared, does 1° deg C. really matter?
 
Al  W6LX
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[wayne burdick]

Al Lorona wrote:

> Here's a dumb question from a person with little thermal engineering knowledge: As these various heat sinks are being compared, does 1° deg C. really matter?

Not a dumb question at all. (There are no dumb questions, in fact. Just varying degrees of patience in answering them.)

A 1-degree difference might matter if you were trying to eek out every last second of operating time before the KX3's firmware drops power from 10-12 watts down to 5 watts (or some other metric).

For the vast majority of KX3 users, the factory-provided "slim" heat sink is entirely adequate, and an extra degree C isn't really relevant. Of 6000+ radios shipped, only a few hundred have felt compelled to add larger heat sinks. That's a good thing, since we designed the rig to be compact and lightweight.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

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[Don Wilhelm-4]

Al,

Without knowing the specifications and most recent calibration data for
the measurement equipment as well as the complete setup info,
environment info and details of how the procedure was performed, I would
suggest that 1 degC could be within the range of 'measurement error'.

For example:
If the ambient environment was not precisely controlled, there could be
as much as a 2 degC variation in the ambient temperature as well.  If
performed in an air conditioned space, consider the hysteresis in the
thermostat controlling the AC (if the thermostat is set for 72 degF, it
may come on when the room temperature reaches 74 degF and turn off when
the room temperature drops to 70 degF - it all depends on the
characteristics of the thermostat).

So without that kind of seemingly unrelated details, small variations in
the measurements can be disregarded.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 9/2/2014 1:19 PM, Al Lorona wrote:
>  
> Here's a dumb question from a person with little thermal engineering knowledge: As these various heat sinks are being compared, does 1° deg C. really matter?
>  
> Al  W6LX
>
>

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[Randy Moore-3]

Monday (Labor Day) I setup my buddipole in the backyard as a 20 meter
vertical and operated portable for about 3 hours sitting in the shade and
enjoying the 96 degree F temperature in the shade and the high humidity.  I
ran both SSB and data (PSK31) during the time I was outside.  With the
temperature in the shade at 96 degrees, running 10 watts on 20 meters I made
a lot of contacts.  At no time did the radio overheat, or have any
performance issues with the KB8UHN hat sink installed.  I was quite happy
with the operation and plan to repeat the setup on the coast once the
temperatures drop.  I am quite confident that the KB8UHN heat sink will
serve my needs.

I have tested it running JT-65 at 10 watts and may do the mode, but it is
not very exciting.

73

Randy Moore
AI4CO


-----Original Message-----
From: Gary W. Hvizdak [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Monday, September 01, 2014 3:54 PM
To: 'Randy Moore'
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] [KX3] A Comparative Performance Assessment (of
Aftermarket KX3 Heatsinks)

P.S.  I deleted several comments from my Reflector post before sending it
(for the sake of brevity), including ...

1)  Mentioning that the KB8UHN heatsink might have performed slightly better
(versus the factory heatsink) had the tests been run at higher power.
(Essentially higher power would have magnified the difference between each
candidate.)  Adrian probably chose those power levels so he wouldn't
over-stress his radio.

2)  Pointing out that the PAs got hotter running 0.5 Watts on 6 meters, than
they did running 5.0 Watts on 20 meters!

3)  Mentioning that a lower ambient temperature might have magnified the
difference between the heatsinks.  Reference
http://www.ve7fmn.ca/this-is-cool/pdfs/performance_page/theoretical_performa
nce_c.pdf

-----Original Message-----
From: Randy Moore [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Monday 01 Sep 2014 1229
To: 'Gary W. Hvizdak'; [hidden email]
Cc: 'Adrian Ryan'; 'Fred'; 'Edouard Lafargue'; [hidden email]
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] [KX3] A Comparative Performance Assessment (of
Aftermarket KX3 Heatsinks)

Thank you very much for the comparison of the available heat sinks for the
KX3.

I bought the KB8UHN heat sink and I am quite happy with it.  Using his heat
sink I am able to run Digital modes at 10 watts on 20 and 40 meters with no
problems and my radio temperature is lower than the comparison at 5 watts.
I did use the included heat sink compound so perhaps that makes a
difference.

I did some testing on my own using assorted heat sinks from old audio and
video cards and found that almost any heat sink will make a big difference.

Thank you for supporting the Elecraft KX3 with your aftermarket accessories.

Randy Moore
AI4CO

<snip>


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[Gary W. Hvizdak]

On Tue Sep 2 2014 at 13:19:20 EDT, Al Lorona  (W6LX) posted ...

Here's a dumb question ... does 1° deg C. really matter?
 
--- - - - ---

Al,

    On the contrary, you've asked an excellent although slightly ambiguous
question.  Are you referring to the one degree C difference between the top
three heatsinks, or are you referring to the roughly 1 degree C difference
between the factory heatsink and the heatsink that came in last place?

    FYI, the purpose of this testing was primarily to determine how the
various offerings compared to one another.  In addition, Adrian didn't want
to unnecessarily overstress his PAs in the process.  Had he chosen higher
power levels, then the separation between each of the candidates would have
been greater.  In fact, it very well might have been possible to break the
tie for second place.

    Keep in mind that this testing was particularly challenging due to the
KX3 firmware's 1 degree C displayed temperature resolution.

    BTW, I know that the PAs generated 8.5 Watts of waste heat running 5
Watts out on 20 meters, and I used a polynomial approximation to estimate
that they generated 9.3 Watts of waste heat while running 0.5 Watts out on 6
meters!  (No, that's not  a typo!)

73,
Gary  KI4GGX
webmaster http://www.ve7fmn.ca/

P.S.  Don, Adrian's test report clearly states that he conducted all of his
tests in "still air" and that the ambient temperature remained between a
half degree of 25 degrees C.


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[Dennis Griffin-2]

Hi Gary,

I find it curious that there was no mention in Adrian's report of what surface coating or surface finishing process the tested heat sinks had been subjected to. Last I knew, Fred is using powder coat on his newly designed higher cost heat sink, with the lower cost version having an as machined finish, with no further processing. I believe the PAE Kx31 heat sinks are now hard anodized, and I don't know how the KB8UHN units are finished. Can you please comment on this, since the type of surface finishing can play a role in the efficiency of heat transfer of a heat sink? I'm also curious if Fred's lower cost version is still the original size, with less radiating surface area than the newer one.

73 de Dennis KD7CAC
Scottsdale, AZ


> Subject: RE: [Elecraft] [KX3] A Comparative Performance Assessment (of
> Aftermarket KX3 Heatsinks)
>
> P.S.  I deleted several comments from my Reflector post before sending it
> (for the sake of brevity), including ...
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[Fred Townsend-2]

Al Lorona wrote:

> Here's a dumb question from a person with little thermal engineering knowledge: As these various heat sinks are being compared, does 1° deg C. really matter?

As Wayne wrote not a dumb question at all but a highly complex one. Again I agree with Wayne's answer of 'probably not'. In fact your heatsink will operate more effeciently at higher temperatures because radiation effects are proportional to the forth order meaning a small change can make a big difference. On the other hand Elecraft builds in a huge safety margin and monitors and halts if that margin is exceeded.  On the other side one degree is one more degree of margin or which of your comfort zone does your wallet reside?
73
Fred, AE6QL

-----Original Message-----

>From: Al Lorona <[hidden email]>
>Sent: Sep 2, 2014 10:19 AM
>To: "[hidden email]" <[hidden email]>
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] A Comparative Performance Assessment (of Aftermarket KX3 Heatsinks)
>
>
>Here's a dumb question from a person with little thermal engineering knowledge: As these various heat sinks are being compared, does 1° deg C. really matter?
>
>Al  W6LX
>______________________________________________________________
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>
>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
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>Message delivered to [hidden email]

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[Phil Wheeler-2]

It seems like the difference between 59 deg-C and
60 deg-C might matter :-)

Phil W7OX

On 9/2/14, 10:19 AM, Al Lorona wrote:
>  
> Here's a dumb question from a person with little thermal engineering knowledge: As these various heat sinks are being compared, does 1° deg C. really matter?
>  
> Al  W6LX

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[Gary W. Hvizdak]

Dennis (KD7CAC) recently posted ...

"I find it curious that there was no mention ... of what surface coating or
surface finishing process the tested heat sinks had been subjected to. ...
I'm also curious if Fred's lower cost version is still the original size
..."

--- - - - ---

Hi Dennis,

    The details regarding finish were omitted from his report for the sake
of brevity.  In fact, Adrian evaluated four Cooler KX(TM) configurations,
one each painted and unpainted Lite and Plus model.  The reason this
information wasn't included, is that the coating had no discernable impact
on performance.

    Addressing your questions about size ... Fred offers two models:  his
original (Lite) model is 1.25 inches deep and his newer Plus model (which
was introduced back in April as "Tropical") was originally 1.5" deep.
However, in July he increased its depth by 7% to 1.59 inches.  And yes,
Fred's Matte Black finish is electrostatically applied / heat cured power
coat paint, although the entire bottom (heat transfer) surface is unpainted.

    Fred also offers two choices of unpainted finish:  a premium Clear
Chromate Conversion undercoat; and raw aluminum (straight from the mill).

73,
Gary  KI4GGX
webmaster  http://www.ve7fmn.ca/

P.S.  I encouraged Fred to rebrand his Tropical model as Plus, after one
reviewer (on the eHam website) seemed to imply that the heatsink could be
operated in direct sunlight without concern.  Intuition suggests that an
unpainted finish would be preferable for operating under intense tropical
sun, although even that should be avoided (IMHO).


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[Don Wilhelm-4]

That is true, but that is still inadequate information for
environmentally related measurements.
Exactly how was that measured?  What was the measurement device, when
was it last calibrated, was the calibration traceable to a secondary
NIST standard?  Was the point where the temperature was measured
identified and consistent from test to test?  How were the initial
conditions determined?  Within what degree of certainty? Was the air
flow actually monitored during the test and from test run to test run -
how was it measured and at what position(s) - why does still air have to
be in quotes? Without that kind information, we have to make assumptions
that may or may not be valid.

Making system level measurements on environmentally related tests
requires that every piece of the environment be specified - down to the
placement of the DUT in the environment.

My 10 years professional experience with engineering level measurements
has lead me to question every piece of test equipment as well as how it
is used as well as identification of the test setup.
That information is important to determine that degree of error in the
overall measurements.
Environmental testing requires much more setup and environment data than
making voltage checks because there are many factors that may alter the
data.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 9/2/2014 1:55 PM, Gary W. Hvizdak wrote:
> P.S.  Don, Adrian's test report clearly states that he conducted all of his
> tests in "still air" and that the ambient temperature remained between a
> half degree of 25 degrees C.
>
>

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[Dennis Griffin-2]

OK, thanks Gary.

On several occasions, I've seen mention, relative to heat sink color, of a black coating absorbing direct sunlight, causing warming of the object. Living in the Phoenix area, I fail to understand why anyone would operate, at least for any length of time, in direct sunlight. I'm not going to subject my equipment, whether it be my KX3, any other electronic device, or the leather seat on my Vespa, to solar exposure that I wouldn't expose my head to. I most always wear a hat or helmet if I'm out in it, and I show my equipment the same consideration of being shaded whenever possible. Maybe only desert dwellers think this way, hi.

73 de Dennis KD7CAC
Scottsdale, AZ

On Sep 2, 2014, at 11:35 AM, Gary W. Hvizdak <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Dennis (KD7CAC) recently posted ...
>
> "I find it curious that there was no mention ... of what surface coating or
> surface finishing process the tested heat sinks had been subjected to. ...
> I'm also curious if Fred's lower cost version is still the original size
> ..."
>
> --- - - - ---
>
> Hi Dennis,
>
>    The details regarding finish were omitted from his report for the sake
> of brevity.  In fact, Adrian evaluated four Cooler KX(TM) configurations,
> one each painted and unpainted Lite and Plus model.  The reason this
> information wasn't included, is that the coating had no discernable impact
> on performance.
>
>    Addressing your questions about size ... Fred offers two models:  his
> original (Lite) model is 1.25 inches deep and his newer Plus model (which
> was introduced back in April as "Tropical") was originally 1.5" deep.
> However, in July he increased its depth by 7% to 1.59 inches.  And yes,
> Fred's Matte Black finish is electrostatically applied / heat cured power
> coat paint, although the entire bottom (heat transfer) surface is unpainted.
>
>    Fred also offers two choices of unpainted finish:  a premium Clear
> Chromate Conversion undercoat; and raw aluminum (straight from the mill).
>
> 73,
> Gary  KI4GGX
> webmaster  http://www.ve7fmn.ca/
>
> P.S.  I encouraged Fred to rebrand his Tropical model as Plus, after one
> reviewer (on the eHam website) seemed to imply that the heatsink could be
> operated in direct sunlight without concern.  Intuition suggests that an
> unpainted finish would be preferable for operating under intense tropical
> sun, although even that should be avoided (IMHO).
>
>

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[Don Wilhelm-4]

All factors that I have mentioned in prior emails relate to
determination of the potential error range in the testing.  That and
that alone will determine whether a 1 degC difference shown on the
graphs is real or should be disregarded.  Note that is *only* related to
the data points shown.  In other words, what is the uncertainty range of
the data.

OTOH, if the question relates to whether 1 degC matters to the hardware,
then one must consider the temperature on which the question is based.  
1 degC is not likely to matter around 40 degC, but *will* be significant
at 59 or 60 degC.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 9/2/2014 1:55 PM, Gary W. Hvizdak wrote:
> On Tue Sep 2 2014 at 13:19:20 EDT, Al Lorona  (W6LX) posted ...
>
> Here's a dumb question ... does 1° deg C. really matter?
>  
> --- - - - ---
>
>

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[Gary W. Hvizdak]

Don (W3FPR) recently wrote ...

"why does still air have to be in quotes?"

Hi Don,

    That was done so the wording "in still air" wouldn't seem like a
grammatical error.  More importantly, here's an excerpt from a recent email
from Adrian, addressing your inquiry regarding ambient temperature:

"The ambient temperature was constantly monitored on the test bench by the
transceiver using a very sensitive aviation anemometer.  This instrument can
measure airflow down to fractions of a knot, and does so by monitoring
temperature changes of a heated thermistor, as well as using a ducted fan
whose speed is measured via a pulse-counting technique for higher speeds.  I
managed to keep the ambient temperature stable throughout the test to within
an indicated 0.5 degree C, so I was quite pleased with the actual test
results."

--- - - - ---

    I certainly could have included details like this in the final report,
but tried to avoid providing too much information, and also tried to limit
the document to two pages without resorting to a tiny font.  More
importantly, IMHO Adrian's test environment and methodology were sufficient
for his intended objective, which was to compare the performance of the
various aftermarket offerings to one another, for the purpose of ranking
them.  Yes, higher resolution temperature measurements would have made the
results more meaningful; but that evaluation is left as an exercise for the
reader.

    BTW, check out http://www.ve7fmn.ca/faqs/#about_testing for a
description and photo of the setup Adrian had used for his original
comparison of the factory/stock heatsink and his Cooler KX(TM) Lite, which
used an entirely different methodology.

73,
Gary  KI4GGX
webmaster http://www.ve7fmn.ca/


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[Peter Pauly]

The Canadian heatsink looked fine, but for me, the deciding factor was
price - with shipping the Canadian product was much more than the PAE one.


On Tue, Sep 2, 2014 at 3:23 PM, Gary W. Hvizdak <[hidden email]>
wrote:

> Don (W3FPR) recently wrote ...
>
> "why does still air have to be in quotes?"
>
> Hi Don,
>
>     That was done so the wording "in still air" wouldn't seem like a
> grammatical error.  More importantly, here's an excerpt from a recent email
> from Adrian, addressing your inquiry regarding ambient temperature:
>
> "The ambient temperature was constantly monitored on the test bench by the
> transceiver using a very sensitive aviation anemometer.  This instrument
> can
> measure airflow down to fractions of a knot, and does so by monitoring
> temperature changes of a heated thermistor, as well as using a ducted fan
> whose speed is measured via a pulse-counting technique for higher speeds.
> I
> managed to keep the ambient temperature stable throughout the test to
> within
> an indicated 0.5 degree C, so I was quite pleased with the actual test
> results."
>
> --- - - - ---
>
>     I certainly could have included details like this in the final report,
> but tried to avoid providing too much information, and also tried to limit
> the document to two pages without resorting to a tiny font.  More
> importantly, IMHO Adrian's test environment and methodology were sufficient
> for his intended objective, which was to compare the performance of the
> various aftermarket offerings to one another, for the purpose of ranking
> them.  Yes, higher resolution temperature measurements would have made the
> results more meaningful; but that evaluation is left as an exercise for the
> reader.
>
>     BTW, check out http://www.ve7fmn.ca/faqs/#about_testing for a
> description and photo of the setup Adrian had used for his original
> comparison of the factory/stock heatsink and his Cooler KX(TM) Lite, which
> used an entirely different methodology.
>
> 73,
> Gary  KI4GGX
> webmaster http://www.ve7fmn.ca/
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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>

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[Fred Townsend-2]

Gary radiation effects do not vary linearly as a function of ambient temperature  and are IMHO, a bigger error factor than anything Don has mentioned therefore ambient temperature should be stated. Also, again IMHO thermal resistance is a much better comparison between heatsinks. Ambient temp is needed if thermal resistance is to be computed.

73
Fred, AE6QL


-----Original Message-----

>From: "Gary W. Hvizdak" <[hidden email]>
>Sent: Sep 2, 2014 12:23 PM
>To: [hidden email]
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] A Comparative Performance Assessment (of Aftermarket KX3 Heatsinks)
>
>Don (W3FPR) recently wrote ...
>
>"why does still air have to be in quotes?"
>
>Hi Don,
>
>    That was done so the wording "in still air" wouldn't seem like a
>grammatical error.  More importantly, here's an excerpt from a recent email
>from Adrian, addressing your inquiry regarding ambient temperature:
>
>"The ambient temperature was constantly monitored on the test bench by the
>transceiver using a very sensitive aviation anemometer.  This instrument can
>measure airflow down to fractions of a knot, and does so by monitoring
>temperature changes of a heated thermistor, as well as using a ducted fan
>whose speed is measured via a pulse-counting technique for higher speeds.  I
>managed to keep the ambient temperature stable throughout the test to within
>an indicated 0.5 degree C, so I was quite pleased with the actual test
>results."
>
>--- - - - ---
>
>    I certainly could have included details like this in the final report,
>but tried to avoid providing too much information, and also tried to limit
>the document to two pages without resorting to a tiny font.  More
>importantly, IMHO Adrian's test environment and methodology were sufficient
>for his intended objective, which was to compare the performance of the
>various aftermarket offerings to one another, for the purpose of ranking
>them.  Yes, higher resolution temperature measurements would have made the
>results more meaningful; but that evaluation is left as an exercise for the
>reader.
>
>    BTW, check out http://www.ve7fmn.ca/faqs/#about_testing for a
>description and photo of the setup Adrian had used for his original
>comparison of the factory/stock heatsink and his Cooler KX(TM) Lite, which
>used an entirely different methodology.
>
>73,
>Gary  KI4GGX
>webmaster http://www.ve7fmn.ca/
>
>
>______________________________________________________________
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[Dennis Griffin-2]

I too had to wonder about a few of the report comments.

At what distance from the KX3 was the "still air" temperature taken, and how was it maintained within plus or minus .5° C if it was still, but in fact was being acted on by the convective currents caused by the heat radiated by the heat sink. Certainly the room may have held temp within that tolerance, but surely the air immediately around the heat sink didn't.

Was the still air around the KX3 allowed to normalize between tests, or was each successive test performed in an increasingly warmer envelop of air immediately around the test unit?

What instrument was used for the air temp measurement to a resolution of at least .5° C, that couldn't also have been used to measure the temperature at some fixed point relative to the heat sinks, whether it reported NIST accurate values, or only just relative and repeatable values. Since the temp reported by the KX3 only has 1° C of resolution, I can see the potential to have a .9° C margin of error in reported values, or a .1° C actual difference leading to a reported 1° C difference.

How representative is 25° C as an ambient operating temperature for someone who feels the need for the benefit of a heat sink? Probably close enough for someone operating in their shack. But how do the results translate to any noted differences when operating portable at 0° C, or 37° C, or at 25° C & 90% RH?

Fine points, admittedly, but curiosities none the less.

73 de Dennis KD7CAC
Scottsdale, AZ

On Sep 2, 2014, at 11:39 AM, Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]> wrote:

> That is true, but that is still inadequate information for environmentally related measurements.
> Exactly how was that measured?  What was the measurement device, when was it last calibrated, was the calibration traceable to a secondary NIST standard?  Was the point where the temperature was measured identified and consistent from test to test?  How were the initial conditions determined?  Within what degree of certainty? Was the air flow actually monitored during the test and from test run to test run - how was it measured and at what position(s) - why does still air have to be in quotes? Without that kind information, we have to make assumptions that may or may not be valid.
>
> Making system level measurements on environmentally related tests requires that every piece of the environment be specified - down to the placement of the DUT in the environment.
>
> My 10 years professional experience with engineering level measurements has lead me to question every piece of test equipment as well as how it is used as well as identification of the test setup.
> That information is important to determine that degree of error in the overall measurements.
> Environmental testing requires much more setup and environment data than making voltage checks because there are many factors that may alter the data.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 9/2/2014 1:55 PM, Gary W. Hvizdak wrote:
>> P.S.  Don, Adrian's test report clearly states that he conducted all of his
>> tests in "still air" and that the ambient temperature remained between a
>> half degree of 25 degrees C.

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[David Woolley (E.L)]

Air-conditioning controllers should have a much smaller hunting range
than that.  Cooling systems are not common in the UK, but even bi-metal
thermostats, for heating systems, had a built in heating element, so the
thermostat would switch off much faster than would be the case it you
had to wait for the air in the room and the hysteresis of the switch.
Substituting on for off, that should work for cooling as well.

Whilst this produces a de facto pulse width modulation, electronic
controllers explicitly pulse width modulate based on the analogue value
of the process variable, when it is close to the set point.  Mine has a
default pulse frequency of 1.6666... mHz, although it is adjustable
between about 0.8333 mHz and 3.3333 mHz, in 0.8333 mHz steps.  The
hunting range is really too small to resolve on an alcohol analogue
thermometer.

--
David Woolley
Owner K2 06123


On 02/09/14 18:34, Don Wilhelm wrote:
> If performed in an air conditioned space, consider the hysteresis in the
> thermostat controlling the AC (if the thermostat is set for 72 degF, it
> may come on when the room temperature reaches 74 degF and turn off when
> the room temperature drops to 70 degF - it all depends on the
> characteristics of the thermostat).

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