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KX3 internal battery problem

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Jim Rhodes-2

KX3 internal battery problem

My KX3 has suddenly decided that it doesn't want to turn on on battery
power. It has been pretty much just sitting in a bag for the last few
months but when I tried to turn it on it wouldn't, so I thought that maybe
the batteries needed charging so I plugged it in, turned it on, went to
menu to turn on charger and got "BAT ERR" message when I did. Set display
for battery voltage and it says 10.4 volts. Anybody seen this before?

--
Jim K0XU
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Lee Thompson

Re: KX3 internal battery problem

I’ve seen the Bat ERR message also, but the radio still functions and after a few attempts I can get it to charge.

Lee, WA8QFE

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From: Jim Rhodes<mailto:[hidden email]>
Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2017 5:53 PM
To: [hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]>
Subject: [Elecraft] KX3 internal battery problem

My KX3 has suddenly decided that it doesn't want to turn on on battery
power. It has been pretty much just sitting in a bag for the last few
months but when I tried to turn it on it wouldn't, so I thought that maybe
the batteries needed charging so I plugged it in, turned it on, went to
menu to turn on charger and got "BAT ERR" message when I did. Set display
for battery voltage and it says 10.4 volts. Anybody seen this before?

--
Jim K0XU
[hidden email]
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Elecraft mailing list

Re: KX3 internal battery problem

Re: << My KX3 has suddenly decided that it doesn't want to turn on on battery power...so I plugged it in, turned it on, went to menu to turn on charger and got "BAT ERR" message >>

I had a similar problem several years ago, and the problem was that the battery connector that connects the cell holder to the circuit board wasn't fully inserted into the pins on the circuit board. Open the KX3 up and make sure the connector is fully mated.

That would make some sense. The KXBC3 Charger Installation and Operating instructions say the BAT ERR is due to, "Battery missing or battery voltage out of range due to a fully charged pack or a defective or missing cell." An intermittent connection would probably fit that description.

Mark,
KE6BB

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Bob N3MNT

Re: KX3 internal battery problem

You can get BAT ERR if the batteries are fully charged, overly discharged, have one or more bad cells, or the charge voltage is too low <13.8V

Lee Thompson

Re: KX3 internal battery problem

That’s what I was thinking, still had full function of the radio.

Lee, WA8QFE

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From: Bob N3MNT<mailto:[hidden email]>
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2017 8:39 AM
To: [hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX3 internal battery problem

You can get BAT ERR if the batteries are fully charged, overly discharged,
have one or more bad cells, or the charge voltage is too low <13.8V

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Jim Rhodes-2

Re: KX3 internal battery problem

In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list

Yes I had done that already. Am wondering if there might be a problem on
the other end of the wire. But it does sense the voltage of the batteries
when turned on with external power. I removed the charger, then the
unplugged and plugged the connector back in after checking that it showed
proper voltage on both sets of contacts. Then reinstalled charger board.
Made no difference. Guess I better contact Elecraft support.

On Mon, Jan 30, 2017 at 12:40 AM, Mark Petiford via Elecraft <
[hidden email]> wrote:

> Re: << My KX3 has suddenly decided that it doesn't want to turn on on
> battery power...so I plugged it in, turned it on, went to menu to turn on
> charger and got "BAT ERR" message >>
>
> I had a similar problem several years ago, and the problem was that the
> battery connector that connects the cell holder to the circuit board wasn't
> fully inserted into the pins on the circuit board. Open the KX3 up and
> make sure the connector is fully mated.
>
> That would make some sense. The KXBC3 Charger Installation and Operating
> instructions say the BAT ERR is due to, "Battery missing or battery voltage
> out of range due to a fully charged pack or a defective or missing cell."
> An intermittent connection would probably fit that description.
>
> Mark,
> KE6BB
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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>
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> Message delivered to [hidden email]

--
Jim K0XU
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Jim Rhodes-2

Re: KX3 internal battery problem

In reply to this post by Bob N3MNT

The batteries were close to full charge, each cell measured 1.3 volts, give
or take a little. And the charging supply is set to 14.5 V. So the BAT ERR
may be from being full charged, or a bad connection somewhere. I pulled the
charger board, unplugged the connector, checked that both sets of contacts
showed proper voltage then plugged it back in, then plugged charger board
back in. Guess I should have included that in original post. Time to call
the guys at Elecraft I guess.

On Mon, Jan 30, 2017 at 7:37 AM, Bob N3MNT <[hidden email]> wrote:

> You can get BAT ERR if the batteries are fully charged, overly discharged,
> have one or more bad cells, or the charge voltage is too low <13.8V
>
>
>
> --
> View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.
> nabble.com/KX3-internal-battery-problem-tp7626247p7626268.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
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Elecraft mailing list

Re: KX3 internal battery problem

In reply to this post by Jim Rhodes-2

Re: << contact Elecraft support. >>
I agree. Sounds like you checked the items that are accessible.

Mark
KE6BB

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Nr4c

Re: KX3 internal battery problem

In reply to this post by Jim Rhodes-2

Power supply voltage AT RADIO!!!

Sent from my iPhone
...nr4c. bill

> On Jan 30, 2017, at 11:14 AM, Jim Rhodes <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Yes I had done that already. Am wondering if there might be a problem on
> the other end of the wire. But it does sense the voltage of the batteries
> when turned on with external power. I removed the charger, then the
> unplugged and plugged the connector back in after checking that it showed
> proper voltage on both sets of contacts. Then reinstalled charger board.
> Made no difference. Guess I better contact Elecraft support.
>
> On Mon, Jan 30, 2017 at 12:40 AM, Mark Petiford via Elecraft <
> [hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> Re: << My KX3 has suddenly decided that it doesn't want to turn on on
>> battery power...so I plugged it in, turned it on, went to menu to turn on
>> charger and got "BAT ERR" message >>
>>
>> I had a similar problem several years ago, and the problem was that the
>> battery connector that connects the cell holder to the circuit board wasn't
>> fully inserted into the pins on the circuit board. Open the KX3 up and
>> make sure the connector is fully mated.
>>
>> That would make some sense. The KXBC3 Charger Installation and Operating
>> instructions say the BAT ERR is due to, "Battery missing or battery voltage
>> out of range due to a fully charged pack or a defective or missing cell."
>> An intermittent connection would probably fit that description.
>>
>> Mark,
>> KE6BB
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
>> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
>
>
>
> --
> Jim K0XU
> [hidden email]
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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