Power Supply Question

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Power Supply Question

k6dgw
I power my K2/100 with a Yaesu FP-1030A that also powers the FT-847.
Normally, it is on all the time.  When leaving for an extended period a
week or so ago, I turned it off, forgetting that I had a 12V Gel Cell
floating on the output.  When I got home, the voltmeter on the supply
was at about 6V, and the supply won't turn on.

Any ideas?  I have a nearly free week and was hoping for some new ones
with the K2.

Fred K6DGW
Auburn CA CM98lw
K2 # 4398
KX1 # 897
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RE: Power Supply Question

Dan Barker
What's the battery voltage in the K2 with the power cable removed?
What's the P/S output voltage with all load removed?
Do you have a schematic of the P/S?
Do you have a scanner?

Dan / WG4S / K2 #2456

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of Fred Jensen
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2005 5:57 PM
To: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: [Elecraft] Power Supply Question


I power my K2/100 with a Yaesu FP-1030A that also powers the FT-847.
Normally, it is on all the time.  When leaving for an extended period a
week or so ago, I turned it off, forgetting that I had a 12V Gel Cell
floating on the output.  When I got home, the voltmeter on the supply
was at about 6V, and the supply won't turn on.

Any ideas?  I have a nearly free week and was hoping for some new ones
with the K2.

Fred K6DGW
Auburn CA CM98lw
K2 # 4398
KX1 # 897
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RE: Power Supply Question

Dan Barker
In reply to this post by k6dgw
By scanner, I meant an image scanner to scan the schematic. Since you don't
have a schematic, you don't need to scan it<g>.

I've never seen a battery with recent use show 0 volts unless it's connected
to something. If you disconnect it, it should show at least a few tenths of
a volt.

0v on the P/S could be a fuse or breaker, but without a schematic it's going
to be tough to troubleshoot by email. Some of the obvious things to check
would be continuity from the leads to the circuit board, and wall voltage to
a transformer, and inspect anthing that looks like a protection device to
see no voltage drop across it.

There may be something obvious, like a burnt part. If the battery really
failed shorted, then turning on the PS should have popped a fuse, maybe even
in your wiring from the PS to the load!

Good luck. The schematic would really help. Google may help you find one.

Dan / WG4S / K2 #2456

-----Original Message-----
From: Fred Jensen [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2005 6:51 PM
To: Dan Barker
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply Question




Dan Barker wrote:
> What's the battery voltage in the K2 with the power cable removed?

0V.  The battery is an external gel cell.  I don't have the internal
battery for my K2.

> What's the P/S output voltage with all load removed?

Right now it is 0V.  It won't turn on.

> Do you have a schematic of the P/S?

No.  I have the Yaesu manual, but there is only a block diagram of the PS.

> Do you have a scanner?

My 3 HT's scan, as does the FT-847 (if I could turn it on), but I don't
have a broad spectrum scanner.

Fred K6DGW

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Re: Power Supply Question

G3VVT
In reply to this post by k6dgw
Hi Fred,
 
Your PSU has probably suffered the same fate as our local 70cm repeater PSU  
did when we floated a battery across the output for emergencies. When the PSU  
was switched off it blew the DC fuse on the output of the PSU.
 
The reason is the battery is capable of feeding enough power back into the  
PSU to exceed the current rating and rupture the output fuse which normally  
protects the PSU. The solution in our case was to fit a relay on the PSU DC  
output with it's coil powered from the AC supply. When the AC supply fails,  the
DC output link is cut off from the PSU.
 
Not all PSU suffer this problem as we never had a problem with the 2m  
repeater with floating a large gel cell across that, but yours apparently  did!
 
Regards,
Bob, G3VVT
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RE: Power Supply Question

Don Wilhelm-3
In reply to this post by k6dgw
Fred,

If I understand properly, you still have the float battery connected.  Try
removing it and see if the power supply turns on.

If that power supply has undervoltage protection, a discharged battery
across its terminals  will create an undervoltage situation and the power
supply will shut down immediately.  If that is the case, charge the battery
from another supply before re-connecting it.

I do hope your gel cell recovers, especially if it is a costly large one,
but there is a chance that the low terminal voltage has significantly
reduced its life and charge capacity.

73,
Don W3FPR

> -----Original Message-----
>
> I power my K2/100 with a Yaesu FP-1030A that also powers the FT-847.
> Normally, it is on all the time.  When leaving for an extended period a
> week or so ago, I turned it off, forgetting that I had a 12V Gel Cell
> floating on the output.  When I got home, the voltmeter on the supply
> was at about 6V, and the supply won't turn on.
>
> Any ideas?  I have a nearly free week and was hoping for some new ones
> with the K2.
>
>

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RE: Power Supply Question

Dan Barker
In reply to this post by G3VVT
Diode.

Dan

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of [hidden email]
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2005 8:59 PM
To: [hidden email]; [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply Question


Hi Fred,

Your PSU has probably suffered the same fate as our local 70cm repeater PSU
did when we floated a battery across the output for emergencies. When the
PSU
was switched off it blew the DC fuse on the output of the PSU.

The reason is the battery is capable of feeding enough power back into the
PSU to exceed the current rating and rupture the output fuse which normally
protects the PSU. The solution in our case was to fit a relay on the PSU DC
output with it's coil powered from the AC supply. When the AC supply fails,
the
DC output link is cut off from the PSU.

Not all PSU suffer this problem as we never had a problem with the 2m
repeater with floating a large gel cell across that, but yours apparently
did!

Regards,
Bob, G3VVT
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Re: Power Supply Question

G3VVT
In reply to this post by k6dgw
Hi all,
 
A diode was my first try, but there are several problems with that  approach.
 
The first being the additional volt drop can make battery charging more of  a
problem with a fixed supply, though a schottky diode would help to some
degree  on that score. The biggest problem was the generation of heat was greater
than  would have comfortable with and there was not enough room within the PSU
case to  add the additional heat sinking required for the diode. However, the
DC current  requirements were rather higher for the repeater application than
would be  required to drive a basic K2.
 
Yes, a diode could certainly be used with care.
 
Bob, G3VVT
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Re: Power Supply Question

N8LP

I think you'll find that power Schottkys don't have any lower drop than
a typical silicon rectifier. They are not like the Schottky signal
diodes in that regard.

Larry N8LP



[hidden email] wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>A diode was my first try, but there are several problems with that  approach.
>
>The first being the additional volt drop can make battery charging more of  a
>problem with a fixed supply, though a schottky diode would help to some
>degree  on that score. The biggest problem was the generation of heat was greater
>than  would have comfortable with and there was not enough room within the PSU
>case to  add the additional heat sinking required for the diode. However, the
>DC current  requirements were rather higher for the repeater application than
>would be  required to drive a basic K2.
>
>Yes, a diode could certainly be used with care.
>
>Bob, G3VVT
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>You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
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>
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
>Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>
>
>
>  
>
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Re: Power Supply Question

Lambs, Dick & Judy
In reply to this post by G3VVT
This link might be helpful if your supply uses a UA723 regulator like
the Astron.  It show an Astron schematic with a minor mod to allow float
charging a battery without concern if the AC power fails.  The mod
involves cutting a circuit trace at pin 4 of the UA723 and bridging the
break with a 10K resistor.

https://ntc.cap.af.mil/images/rs-bat-mod.jpg

Dick, K0KK

[hidden email] wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>A diode was my first try, but there are several problems with that  approach.
>
>
>  
>
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