Re: K3 SHUTDOWN

[Lu Romero - W4LT]

Mike:

Check your power connections to the K3, especially the
Anderson power poles.  Sometimes they get "corroded" and
dont make good connection. Or they just get loose. This will
cause a momentary drop below 11 volts, and the K3 will shut
down.

Also, make sure your power supply has enough voltage
regulation and doesnt sag below 11v.  When I was using a
Astron 20, I had this issue in RTTY.  Changing to an Astron
35 cured it after I increased the voltage output to give me
14.1 volts indicated AT THE RADIO (on the FP display) when
in RX.  The PS saggs to 13.1 at full 100W output. The old PS
sagged below 11v on RTTY.

I wager to say that one of the above issues is causing your
problem. After the above checks, I have never had this
problem again.

Lu - W4LT
K3/P3/K1



Message: 10
Date: Sat, 29 Sep 2012 11:52:25 -0400
From: Mike <[hidden email]>
Subject: [Elecraft] K3 SHUTDOWN.
To: Elecraft Reflector <[hidden email]>
Message-ID: <[hidden email]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

This morning while playing in the RTTY 'test, I answered a
CQ by sending
my call nine times (3 bursts of 3). 100W power.  The antenna
is at 1.0:1
SWR.

*CLICK* and the K3 powered off. I wasn't watching it, so
didn't see any
error message. Vague I know, but it's all I have. Any
thoughts?

73
Mike NF4L



______________________________________________________________
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

[Don Wilhelm-4]

Properly assembled PowerPole connectors will not "get loose".  The
contacts are silver plated, so they should not corrode - even if they
do, the wiping action when two APP connectors are plugged together will
clean the contact area.

If your APP connectors are loose, they are not assembled right - make
sure the blades are fully seated with the spring finger behind the tip
of the contact blade.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 9/29/2012 1:59 PM, Lu Romero wrote:
> Mike:
>
> Check your power connections to the K3, especially the
> Anderson power poles.  Sometimes they get "corroded" and
> dont make good connection. Or they just get loose. This will
> cause a momentary drop below 11 volts, and the K3 will shut
> down.
>

______________________________________________________________
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

[Rick WA6NHC]

Except that since there is no locking mechanism, the mated connectors DO
pull loose from the jostling of using the controls, over time.  Every PP
that I use in a mobile environment has required tie wraps or similar binding
because while they pass current better than say Molex, they come apart (the
pairs, not the individual wire in the connector).

If Anderson were to add a form of locking to the mated connectors, they'd be
golden.  Well that and a better binding than a pin between sections...  Most
folks glue them together instead of the pin.

Rick wa6nhc/ve7

-----Original Message-----
From: Don Wilhelm

Properly assembled PowerPole connectors will not "get loose".  The
contacts are silver plated, so they should not corrode - even if they
do, the wiping action when two APP connectors are plugged together will
clean the contact area.

If your APP connectors are loose, they are not assembled right - make
sure the blades are fully seated with the spring finger behind the tip
of the contact blade.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 9/29/2012 1:59 PM, Lu Romero wrote:
> Mike:
>
> Check your power connections to the K3, especially the
> Anderson power poles.  Sometimes they get "corroded" and
> dont make good connection. Or they just get loose. This will
> cause a momentary drop below 11 volts, and the K3 will shut
> down.

______________________________________________________________
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