Re: KB1VBF Re: [K2] Hi Current...still

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Re: KB1VBF Re: [K2] Hi Current...still

bdenley


Gary and Don:



No KAT2 installed: (I am building it but have not finished it yet)



There is about 3.53 volts on D9 when TUNE is pressed, 0 volts otherwise.  I set the pow er level to 15 watts but, as I said before, roughly 20 watts comes out no matter what I set the power to, and the HI CUR warning is always there with "P 1.0"  power indicated.



Do I check the MCU next?  Is that on the Control Board?  Could the KDSP2 board be causing a problem?



Thanks again guys!



Brian KB1VBF


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


From: "Gary Surrency" <[hidden email]>
To: "b denley" <[hidden email]>
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 3:05:13 PM
Subject: KB1VBF Re: [Elecraft] [K2]  Hi Current...still

Don't connect a KAT2, KAT100, or KPA100 until the power control problem is fixed, since any of those can have damage that affects the power control.

Damage to D9 on the RF board or to the VRFDET input pin 2 of the 18C452 MCU can cause a loss of power control too. If OK, there should be up to about 4VDC at the cathode of D9 when transmitting at full power (14-15 watts).


--
73, Gary AB7MY

========= [hidden email] Elecraft Technical Support 
 
On 2/20/2012 11:58 AM, [hidden email] wrote:




Thanks Gary.  The rig does put out power as it turns out (plenty in fact) but is not controlling that power.  High power comes out at any power setting with the associated Hi Cur warning.  See Don Wilhelm's latest advice below.

 

Brian KB1VBF



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


From: "Gary Surrency" <[hidden email]>
To: [hidden email]
Cc: "Don Wilhelm" <[hidden email]> , "b denley" <[hidden email]> , "Wayne Burdick" <[hidden email]> , "[hidden email] Wilhelm" <[hidden email]>
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 1:20:22 PM
Subject: KB1VBF Re: [Elecraft] [K2]  Hi Current...still

Try all bands.

Make sure no relays have a soldering iron burn.

Check the t-r switch has no reversed diodes or Q2 is reversed. The pictorial in the back of the manual shows which way these parts go.

An open RFC6 will cause self oscillation. This part is under Q6 on the bottom of the RF board.

Check all parts are correct in the Q5-Q8 area.

Check D9's cathode has about 4VDC at 14-15w if the rig will produce that power level.

Check the BNC connector does not have a broken ground pin. I have seen that before.
--
73, Gary AB7MY

========= [hidden email] Elecraft Technical Support 
 
On 2/18/2012 10:33 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
<blockquote>
Brian,

Is this condition on one band, or does it exist on all bands?

The winding of T4 will affect all bands,
A Low Pass Filter problem will affect one or two bands.

Transmit into a 50 ohm dummy load - then:
Quickly measure the voltage at the base of Q7 or Q8 during a TUNE.  It should be between 0.60 and 0.64 volts.

Count the turns on T4 carefully, the green winding should have 2 turns and the white winding should have 3 turns.  The "link" wires should go from the front of the transformer directly to the back (they do not wrap through both holes)..

73,
Don W3FPR

On 2/18/2012 10:15 PM, Wayne Burdick wrote:

<blockquote>
Did you check the winding on the PA transformer? If the impedance were much too low, the current could be too high. Could also be excessive bias current. What's the current drain in transmit mode, key up (i.e. tapping XMIT but not the key)?

Wayne
N6KR

On Feb 18, 2012, at 7:09 PM, [hidden email] wrote:


<blockquote>


After getting the HiCur message, I replaced the two PA transistors, the associated hardware, Q11 and Q13, and R50.  Unfortunately I stll get the same message:  HiCur when I press TUNE with power any higher than about 1.5 watts  inot a 50 ohm dummy load.  Any have any ideas about what else might cause this problem?



Brian KB1VBF

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</blockquote>

</blockquote>

</blockquote>
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Re: KB1VBF Re: [K2] Hi Current...still

Don Wilhelm-4
Brian,

The KDSP2 is not likely the cause of the problem.

Your 3.53 volts on D9 is within the range of sanity for 12 to9 15 watts
output.
The fact that the K2 display indicates P 1.0 says that voltage is not
making it back to the MCU - or that the MCU has a damaged input at pin 2.

The voltage at the cathode of D9 should be carried through R66 (check
both ends), and from there go to the connector J7 pin 10.  From that
point, it will go to Control Board P2 pin 12, and then to CB P4 pin 10 -
then on to CB R12 and finally to CB U6 pin 2.

Check all those places for good soldering, and then check to see if the
DC voltage during a TUNE at  the RF Board D9 cathode equals the DC
voltage at Control Board U6 pin 2.  If it does, then CB U6 has a damaged
input pin.  If the voltages between D9 cathode and CB U6 pin 2 are
substantially different, then there is a bad connection somewhere in the
path between those two points.

It is not unusual for a bad solder connection to take some time to cause
problems - it will conduct just fine due to the mechanical connection
until oxidation creates additional resistance in the path and thus a
failure.

If solder connection oxidation is not the problem, then the MCU IC could
have been damaged by static during assembly.  Such damage may not be
immediate, but will drastically reduce the life of integrated circuits.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 2/20/2012 9:40 PM, [hidden email] wrote:

>
> Gary and Don:
>
> No KAT2 installed: (I am building it but have not finished it yet)
>
> There is about 3.53 volts on D9 when TUNE is pressed, 0 volts
> otherwise.  I set the power level to 15 watts but, as I said before,
> roughly 20 watts comes out no matter what I set the power to, and the
> HI CUR warning is always there with "P 1.0" power indicated.
>
> Do I check the MCU next?  Is that on the Control Board?  Could the
> KDSP2 board be causing a problem?
>
> Thanks again guys!
>
> Brian KB1VBF
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> *From: *"Gary Surrency" <[hidden email]>
> *To: *"b denley" <[hidden email]>
> *Sent: *Monday, February 20, 2012 3:05:13 PM
> *Subject: *KB1VBF Re: [Elecraft] [K2]  Hi Current...still
>
> Don't connect a KAT2, KAT100, or KPA100 until the power control
> problem is fixed, since any of those can have damage that affects the
> power control.
>
> Damage to D9 on the RF board or to the VRFDET input pin 2 of the
> 18C452 MCU can cause a loss of power control too. If OK, there should
> be up to about 4VDC at the cathode of D9 when transmitting at full
> power (14-15 watts).
>
>
> --
> 73, Gary AB7MY
>
> =========
> [hidden email]
> Elecraft Technical Support
>    
>
> On 2/20/2012 11:58 AM, [hidden email] wrote:
>
>     Thanks Gary.  The rig does put out power as it turns out (plenty
>     in fact) but is not controlling that power.  High power comes out
>     at any power setting with the associated Hi Cur warning.  See Don
>     Wilhelm's latest advice below.
>
>     Brian KB1VBF
>
>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>     *From: *"Gary Surrency" <[hidden email]>
>     *To: *[hidden email]
>     *Cc: *"Don Wilhelm" <[hidden email]>, "b denley"
>     <[hidden email]>, "Wayne Burdick" <[hidden email]>,
>     "[hidden email] Wilhelm" <[hidden email]>
>     *Sent: *Monday, February 20, 2012 1:20:22 PM
>     *Subject: *KB1VBF Re: [Elecraft] [K2]  Hi Current...still
>
>     Try all bands.
>
>     Make sure no relays have a soldering iron burn.
>
>     Check the t-r switch has no reversed diodes or Q2 is reversed. The
>     pictorial in the back of the manual shows which way these parts go.
>
>     An open RFC6 will cause self oscillation. This part is under Q6 on
>     the bottom of the RF board.
>
>     Check all parts are correct in the Q5-Q8 area.
>
>     Check D9's cathode has about 4VDC at 14-15w if the rig will
>     produce that power level.
>
>     Check the BNC connector does not have a broken ground pin. I have
>     seen that before.
>
>     --
>     73, Gary AB7MY
>
>     =========
>     [hidden email]
>     Elecraft Technical Support
>        
>
>
>     On 2/18/2012 10:33 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
>
>         Brian,
>
>         Is this condition on one band, or does it exist on all bands?
>
>         The winding of T4 will affect all bands,
>         A Low Pass Filter problem will affect one or two bands.
>
>         Transmit into a 50 ohm dummy load - then:
>         Quickly measure the voltage at the base of Q7 or Q8 during a
>         TUNE.  It should be between 0.60 and 0.64 volts.
>
>         Count the turns on T4 carefully, the green winding should have
>         2 turns and the white winding should have 3 turns.  The "link"
>         wires should go from the front of the transformer directly to
>         the back (they do not wrap through both holes)..
>
>         73,
>         Don W3FPR
>
>         On 2/18/2012 10:15 PM, Wayne Burdick wrote:
>
>             Did you check the winding on the PA transformer? If the
>             impedance were much too low, the current could be too
>             high. Could also be excessive bias current. What's the
>             current drain in transmit mode, key up (i.e. tapping XMIT
>             but not the key)?
>
>             Wayne
>             N6KR
>
>             On Feb 18, 2012, at 7:09 PM, [hidden email] wrote:
>
>
>
>                 After getting the HiCur message, I replaced the two PA
>                 transistors, the associated hardware, Q11 and Q13, and
>                 R50.  Unfortunately I stll get the same message:
>                 HiCur when I press TUNE with power any higher than
>                 about 1.5 watts  inot a 50 ohm dummy load.  Any have
>                 any ideas about what else might cause this problem?
>
>
>
>                 Brian KB1VBF
>
>                 ______________________________________________________________
>
>                 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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Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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Re: KB1VBF Re: [K2] Hi Current...still

bdenley
Don & Gary:
I started checking the voltages you mentioned below and the problem showed
up rather quickly:

The D9 anode volatge was             3.33   volts

nearest side of R66 measured       3.32   volts
other end of R66:                              1.14  volts  (R66 does
measure 2.7K)

I didn't seem to get much of anything on J7 pin 10.  (is this the same as P1
pin 11 on the bottom of the RF board?)

Is my next step to resolder R66 and then move back to the control board from
there or is that much of a drop expected?
Or should the 3.4 volts roughly hold up all the way to the MCU?

Thanks

Brian KB1VBF
http://home.comcast.net/~b.denley/index.html


----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Wilhelm" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Cc: "Gary Surrency" <[hidden email]>; <[hidden email]>
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 10:15 PM
Subject: Re: KB1VBF Re: [Elecraft] [K2] Hi Current...still


> Brian,
>
> The KDSP2 is not likely the cause of the problem.
>
> Your 3.53 volts on D9 is within the range of sanity for 12 to9 15 watts
> output.
> The fact that the K2 display indicates P 1.0 says that voltage is not
> making it back to the MCU - or that the MCU has a damaged input at pin 2.
>
> The voltage at the cathode of D9 should be carried through R66 (check
> both ends), and from there go to the connector J7 pin 10.  From that
> point, it will go to Control Board P2 pin 12, and then to CB P4 pin 10 -
> then on to CB R12 and finally to CB U6 pin 2.
>
> Check all those places for good soldering, and then check to see if the
> DC voltage during a TUNE at  the RF Board D9 cathode equals the DC
> voltage at Control Board U6 pin 2.  If it does, then CB U6 has a damaged
> input pin.  If the voltages between D9 cathode and CB U6 pin 2 are
> substantially different, then there is a bad connection somewhere in the
> path between those two points.
>
> It is not unusual for a bad solder connection to take some time to cause
> problems - it will conduct just fine due to the mechanical connection
> until oxidation creates additional resistance in the path and thus a
> failure.
>
> If solder connection oxidation is not the problem, then the MCU IC could
> have been damaged by static during assembly.  Such damage may not be
> immediate, but will drastically reduce the life of integrated circuits.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 2/20/2012 9:40 PM, [hidden email] wrote:
>>
>> Gary and Don:
>>
>> No KAT2 installed: (I am building it but have not finished it yet)
>>
>> There is about 3.53 volts on D9 when TUNE is pressed, 0 volts
>> otherwise.  I set the power level to 15 watts but, as I said before,
>> roughly 20 watts comes out no matter what I set the power to, and the
>> HI CUR warning is always there with "P 1.0" power indicated.
>>
>> Do I check the MCU next?  Is that on the Control Board?  Could the
>> KDSP2 board be causing a problem?
>>
>> Thanks again guys!
>>
>> Brian KB1VBF
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> *From: *"Gary Surrency" <[hidden email]>
>> *To: *"b denley" <[hidden email]>
>> *Sent: *Monday, February 20, 2012 3:05:13 PM
>> *Subject: *KB1VBF Re: [Elecraft] [K2]  Hi Current...still
>>
>> Don't connect a KAT2, KAT100, or KPA100 until the power control
>> problem is fixed, since any of those can have damage that affects the
>> power control.
>>
>> Damage to D9 on the RF board or to the VRFDET input pin 2 of the
>> 18C452 MCU can cause a loss of power control too. If OK, there should
>> be up to about 4VDC at the cathode of D9 when transmitting at full
>> power (14-15 watts).
>>
>>
>> --
>> 73, Gary AB7MY
>>
>> =========
>> [hidden email]
>> Elecraft Technical Support
>>
>>
>> On 2/20/2012 11:58 AM, [hidden email] wrote:
>>
>>     Thanks Gary.  The rig does put out power as it turns out (plenty
>>     in fact) but is not controlling that power.  High power comes out
>>     at any power setting with the associated Hi Cur warning.  See Don
>>     Wilhelm's latest advice below.
>>
>>     Brian KB1VBF
>>
>>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>     *From: *"Gary Surrency" <[hidden email]>
>>     *To: *[hidden email]
>>     *Cc: *"Don Wilhelm" <[hidden email]>, "b denley"
>>     <[hidden email]>, "Wayne Burdick" <[hidden email]>,
>>     "[hidden email] Wilhelm" <[hidden email]>
>>     *Sent: *Monday, February 20, 2012 1:20:22 PM
>>     *Subject: *KB1VBF Re: [Elecraft] [K2]  Hi Current...still
>>
>>     Try all bands.
>>
>>     Make sure no relays have a soldering iron burn.
>>
>>     Check the t-r switch has no reversed diodes or Q2 is reversed. The
>>     pictorial in the back of the manual shows which way these parts go.
>>
>>     An open RFC6 will cause self oscillation. This part is under Q6 on
>>     the bottom of the RF board.
>>
>>     Check all parts are correct in the Q5-Q8 area.
>>
>>     Check D9's cathode has about 4VDC at 14-15w if the rig will
>>     produce that power level.
>>
>>     Check the BNC connector does not have a broken ground pin. I have
>>     seen that before.
>>
>>     --
>>     73, Gary AB7MY
>>
>>     =========
>>     [hidden email]
>>     Elecraft Technical Support
>>
>>
>>
>>     On 2/18/2012 10:33 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
>>
>>         Brian,
>>
>>         Is this condition on one band, or does it exist on all bands?
>>
>>         The winding of T4 will affect all bands,
>>         A Low Pass Filter problem will affect one or two bands.
>>
>>         Transmit into a 50 ohm dummy load - then:
>>         Quickly measure the voltage at the base of Q7 or Q8 during a
>>         TUNE.  It should be between 0.60 and 0.64 volts.
>>
>>         Count the turns on T4 carefully, the green winding should have
>>         2 turns and the white winding should have 3 turns.  The "link"
>>         wires should go from the front of the transformer directly to
>>         the back (they do not wrap through both holes)..
>>
>>         73,
>>         Don W3FPR
>>
>>         On 2/18/2012 10:15 PM, Wayne Burdick wrote:
>>
>>             Did you check the winding on the PA transformer? If the
>>             impedance were much too low, the current could be too
>>             high. Could also be excessive bias current. What's the
>>             current drain in transmit mode, key up (i.e. tapping XMIT
>>             but not the key)?
>>
>>             Wayne
>>             N6KR
>>
>>             On Feb 18, 2012, at 7:09 PM, [hidden email] wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>                 After getting the HiCur message, I replaced the two PA
>>                 transistors, the associated hardware, Q11 and Q13, and
>>                 R50.  Unfortunately I stll get the same message:
>>                 HiCur when I press TUNE with power any higher than
>>                 about 1.5 watts  inot a 50 ohm dummy load.  Any have
>>                 any ideas about what else might cause this problem?
>>
>>
>>
>>                 Brian KB1VBF
>>
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>>
>>                 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