Mike; If you haven’t done so already, please call the customer support guys down in Watsonville. They should be able to help you with the situation. They may ask for a fault log from your KPA500 - if so please provide it. I will try to quickly turn around the analysis that I do each time one of these is requested.
The KPA500 does have many protections for bad conditions. As others have stated, the KPA defaults to Standby at power on, but may be set to switch over to OPER mode shortly after power-up with a menu setting. This can be saved using the menu item: PWR-ON. That default value for that setting is STBY. When the KPA detects input power over 50 watts we will insert a 3db attenuator and continue operating. At this point the FAULT LED will be blinking to alert you as to the condition that needs correction. If the input power is over 60 watts for more than one half second or over 50 watts for 5 seconds we will go to a fault condition. If the input power is over 75 watts the KPA will immediately go to a fault condition. The KPA500 has a lot of checks and processes to correct problem situations. Excess power over an extended period or happening many times can damage the input network and lead to amplifier failures. As with any amplifier, avoiding that situation is always a good thing, and assures use of the amplifier for years to come. Let’s see what we can do to get you back on the air quickly. Again, please give customer support a call so we can get that going. 73, Jack, W6FB Elecraft Engineering > On Nov 16, 2018, at 6:58 AM, Michael Walker <va...@portcredit.net> wrote: > > Sorry > > I don't use a K3 and it was a mistake in my in head checklist. > > Mike va3mw > > On Fri, Nov 16, 2018 at 9:56 AM Bob McGraw K4TAX <rmcg...@blomand.net> > wrote: > >> You can configure the amp via the MENU to power up in the stand-by mode. >> Also have it go to stand-by when changing bands. >> >> You should have the amp connected to the K3 via the multi conductor cable >> and not use the amp key cable. >> >> The amp follows the radio and none of this will happen. >> >> Bob, K4TAX >> >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >>> On Nov 16, 2018, at 7:52 AM, Michael Walker <va...@portcredit.net> >> wrote: >>> >>> I have the schematics, as someone was kind enough to send them to me. >>> >>> Yes, I forgot the KPA500 powers up in Operate. It is the only Amp I own >>> that does this. >>> >>> I will mention it to Elecraft when I chat with them later today and >> suggest >>> the default should be the other way around. >>> >>> Mike va3mw >>> >>> >>>> On Fri, Nov 16, 2018 at 8:27 AM ANDY DURBIN <a.dur...@msn.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> "The unit was powered on and it came up in operate mode while the HF >> radio >>>> was in TX at 100w on 6M. End result is that the magic smoke got out. :)" >>>> >>>> >>>> I suspect this is a very common mistake for ops who sometimes use the >> amp >>>> and sometimes operate barefoot. I thought the KPA500 was designed to >>>> protect against that user error. Seems I was wrong. >>>> >>>> >>>> Suggest you contact support for schematics. Unless their policy has >>>> changed recently they will provide them to you. >>>> >>>> >>>> Andy, k3wyc >>>> ______________________________________________________________ >>>> Elecraft mailing list >>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>>> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net >>>> >>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>>> Message delivered to va...@portcredit.net >>>> >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> Elecraft mailing list >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net >>> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>> Message delivered to rmcg...@blomand.net >>> >> >> >> > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to jackbrin...@me.com ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
