Entering into an area where I know little, the following from the Omron web
site 

        http://www.omron.com/ecb/products/pry/111/g6h.html

Found under 
"Characteristics
Endurance       Mechanical:     100,000,000 operations min. (at 36,000
operations/hr)
                Electrical:     200,000 operations min. (at 1,800
operations/hr) "

Not sure whether this relates to the discussion or not...
73,
Ken K3IU

-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Stewart Baker
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2006 10:11 AM
To: Don Wilhelm; Elecraft Reflector
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K2 Relay contact resistance

Don,

Thanks for your prompt reply. I think that the problem (if there is one)
will only show up after a number of years. Maybe 7 years is the magic
figure.
It also will depend to a great extent on the quality of manufacture,
cleanliness etc. I had a look at the Omron G6H data sheet.

The 100 million operations are the mechanical service life. For the
electrical service life you must look under the Characteristic Data.
Unfortunately the electrical service life curves only show 2 graphs.
One for a 30VDC and one for a 125VAC, both into a resistive load.
There is no definitive data presented for when there is no current flow.

Like you, I am not sure if these small relays have a wiping action.
Perhaps there is a relay expert on the reflector ?
Otherwise as you say - only time will tell the true tale.

73
Stewart G3RXQ

On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 08:15:24 -0500, Don Wilhelm wrote:
> Stewart,
>
> All I can say is that K2 SN 00020 is working fine after 5 years with 
> no relay problems, and in all the K2s that I have worked on, I have 
> found only one relay failure.
>
> Relay contact failure can also be prevented by using relays that 
> possess wiping contacts.  I know not how much wiping action exists on 
> the latching relays used in the K2, but they are speced by the 
> manufacturer (Omron G6H relay data sheet) for 100 million operations 
> with 50 milliohms maximum contact resistance.  The contacts are gold 
> plated silver and I would believe they should not normally need cleaning
by means of a DC bias.
>
> Perhaps another couple years on the K2 will give a comparison with the 
> experience with your MP1000 - only time will tell the true tale.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> ...
>> This morning I modified the HPF board to run about 1mA through the 
>> contacts.
>> 10 resistors and 2 caps later - End of problem - Fixed....
>>
>> The big relays in the KAT100 should not have a problem, but what 
>> about the smaller ones in the K2, KAT2 ? As far a I can tell a number 
>> of these have only very small AC signals passing through them. None 
>> have any DC current flow.
>>
>> It took about 7 years before the problem surfaced with my FT1000MP, I 
>> would be interested in comments on whether in the same time scale I 
>> might expect to get similar problems with my Elecraft gear.
>>
>> 73
>> Stewart G3RXQ


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