Your homeowner's insurance should cover you. Look for a thunderstorm history at the approximate time of your failure.
73, Bill K9YEQ https://wrj-tech.com/ -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Don Wilhelm Sent: Sunday, September 1, 2019 2:04 PM To: [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 no output Lyn, I think one possible answer is that it got hot enough to release from the soldering on the board during whatever event happened. Sounds like it may have been hit with a lightning surge. 73, Don W3FPR On 9/1/2019 2:29 PM, Lyn Norstad wrote: > UPDATE: > > I received my 6 week old KPA500 back from Elecraft on Friday. The good news > is that it seems to be working as it should (rather than as it was …). The > bad news is that in its 6 weeks of life, it spent 4 of those weeks back in > the Elecraft hospital undergoing major (?) surgery. > > When it faulted and blew out the front end on my IC7300, it also took out its > own TR circuit as well as its PA module. Seven components were found to be > defective, and one was actually missing. > > I’d be curious as to how “missing” happens … on a totally factory built unit. > > 73 > > Lyn, WØLEN > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Bob McGraw K4TAX [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Monday, August 05, 2019 7:14 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [SPAM] Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 no output > > Lyn: > > I use a balanced feed system for one of my antennas. For that I have a > pair of small engine spark plugs on an aluminum plate for an arc gap > located just before the balanced line enters the house. That balanced > line runs all the way to the balun on the shelf just above the KAT500 > tuner. The coax lines and rotor line all have PolyPhaser devices at the > same entrance location. No mechanical / manual disconnect method is > used at my QTH. > > A bit more information, I have my lightning ground system outside of > the house, and the tower is grounded to the same system and that > system is bonded back to the AC mains ground. Again all is outside of the > house. I do not have or use a station ground which connects to the > equipment on the desk. The 3rd pin safety ground is all that is > required. I have a dedicated service from the breaker panel for the > station. I do have each piece of equipment bonded to the station power > supply ground terminal with each piece of equipment having a dedicated > jumper. My bonding jumpers are made from #10 AWG automotive primary > wire with a suitable ring terminal which is crimped and soldered on > each end. > > 73 > > Bob, K4TAX > > > > On 8/5/2019 6:22 PM, Lyn Norstad wrote: >> I don't believe so, Bob. While we have had a number of storms this year, >> there have been none since I received the KPA500. >> >> FWIW, I have a large knife switch in a box outside that I use to disconnect >> my balanced feed line if there are storms headed our way. I tend to be >> paranoid about lightning, as we had a direct strike on our house some 7 >> years ago ... and I didn't even have any antennas at that time. We >> sustained extensive damage. So I don't take any chances! >> >> Thanks, >> Lyn >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Bob McGraw K4TAX [mailto:[email protected]] >> Sent: Monday, August 05, 2019 5:18 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: [SPAM] Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 no output >> >> Lyn: >> >> Could this be the result of a nearby lightning strike? Seems likely >> from your descriptions. >> >> 73 >> >> Bob, K4TAX >> >> >> On 8/5/2019 4:55 PM, Lyn Norstad wrote: >>> Don - >>> >>> I have nearly the same exact problem with a KPA500 that is only 2 weeks >>> old. It lets the signal pass thru on Standby, even showing proper signal >>> levels. But in Operate mode, it's unresponsive and the SWR skyrockets to >>> 99:1. >>> >>> I ran tests suggested by Support, but no joy. I will be shipping it back >>> to Elecraft tomorrow. >>> >>> Coincidentally, the "front end" of my 2 y/o IC7300 died at the same time, >>> yielding zero receive (everything else is fine). >>> >>> Lyn, WØLEN >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: [email protected] >>> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of donw4cbs >>> Sent: Monday, August 05, 2019 4:35 PM >>> To: [email protected] >>> Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 no output >>> >>> This is an update for the group re. my KPA500.Several weeks ago I reported >>> that all of a sudden my KPA500 dropped to 0 watts out when fed with my K3. >>> SWR was 1:1. When the amp was placed in bypass my K3 showed normal output. >>> When placed in operate SWR showed 99:1 and K3 dropped to 0 watts out.After >>> speaking with tech support I obtained a RSA and sent in back for >>> repair.Elecraft reported problems with the TR circuit and performed the >>> following:Updated the TR circuit and rebiased PA module to 0.8 AThey >>> replaced C9 for QSK upgrade in the I/O ModuleReplaced C20, R35 and R31 for >>> QSK upgrade in the Front Panel ModuleReplaced Q5, D7, R3, R9, and R24 for >>> transmit/receive MOD in the Low Pass Filter and replaced C43 and C44 in the >>> 12 meter low pass filter.After 8 hours of burn in and thorough testing, >>> Elecraft returned the KPA500 back to me and only charged for one hour of >>> labor and return shipping. Wow!!!Am I a happy camper/customer... you bet. >>> When Ten Tec disappeared for awhile I reluctantly switched to Elecraft, but >>> have never looked back. What a wonderful company with outstanding customer >>> support. I look forward to adding a K4 within the next year...Don, >>> W4CBSSent from my Sprint Samsung Galaxy Note9. >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> Elecraft mailing list >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>> Post: mailto:[email protected] >>> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this >>> email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to >>> [email protected] >>> >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> Elecraft mailing list >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>> Post: mailto:[email protected] >>> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this >>> email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to >>> [email protected] >> >> >> > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email > list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to > [email protected] > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
