Jim, 23 to 24 amps is excessive current to be drawing at 14v and probably means that you are drawing too much.
Have you verified that those watt meters are accurate? As some comparison data, running 100 watts out of my K3 into a 1:1.1 SWR it only draws 17.1 amps. 73, Bob W5OV -----Original Message----- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim Harris Sent: Friday, December 04, 2009 10:41 PM To: w...@w5ov.com; Elecraft Email; Gary Elecraft Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Power Problem ?? Hi, Exactly 100 watts set on K3. Measured about 90 watts out on two external watt meters. One on an MFJ antenna tuner and the other is a high end MFJ power meter. They agree within a couple of watts near 100 watts measured. Have a good day and 73. Jim, W0EM > From: w...@w5ov.com > To: w...@q.com; elecraft@mailman.qth.net; g...@elecraft.com > Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K3 Power Problem ?? > Date: Fri, 4 Dec 2009 21:51:35 -0600 > > Jim, > > 23 to 24 amps on transmit? The manual says you should have 17 to 22. At 14v > it sure sounds like you're running a lot more than 100w out. > > How are you measuring the output? > > W5OV > > -----Original Message----- > From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net > [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim Harris > Sent: Friday, December 04, 2009 7:46 PM > To: Elecraft Email; Gary Elecraft > Subject: [Elecraft] K3 Power Problem ?? > > > Hi Folks, > > When doing RTTY at 100 watts a high current warning flashes in the VFO B > display area and RF power is automatically cut back to about 60 watts. SWR > is about 1.1:1 or there abouts; nothing approaching 1.5:1. I have found > there is 0.6 volts drop in the Elecraft supplied power cable (Power Poles > are soldered) and about 0.2 volt drop between my power supply and the output > of the Rigrunner. It's between the power supply and the K3. Voltage at the > radio drops to 13.2 vdc and current is 23-24 amps on transmit. Under that > load the voltage at the power supply drops 0.01 volts. I run the power > supply (it's variable) at 14.0 volts at the supply. It's a 40 amp power > supply. I have a popular off shore rig that has no problem with the > existing power setup. > > In reading the Supply/Voltage Current specifications on page eight (8) of > the Owners Manual I find it recommends "When using reduced supply voltage > (<12volts), power output should be reduced (e.g. 70 W at 11 V). Further, > "For best results, use the supplied 5 foot (1.3 m) power cable." Those two > statements appear to be in error when applied to my radio. > > My K3 appears to be overly sensitive to voltage and current. The only > adjustment I can locate that might relate to this is the menu CONFIG:ADC REF > entry. However, I seriously doubt it will have any impact on this as this > appears to be a serious error and adjust appears to be for fine tuning at > best. > > I certainly would appreciate any ones constructive input on this situation. > I could appreciate knowing the gauge of the supplied cable....I'm hoping > that doubling or tripling the size might help. But, that seems to be a > bandaide rather that eliminating the root cause. > > Thank, have a good day and 73. > > Jim, W0EM > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > ______________________________________________________________ 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 ______________________________________________________________ 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
