Re: [Elecraft] KX3 Battery Holder Melted

2015-08-01 Thread Don Wilhelm

Tighe,

Check the plastic covering on the batteries carefully, you will likely 
find one where the battery case metal is exposed.
Also check the screws mounting the battery holders - the screwheads 
should not be able to contact the batteries, but I think you will find 
that your screws project too far into the battery compartment.


73,
Don W3FPR

On 8/1/2015 8:41 AM, Tighe Kuykendall wrote:


When I started to reinsert the cells this morning I noticed the spring 
end of one cell slot had melted plastic in the spring and the spring 
is pushed through the end of the holder almost touching the large cap 
on the filter board.  I almost certainly have a bad cell, now to 
figure out which one.




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Re: [Elecraft] KX3 Battery Holder Melted

2015-08-01 Thread Cady, Fred
Here is a tidbit that Elecraft Support shared with me:
 We have seen some no-name batteries where the terminals have not been made to 
the IEC specification for the distance between the 2 poles of an AA battery.  
The problem we have seen is that the springs used in the KX3 battery tray will 
not register well and will short out the positive/negative terminals.  Extended 
discharge of these batteries then cause the spring wire to heat up, which 
results in melted plastic on the tray and the spring's loss of tension.  
Guidance here: Use only batteries from known vendors who will back up their 
product.

Cheers and 73,
Fred KE7X

Author of:
The Elecraft K3: Design, Configuration and Operation 2nd ed
The Elecraft KX3 - Going for the summit
The Elecraft KPA500 and KAT500 - the K-Line Dream Station
Printed, coil bound copies of these are all available at www.elecraft.com
KPA500 and KAT500 Quick Set Up Guide
http://www.ke7x.com/home/k-line-introduction-and-set-up-guide

KAT500 and KXPA500 Tuner Operation
http://www.ke7x.com/home/kat500-and-kxpa100-tuners

The Elecraft KXPA100, PX3 and 2M/4M Transverters - Assembling the KX3-Line 
Station available at www.lulu.com.

The Elecraft K3S and P3  and a 3rd Edition of the K3 book with K3S upgrade 
parts are works in progress.

 -Original Message-
 From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
 Tighe Kuykendall
 Sent: Saturday, August 01, 2015 6:41 AM
 To: 'Elecraft Reflector'
 Subject: [Elecraft] KX3 Battery Holder Melted
 
 I use the internal charger in my KX3 to keep some NiMH batteries
 charged.  I take them out occasionally, but not very often as they see
 very little use since I almost always use an external battery.  I'm
 careful not to overcharge by running the charger for short periods and
 keeping an eye on battery voltage.  I pulled them last night to run the
 batteries on a more sophisticated charger to check each cell as I'm
 heading out tomorrow for a week long camping trip.  No indication of
 problems with any cell.
 
 When I started to reinsert the cells this morning I noticed the spring
 end of one cell slot had melted plastic in the spring and the spring is
 pushed through the end of the holder almost touching the large cap on
 the filter board.  I almost certainly have a bad cell, now to figure
 out which one.
 
 Learn from my mistake, pull the batteries regularly and check them
 along with the holder if you're using the internal charger.
 
 Now off to the rat shack (I still have one of the independent stores
 here) to search for a suitable replacement.
 
 Tighe
 NK4I
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