[DX-CHAT] Power cycling the ACOM-1000
I have an ACOM-1000 that has exceeded my expectation by far. This question is basic electronics, and I'm asking it in the context of the ACOM-1000, not radios, computers, etc. I use my station most of the day, from about 8:00 AM until midnight. This is done occasionally as in I'm in and out of the shack, and doing other things such as email, etc. Now and then something shows up on the DX Cluster I need, or I just decide to play radio for an hour or two. I may go 2-3 hours without using the amp even 4-5 hours if I don't need the extra power. I have been turning everything on in the morning and then turning it off around midnight. In terms of wear and tear on the ACOM-1000, as well as the life of the tube, would it be better to turn it off for the 2-3 hour periods when it is being used, or to leave it on all day as I have been doing? I know the off/on cycle stresses components, especially tubes, but so does leaving a piece of equipment running 15-16 hours a day. 73/DX Paul VE1DX Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
Re: [DX-CHAT] Power cycling the ACOM-1000
At 12:59 PM 11/19/2007, Paul M Dunphy wrote: I have an ACOM-1000 that has exceeded my expectation by far. This question is basic electronics, and I'm asking it in the context of the ACOM-1000, not radios, computers, etc. I use my station most of the day, from about 8:00 AM until midnight. This is done occasionally as in I'm in and out of the shack, and doing other things such as email, etc. Now and then something shows up on the DX Cluster I need, or I just decide to play radio for an hour or two. I may go 2-3 hours without using the amp even 4-5 hours if I don't need the extra power. I have been turning everything on in the morning and then turning it off around midnight. In terms of wear and tear on the ACOM-1000, as well as the life of the tube, would it be better to turn it off for the 2-3 hour periods when it is being used, or to leave it on all day as I have been doing? I know the off/on cycle stresses components, especially tubes, but so does leaving a piece of equipment running 15-16 hours a day. I'm curious about this too with my 3CX1200A7 in my AL-1200. My operating style is pretty well exactly the same as yours. Cheers, Peter, W2IRT Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
[DX-CHAT] Power cycling the ACOM-1000
I have been turning everything on in the morning and then turning it off around midnight. In terms of wear and tear on the ACOM-1000, as well as the life of the tube, would it be better to turn it off for the 2-3 hour periods when it is being used, or to leave it on all day as I have been doing? I know the off/on cycle stresses components, especially tubes, but so does leaving a piece of equipment running 15-16 hours a day. - It has always been my understanding, that it is less wear if it is turned all day rather than switching on and off several times. The lifetime for the tubes is definately supposed to be longer. The other side of the coin is of course the rising cost of energy and what our excesses are doing to the environment. 73 RAG Ragnar Otterstad LA5HE JW5HE OZ8RO Located in Telemark - Home of skiing. For more information about Telemark take a look at : www.telemarksnett.no/en/index.html -- Jeg bruker gratisversjonen av SPAMfighter for privatbrukere. Den har fjernet 1793 søppelpostmeldinger til nå. Betalende brukere har ikke denne meldingen i e-postene sine. Få tak i SPAMfighter gratis her: http://www.spamfighter.com/lno Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.orgattachment: winmail.dat
Re: [DX-CHAT] Power cycling the ACOM-1000
Interesting question. Personally, I only turn the amp and xcvr on when I use them and turn them off when I'm done. I posed this question to Krassy at Acom a few years ago (I have a 2000A) and he recommended turning it off if it will sit idle for more than 30 minutes. OTOH, my computer is left on from the time I get home from work until bedtime. Barry W2UP Ragnar Otterstad wrote: I have been turning everything on in the morning and then turning it off around midnight. In terms of wear and tear on the ACOM-1000, as well as the life of the tube, would it be better to turn it off for the 2-3 hour periods when it is being used, or to leave it on all day as I have been doing? I know the off/on cycle stresses components, especially tubes, but so does leaving a piece of equipment running 15-16 hours a day. - It has always been my understanding, that it is less wear if it is turned all day rather than switching on and off several times. The lifetime for the tubes is definately supposed to be longer. The other side of the coin is of course the rising cost of energy and what our excesses are doing to the environment. 73 RAG Ragnar Otterstad LA5HE JW5HE OZ8RO Located in Telemark - Home of skiing. For more information about Telemark take a look at : www.telemarksnett.no/en/index.html No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.16.0/1139 - Release Date: 11/19/2007 12:35 PM -- Barry Kutner, W2UP Newtown, PA Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
Re: [DX-CHAT] Power cycling the ACOM-1000
Barry's point is well taken. However, whether one is speaking about a rig, amplifier or computer another factor must be considered. Dust and other small foreign materials abound in our shacks...It's unavoidable. This stuff is pulled into the our gear and eventually will cause failure of the equipment unless preventive maintenance is performed on a regular basis. If the equipment is on over long periods of time, the accumulation of dust really becomes a problem. Even under normal use, you can see dust packed on the bulb of your 3-500 tubes or in the fins of ceramic tubes. I would hesitate to leave the equipment on while I'm not using it or not in the shack. Another reason would be just for safety. If the equipment should fail and you're not around...Enough said. 73, Jay/AF2C At 10:39 PM 11/19/2007 +, you wrote: Interesting question. Personally, I only turn the amp and xcvr on when I use them and turn them off when I'm done. I posed this question to Krassy at Acom a few years ago (I have a 2000A) and he recommended turning it off if it will sit idle for more than 30 minutes. OTOH, my computer is left on from the time I get home from work until bedtime. Barry W2UP Ragnar Otterstad wrote: I have been turning everything on in the morning and then turning it off around midnight. In terms of wear and tear on the ACOM-1000, as well as the life of the tube, would it be better to turn it off for the 2-3 hour periods when it is being used, or to leave it on all day as I have been doing? I know the off/on cycle stresses components, especially tubes, but so does leaving a piece of equipment running 15-16 hours a day. - It has always been my understanding, that it is less wear if it is turned all day rather than switching on and off several times. The lifetime for the tubes is definately supposed to be longer. The other side of the coin is of course the rising cost of energy and what our excesses are doing to the environment. 73 RAG Ragnar Otterstad LA5HE JW5HE OZ8RO Located in Telemark - Home of skiing. For more information about Telemark take a look at : www.telemarksnett.no/en/index.html -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.16.0/1139 - Release Date: 11/19/2007 12:35 PM Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
