Thanks to Don and Ron for their detailed help, I think I'm on the right
path to fixing this now.
-doug
On Nov 28, 2004, at 12:22 PM, Doug Forman wrote:
I use inexpensive (now discontinued) Radio Shack bench volt and
ammeters when I am combining rechargeable batteries and a small solar
panel for QRP portable use.
(btw, Volkswagon places small 12v solar panels in the windshield of
some of their cars when shipped from overseas to keep the batteries
trickle charged... these are ruggedly built, are labeled for
3.2w/18.8v/170ma, and have a cigarette-lighter plug attached...
bought mine for around $9 on eBay).
In a "senior moment" (cough) I recently mistakingly hooked 12v from a
small 0.8ah gelcell battery (that I connect to my KX1) directly across
the + and - terminals of my 0-1000mA meter. After the smoke cleared,
and I disassembled the case, I noticed that I had melted a wire
connecting the meter to a binding post.
The ammeter is a simple meter with three binding posts... 0-500,
0-1000 and common. It sold for around $13 at Radio Shack (part number
22-401) but was discontinued over a year ago (I've tried to just buy
another one with no luck). Inside the small plastic case is the meter
and wires, no other parts.
Internally, the meter has no part markings other than the word
"CHINA". The black (hookup) wire from the meter terminal was soldered
to a bare wire covered with loose fabric insulation, which was then
soldered to the common (black) binding post (this was the wire that
melted), and the red (hookup) wire connects to a bare wire which
connects the (red) 0-500 and (red) 0-1000 binding posts and is covered
with loose fabric insulation close to the 0-500 binding post (the red
side is still there and did not melt).
Any thoughts, suggestions and wisdom from the "wizards of the list"
would be most appreciated - as this question may be a little
off-topic, perhaps replies should be sent to me off-list (or not?)
your choice...
72,
Doug N7BNT
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