We test -all- of the various modules in the K3 prior to shipment (both
kits and built K3s).
The VFO A/B encoder issue cropped up recently and was a problem at the
Bourns factory that they have now corrected. (Fortunately the problem
only showed up on a very small percentage of encoders.) But in my
opinion, for an expensive encoder like this one, we never should have
seen any failures, no matter how few. We pay a premium for these encoders.
We always 100% tested them here, but obviously a few slipped through, by
passing here and then failing shortly afterwards. In general the
encoder, if it is one of the small percentage that is going to fail,
fails in the first hour or so of use. Once we understood what was
happening (after beating up Bourns asking for an answer for a number of
weeks..) we built an encoder burn in fixture where we run 100% of the
encoders for an extended time before testing them. That in turn catches
the offenders. In general, if an encoder runs for an hour or two, it
doesn't fail.
Bourns has also made changes to their automated assembly process to
eliminate this as a possible issue. We want ZERO failures of encoders.
I'm sure we'll see a few more for a little while, but I don't think many
are getting by us now. :-)
73, Eric WA6HHQ
----
Tom Wylie wrote:
I had also to replace an encoder which was faulty at the outset,
however, the dis-assembly of the front panel
was very easy and straightforward and only took a few minutes. I
don't understand the "difficulty"
de Tom
GM4FDM
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