Re: [Elecraft] Creaking KPA-500
Thanks for the comments. I’ll just leave it alone for a while and see if it improves over time. Phil N3ZP __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Creaking KPA-500
My creaking went away after a while. Buck, k4ia Honor Roll 8BDXCC EasyWayHamBooks.com On 9/30/2019 1:21 PM, Michael Walker wrote: The creaking is due to the Heatsink expanding and contracting and the screws trying to hold them in place. It is normal and if you loosen screws, you may hear the noise go away. If you tighten them, you might break the screws. I'm not sure which way it will go, but it is normal. Mike va3mw On Mon, Sep 30, 2019 at 1:32 PM Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote: Phil et al; My factory built KPA500 did a good be of cracking and popping for 3 or 4 months when first received. But it has stopped. Guess all the metal parts settled into a comfortable position and all is now well.I considered opening it up, tightening or loosing bolts and screws.But procrastinator me just waited and it stopped by itself. I think that's good. Love the amp, it is a great performer. 73 Bob, K4TAX On 9/30/2019 7:59 AM, Phillip Zminda wrote: My kit-built KPA-500 is about 8 months old. Lately I’ve been running a lot of FT8 and FT4 at around 150 to 200 watts. I have really noticed a lot of loud creaking from the KPA-500 after a few QSOs on digital modes. The manual does indicate that some noise is normal but this does seem excessive, I don’t recall noticing it when on CW or SSB, although I haven’t done much contesting where the amp would have a lot of running time. I expect I may need to tighten some screws inside. I really don’t want to do any more disassembly than necessary and would prefer not to ship back to Elecraft either. What is the likely culprit and how much disassembly is required to get to the necessary screws? Thanks, Phil N3ZP __ 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 Message delivered to rmcg...@blomand.net __ 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 Message delivered to va...@portcredit.net __ 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 Message delivered to radiok...@gmail.com __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Creaking KPA-500
The creaking is due to the Heatsink expanding and contracting and the screws trying to hold them in place. It is normal and if you loosen screws, you may hear the noise go away. If you tighten them, you might break the screws. I'm not sure which way it will go, but it is normal. Mike va3mw On Mon, Sep 30, 2019 at 1:32 PM Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote: > Phil et al; > > My factory built KPA500 did a good be of cracking and popping for 3 or 4 > months when first received. But it has stopped. Guess all the metal > parts settled into a comfortable position and all is now well.I > considered opening it up, tightening or loosing bolts and screws.But > procrastinator me just waited and it stopped by itself. I think > that's good. > > Love the amp, it is a great performer. > > 73 > > Bob, K4TAX > > On 9/30/2019 7:59 AM, Phillip Zminda wrote: > > My kit-built KPA-500 is about 8 months old. Lately I’ve been running a > lot of FT8 and FT4 at around 150 to 200 watts. I have really noticed a lot > of loud creaking from the KPA-500 after a few QSOs on digital modes. The > manual does indicate that some noise is normal but this does seem > excessive, I don’t recall noticing it when on CW or SSB, although I haven’t > done much contesting where the amp would have a lot of running time. > > > > I expect I may need to tighten some screws inside. I really don’t want > to do any more disassembly than necessary and would prefer not to ship back > to Elecraft either. What is the likely culprit and how much disassembly is > required to get to the necessary screws? > > > > Thanks, > > > > Phil N3ZP > > __ > > 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 > > Message delivered to rmcg...@blomand.net > > __ > 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 > Message delivered to va...@portcredit.net __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Creaking KPA-500
Phil et al; My factory built KPA500 did a good be of cracking and popping for 3 or 4 months when first received. But it has stopped. Guess all the metal parts settled into a comfortable position and all is now well. I considered opening it up, tightening or loosing bolts and screws. But procrastinator me just waited and it stopped by itself. I think that's good. Love the amp, it is a great performer. 73 Bob, K4TAX On 9/30/2019 7:59 AM, Phillip Zminda wrote: My kit-built KPA-500 is about 8 months old. Lately I’ve been running a lot of FT8 and FT4 at around 150 to 200 watts. I have really noticed a lot of loud creaking from the KPA-500 after a few QSOs on digital modes. The manual does indicate that some noise is normal but this does seem excessive, I don’t recall noticing it when on CW or SSB, although I haven’t done much contesting where the amp would have a lot of running time. I expect I may need to tighten some screws inside. I really don’t want to do any more disassembly than necessary and would prefer not to ship back to Elecraft either. What is the likely culprit and how much disassembly is required to get to the necessary screws? Thanks, Phil N3ZP __ 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 Message delivered to rmcg...@blomand.net __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Creaking KPA-500
My kit-built KPA-500 is about 8 months old. Lately I’ve been running a lot of FT8 and FT4 at around 150 to 200 watts. I have really noticed a lot of loud creaking from the KPA-500 after a few QSOs on digital modes. The manual does indicate that some noise is normal but this does seem excessive, I don’t recall noticing it when on CW or SSB, although I haven’t done much contesting where the amp would have a lot of running time. I expect I may need to tighten some screws inside. I really don’t want to do any more disassembly than necessary and would prefer not to ship back to Elecraft either. What is the likely culprit and how much disassembly is required to get to the necessary screws? Thanks, Phil N3ZP __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
