[Elecraft] KPA500 Fan Question
"The issue: The fan comes on in a very short time - less than 20 seconds - and the temp display runs up to 50+ degrees. If I start calling CQ or get into a QSO, it doesn’t take long for the temp to show over 60 degrees and the fan is running at max." Max fan speed of a KPA500 is setting 6. With a PA temperature between 60 and 65 deg C the fan should be running at level 3. Transition to level 4 is at about 65 deg C on my KPA500. It has to get quite a bit hotter that 60 deg C for the fan to be running "at max". What is making the fan come on in a very short time before you start calling CQ? Are you saying the fan runs after you power the KPA500 but before you transmit? If so, check that KPA500 is not being continuously keyed. That will cause enough PA dissipation to run the fans even with no RF output. Andy, k3wyc __ 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] KPA500 Fan Question
Hi Jim! Hope you are enjoying Idaho. I hear it is a great place to be! The fan in the KPA500 goes to level 3 at 60 degrees. It goes to full-on at 80 degrees. The levels are: level 1 - 50C degrees level 2 - 55C degrees level 3 - 60C degrees level 4 - 65C degrees level 5 - 70C degrees level 6 - 80C degrees The amplifier will fault at a temperature is 90C. What mode are you operating? And, for those using TS-890s, why would the KPA behave any differently than it does with a K3? Has anyone checked for spurs or harmonics coming out of the transmitter? (NOT suggesting there are any, mind you). I’m looking for reasons the KPA would heat up any faster than with a K3. Are you seeing anything else, like strange band changes? But, rest assured that the KPA will run just fine at 60 or 65 degrees. The fan sound is just telling you the KPA is doing its normal great job at protecting itself. 73, Jack, W6FB p.s. I didn’t want the snow, so I went the other way, going home to Louisiana… > On May 14, 2023, at 12:23 PM, James Bennett via Elecraft > wrote: > > Got a question (problem?) regarding the fan in my KPA500. I'm driving the amp > at 29 watts from a Kenwood TS-890S. The amp is connected to a KAT500, which > in turn is hooked to a 30 foot tall Zerofive flagpole vertical. The tuner has > provided me with a nice 1.2:1 SWR, as displayed on the amp. The resting temp > of the amp shows 42C. At 29 watts input to the amp, I’m seeing about 480 > watts of power from the amp. The amp has nothing sitting on top of it, and > the wall behind it is over 12” away. There is about 2” clearance on either > side of the amp, and it is sitting on top of the KAT500. > > The issue: The fan comes on in a very short time - less than 20 seconds - and > the temp display runs up to 50+ degrees. If I start calling CQ or get into a > QSO, it doesn’t take long for the temp to show over 60 degrees and the fan is > running at max. > > When I had a K3 and more recently, a K4D - this did NOT happen. The fan would > come on but NEVER at the max, loud level. Interestingly, many moons ago I > also had a KX3 and had it connected to the KPA500. I noticed that the fan > would also come on fairly quickly with that rig driving the amp, but I never > thought too much about it. Until now... > > But now, I think there is some sort of problem. It seems to me that the temp > shouldn’t get that high that fast nor should the fan start roaring in that > short amount of time. I could understand it if the SWR was really bad, but at > 1.2:1 > > Any ideas why the amp fan should be acting this way with a non-K3 or non-K4 > driving it? > > Jim / K7TXA > __ > 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 jackbrin...@me.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] KPA500 Fan Question
My K3 into the KPA500 for over ten years . . . . The FAN REV is 1.54 (this might be software)The resting temp is 27C. When on RTTY I set the FAN to 4. Otherwise 2 for most of the time. Knowing temperature is the killer of electronics (short of lightning) I try to keep things cool. For 10 years I have had a 24 V muffin fan running at 12 V sitting on top of the amp (and another one on the K3). To rule out VSWR issues, how about connecting the KPA500 directly into a dummy load. Pete W4WWQ On Sun, May 14, 2023 at 1:24 PM James Bennett via Elecraft < elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote: > Got a question (problem?) regarding the fan in my KPA500. I'm driving the > amp at 29 watts from a Kenwood TS-890S. The amp is connected to a KAT500, > which in turn is hooked to a 30 foot tall Zerofive flagpole vertical. The > tuner has provided me with a nice 1.2:1 SWR, as displayed on the amp. The > resting temp of the amp shows 42C. At 29 watts input to the amp, I’m seeing > about 480 watts of power from the amp. The amp has nothing sitting on top > of it, and the wall behind it is over 12” away. There is about 2” clearance > on either side of the amp, and it is sitting on top of the KAT500. > > The issue: The fan comes on in a very short time - less than 20 seconds - > and the temp display runs up to 50+ degrees. If I start calling CQ or get > into a QSO, it doesn’t take long for the temp to show over 60 degrees and > the fan is running at max. > > When I had a K3 and more recently, a K4D - this did NOT happen. The fan > would come on but NEVER at the max, loud level. Interestingly, many moons > ago I also had a KX3 and had it connected to the KPA500. I noticed that the > fan would also come on fairly quickly with that rig driving the amp, but I > never thought too much about it. Until now... > > But now, I think there is some sort of problem. It seems to me that the > temp shouldn’t get that high that fast nor should the fan start roaring in > that short amount of time. I could understand it if the SWR was really bad, > but at 1.2:1 > > Any ideas why the amp fan should be acting this way with a non-K3 or > non-K4 driving it? > > Jim / K7TXA > __ > 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 plasc...@gmail.com -- Pete Lascell Forest, VA __ 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] KPA500 Fan Question
My setup is like yours and the response is exactly the same. Starting use on fan speed 4 delays the temp rise for a short time. Mine has run many many hours at temps up to 70 with no problems. Hottest on 20m and requires the most drive on that band also. On Sun, May 14, 2023, at 10:23 AM, James Bennett via Elecraft wrote: > Got a question (problem?) regarding the fan in my KPA500. I'm driving > the amp at 29 watts from a Kenwood TS-890S. The amp is connected to a > KAT500, which in turn is hooked to a 30 foot tall Zerofive flagpole > vertical. The tuner has provided me with a nice 1.2:1 SWR, as displayed > on the amp. The resting temp of the amp shows 42C. At 29 watts input to > the amp, I’m seeing about 480 watts of power from the amp. The amp has > nothing sitting on top of it, and the wall behind it is over 12” away. > There is about 2” clearance on either side of the amp, and it is > sitting on top of the KAT500. > > The issue: The fan comes on in a very short time - less than 20 seconds > - and the temp display runs up to 50+ degrees. If I start calling CQ or > get into a QSO, it doesn’t take long for the temp to show over 60 > degrees and the fan is running at max. > > When I had a K3 and more recently, a K4D - this did NOT happen. The fan > would come on but NEVER at the max, loud level. Interestingly, many > moons ago I also had a KX3 and had it connected to the KPA500. I > noticed that the fan would also come on fairly quickly with that rig > driving the amp, but I never thought too much about it. Until now... > > But now, I think there is some sort of problem. It seems to me that the > temp shouldn’t get that high that fast nor should the fan start roaring > in that short amount of time. I could understand it if the SWR was > really bad, but at 1.2:1 > > Any ideas why the amp fan should be acting this way with a non-K3 or > non-K4 driving it? > > Jim / K7TXA > __ > 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 al...@mooseaviation.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] KPA500 Fan Question
Your resting temperature at 42C seems TOO warm to me? My KPA resting temp runs about the same as ambient temperature of shack, 25-30C. With 25-30W drive from TS-890,my KPA seldom reaches 3rd stage 60 degrees. Have you checked SWR or cable between 890 and KPA? 73, Mike AC5P On Sunday, May 14, 2023 at 12:38:56 PM CDT, James Bennett via Elecraft wrote: Yes, but the amp is not seeing the mis-match, correct? The tuner is taking care of that mis-match and I would have thought that the amp should be perfectly happy… Yes? > On May 14, 2023, at 11:35 AM, Dr. William J. Schmidt > wrote: > > You are trying to transform a mis-match and that burns energy. That’s why > the fan is running. > > > > > -Original Message- > From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net On > Behalf Of James Bennett via Elecraft > Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2023 12:24 PM > To: Elecraft Reflector Reflector > Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 Fan Question > > Got a question (problem?) regarding the fan in my KPA500. I'm driving the amp > at 29 watts from a Kenwood TS-890S. The amp is connected to a KAT500, which > in turn is hooked to a 30 foot tall Zerofive flagpole vertical. The tuner has > provided me with a nice 1.2:1 SWR, as displayed on the amp. The resting temp > of the amp shows 42C. At 29 watts input to the amp, I’m seeing about 480 > watts of power from the amp. The amp has nothing sitting on top of it, and > the wall behind it is over 12” away. There is about 2” clearance on either > side of the amp, and it is sitting on top of the KAT500. > > The issue: The fan comes on in a very short time - less than 20 seconds - and > the temp display runs up to 50+ degrees. If I start calling CQ or get into a > QSO, it doesn’t take long for the temp to show over 60 degrees and the fan is > running at max. > > When I had a K3 and more recently, a K4D - this did NOT happen. The fan would > come on but NEVER at the max, loud level. Interestingly, many moons ago I > also had a KX3 and had it connected to the KPA500. I noticed that the fan > would also come on fairly quickly with that rig driving the amp, but I never > thought too much about it. Until now... > > But now, I think there is some sort of problem. It seems to me that the temp > shouldn’t get that high that fast nor should the fan start roaring in that > short amount of time. I could understand it if the SWR was really bad, but at > 1.2:1 > > Any ideas why the amp fan should be acting this way with a non-K3 or non-K4 > driving it? > > Jim / K7TXA > __ > 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 b...@wjschmidt.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 a...@sbcglobal.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] KPA500 Fan Question
Yes, but the amp is not seeing the mis-match, correct? The tuner is taking care of that mis-match and I would have thought that the amp should be perfectly happy… Yes? > On May 14, 2023, at 11:35 AM, Dr. William J. Schmidt > wrote: > > You are trying to transform a mis-match and that burns energy. That’s why > the fan is running. > > > > > -Original Message- > From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net On > Behalf Of James Bennett via Elecraft > Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2023 12:24 PM > To: Elecraft Reflector Reflector > Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 Fan Question > > Got a question (problem?) regarding the fan in my KPA500. I'm driving the amp > at 29 watts from a Kenwood TS-890S. The amp is connected to a KAT500, which > in turn is hooked to a 30 foot tall Zerofive flagpole vertical. The tuner has > provided me with a nice 1.2:1 SWR, as displayed on the amp. The resting temp > of the amp shows 42C. At 29 watts input to the amp, I’m seeing about 480 > watts of power from the amp. The amp has nothing sitting on top of it, and > the wall behind it is over 12” away. There is about 2” clearance on either > side of the amp, and it is sitting on top of the KAT500. > > The issue: The fan comes on in a very short time - less than 20 seconds - and > the temp display runs up to 50+ degrees. If I start calling CQ or get into a > QSO, it doesn’t take long for the temp to show over 60 degrees and the fan is > running at max. > > When I had a K3 and more recently, a K4D - this did NOT happen. The fan would > come on but NEVER at the max, loud level. Interestingly, many moons ago I > also had a KX3 and had it connected to the KPA500. I noticed that the fan > would also come on fairly quickly with that rig driving the amp, but I never > thought too much about it. Until now... > > But now, I think there is some sort of problem. It seems to me that the temp > shouldn’t get that high that fast nor should the fan start roaring in that > short amount of time. I could understand it if the SWR was really bad, but at > 1.2:1 > > Any ideas why the amp fan should be acting this way with a non-K3 or non-K4 > driving it? > > Jim / K7TXA > __ > 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 b...@wjschmidt.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
[Elecraft] KPA500 Fan Question
Got a question (problem?) regarding the fan in my KPA500. I'm driving the amp at 29 watts from a Kenwood TS-890S. The amp is connected to a KAT500, which in turn is hooked to a 30 foot tall Zerofive flagpole vertical. The tuner has provided me with a nice 1.2:1 SWR, as displayed on the amp. The resting temp of the amp shows 42C. At 29 watts input to the amp, I’m seeing about 480 watts of power from the amp. The amp has nothing sitting on top of it, and the wall behind it is over 12” away. There is about 2” clearance on either side of the amp, and it is sitting on top of the KAT500. The issue: The fan comes on in a very short time - less than 20 seconds - and the temp display runs up to 50+ degrees. If I start calling CQ or get into a QSO, it doesn’t take long for the temp to show over 60 degrees and the fan is running at max. When I had a K3 and more recently, a K4D - this did NOT happen. The fan would come on but NEVER at the max, loud level. Interestingly, many moons ago I also had a KX3 and had it connected to the KPA500. I noticed that the fan would also come on fairly quickly with that rig driving the amp, but I never thought too much about it. Until now... But now, I think there is some sort of problem. It seems to me that the temp shouldn’t get that high that fast nor should the fan start roaring in that short amount of time. I could understand it if the SWR was really bad, but at 1.2:1 Any ideas why the amp fan should be acting this way with a non-K3 or non-K4 driving it? Jim / K7TXA __ 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] KPA500 Fan Question
On 7/3/2018 6:24 AM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote: In running my KPA500 on FT-8 mode at about 400 watts output, what is the recommended setting for Fan CTL? I usually keep it in NORmal but have tried other settings. Nearly all of my FT8 operation is on 6M, where the KPA500 is least efficient, and where my antenna looks like about 1.5:1 in the shack. I'm running meteor scatter and weak signal work, which means I'm transmitting on almost every cycle. To keep TEMP relatively low, I set the fan to either max speed or one step down. Into a different antenna on FD, the same amp ran significantly cooler. Using an LP100A power meter, I get at least 500W out on 6M, sometimes as much as 550W. 73, Jim K9YC __ 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] KPA500 Fan Question
I have never been on FT8 mode and I rarely use my KPA500 so take this with a grain of salt. I would set the fan to a speed that provides some air flow without being annoying. Perhaps speed 2 or 3, if I recall correctly. This should at least delay it turning on the noisier higher speed speed fan and may minimize some of the cool down clicking. John KK9A from: Bob McGraw K4TAX date: Tue Jul 3 09:24:13 EDT 2018 In running my KPA500 on FT-8 mode at about 400 watts output, what is the recommended setting for Fan CTL?I usually keep it in NORmal but have tried other settings. I watch the TEMP and see that it gets above 65ºC. The fan speed increments up and down as the temperature changes accordingly. All appears norms.But, do you find setting the Fan CTL to some value is more efficient in regard to cooling? Thanks in advance for your inputs. 73 Bob, K4TAX __ 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] KPA500 Fan Question
In running my KPA500 on FT-8 mode at about 400 watts output, what is the recommended setting for Fan CTL? I usually keep it in NORmal but have tried other settings. I watch the TEMP and see that it gets above 65ºC. The fan speed increments up and down as the temperature changes accordingly. All appears norms. But, do you find setting the Fan CTL to some value is more efficient in regard to cooling? Thanks in advance for your inputs. 73 Bob, K4TAX __ 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] KPA500 Fan Question
Just did the first voltage test on #153. Basically I turned it on to check that the tap is the right one, then turned it off. The fan ran for over 15 min before I turned it on again (which shuts the fan down) How long should it go before shutting down? Repeated the procedure and tapped temp and it showed 23.5 C and the fan does not run while in Standby, but it comes on again when I tap the power button. Still running as I type. Is this adjustable? Jay, W6JDB __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Fan Question
Jay, When you turn the KPA500 off the fan should run until it drains the high voltage from the power supply capacitors, which takes about ten seconds on my KPA500 #119. It should not run for 15 minutes. I would send an email to the support address listed on the Elecraft web site regarding that behavior. It is normal for the fan the be off when the amp is turned on. The default setting on the fan is for the fan to stay off until the RF devices begin to warm up. The fan will change speeds as the temperature of the devices rise. Since the fan is a major part of the KPA500's protection I would not operate the KPA500 until that behavior has been corrected. 73, Tom Amateur Radio Operator N5GE ARRL Lifetime Member QCWA Lifetime Member On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 13:31:30 -0700, Jay livn2g...@q.com wrote: Just did the first voltage test on #153. Basically I turned it on to check that the tap is the right one, then turned it off. The fan ran for over 15 min before I turned it on again (which shuts the fan down) How long should it go before shutting down? Repeated the procedure and tapped temp and it showed 23.5 C and the fan does not run while in Standby, but it comes on again when I tap the power button. Still running as I type. Is this adjustable? Jay, W6JDB __ [snip] __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Fan Question
As the manual says, it should run for a while to drain the power supply voltage to a safe level, then it simply slows to a stop. But 15 minutes is definitely over the top - something isn't shutting down the power supply when you tap the POWER button (typically the fan will run for 30 seconds or so, IIRC). That also means that dangerous voltage exist inside the KPA500 even with the mains plug pulled. As with all things microprocessor or microcontroller controlled these days, the first thing to do is reload the firmware and see if that cures it. Did you build it from a kit? I wonder if having the ribbon cables that runs from the front panel board to the I/O board on the rear panel, or the smaller ribbon cable between the I/O board and the power supply module installed incorrectly might cause this, since the signaling obviously must follow that path. Ron AC7AC -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jay Sent: Saturday, July 16, 2011 1:32 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 Fan Question Just did the first voltage test on #153. Basically I turned it on to check that the tap is the right one, then turned it off. The fan ran for over 15 min before I turned it on again (which shuts the fan down) How long should it go before shutting down? Repeated the procedure and tapped temp and it showed 23.5 C and the fan does not run while in Standby, but it comes on again when I tap the power button. Still running as I type. Is this adjustable? Jay, W6JDB __ 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 __ 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
