TenTec
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TenTec] Centurion Amp QSK Board

To: tentec@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Centurion Amp QSK Board
From: <bcarling@cfl.rr.com>
Reply-to: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 22:48:02 -0400
List-post: <tentec@contesting.com">mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
Interesting developments.

I have a newly rewound HV power transformer installed in my Tentec 422.
It appears to be working. No more blowing primary fuses and I now see the 3000V 
or so that I expect on the Ep metering. However the switchover circuits are now 
misbehaving.

If anyone has experience with the QSK board please comment - here is what 
happens:
When I turn on the amplifier, the OPERATE and TRANSMIT LEDs are illuminated. 
The Standby LED is not illuminated. The tubes light up.

If I engage the microswitch on the side of the AC / Relay board then I hear 
relays kick in and a small amount if plate current follows. Approx. 100 mA as I 
remember.

On checking around inside the amp I find that U2 NAND gate on the QSK board is 
not operating correctly. PINS 11, 12 and 13 are all HIGH - around 12V or so. 
Power appears to be correct with Pin 7 at 0V and Pin 14 at +13V. 

The other NAND outputs of U2 are:

Pin 3 = 14v
Pin 4 = 0.22v
Pin 10 = 14v

Can anyone tell me why U2 would act this way and fail to follow the NAND logic? 
Any idea what is going on in my 422 to make it misbehave this way?

Best regards - Brian Carling, AF4K

>From earlier:

>
It appears after reviewing my QSK board problem and the blown fuses in my 
Centurion, that I mis-wrote what happened. I indeed had the same symptoms you 
had: Blown fuses for no apparent reason. In my case the QSK board was blown, 
but in talking to Ten-Tec service yesterday, they said the sequence happened 
like this: There was a high voltage short from one of the 3-500Z tube plates to 
the top of the cabinet, causing the fuses to blow. Guess when I had replaced 
the tubes, one of the plate straps was too close to the top of the case and 
arced over. The blowing of the fuses created a surge, or a spike, which blew 
out the QSK board. The QSK board is very sensitive to the fuses being blown, 
for whatever reason. You may find, that the QSK board is blown in addition to 
the transformer being shorted. The symptom will be that the standby/operate 
switch does not work as it should, and the transmit light will be constantly 
on. If that is the case, then you can get the "kit" to rebuild the
  QSK board, or send the board to Ten-Tec for them to re-build, or have them 
send you a new QSK board (Cost = $97), and/or the "kit" to rebuild your old 
board and have as a spare. That is what I did. The Kit consists of 2 IC's and 5 
Transistors, and cost about $20, as I remember. I know you are concerned about 
putting so much money into the amp., but, in my view, it is both necessary, and 
worth it, especially since you already will have the big bucks invested in the 
re-wound transformer.

Again, Bry, good luck !

73, Donald K6RV

Message: 14 Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2014 06:18:44 -0800 From: Bry Carling 
<bcarling@cfl.rr.com> To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment 
<tentec@contesting.com> Cc: "tentec@contesting.com" <tentec@contesting.com> 
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Centurion Amp. Problem Message-ID: 
<42FCECBC-F96D-40EC-ACBB-A21415410F44@cfl.rr.com> Content-Type: text/plain; 
charset=us-ascii Thank you so much. They never brought up that possibility 
during my calls to Tentec while troubleshooting. However the previous owner did 
mention to me that the QSK board had already been replaced. This amp is trying 
my patience. It's not just the money but the time. If I end up replacing the 
QSK board too then I will have enough into it to have bought a nicer amplifier. 
It's disappointing to think a QSK board could cause main fuses to blow. I will 
try to learn how to troubleshoot that section while my transformer is away 
being rewound. Thank you so much for the insight about the QSK circuit. Bry AF4K

 Best regards - Bry Carling


_______________________________________________
TenTec mailing list
TenTec@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>