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[AMPS] SB-220 TUNE Cap Arcing

To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: [AMPS] SB-220 TUNE Cap Arcing
From: measures@vc.net (Rich Measures)
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 98 10:31:01 -0800
>
>>Hi Jon,
>>I appreciate the response from the reflector.
>>The SB221/220 had the Harbach nichrome  suppressor kit installed some
>>years ago, which got rid of arcing I had at that time (although
>>I don't remember where it arced at that time).
>>The TUNE C arcing happens on at least the 10m, 15m and 20m bands.
>>Inspecting the Tune C shows a little black on some of the fins 
>>where the arcing has occured.
>
>I would clean this out good.  ..

 However, if an amplifier is marginally stable, having a Tune-C that arcs 
before the bandswitch is Good.  
>
>>From original condition, I did the nichrome suppressor kit, added
>>10m (purchased bandswitch and caps/coils input circuit from KM1H),
>>also did the Harbach softstart kit.  Recently did the Rich Measures
>>input circuit mods to bring down the input VSWR.  
........
>As others have eloquently pointed out, it is possible to make the SB-220 
>arc just by mistuning it.  

Neither my SB-220 or my TL-922 will arc by mistuning into a 50 ohm 
termination.  
>.....
>I have suggested measuring the values of the supressor resistors.  

amen

>Whether or not they are bad, it is good engineering practice to just do a 
sanity 
>check on all the components.  

yea, verily -- and remember that some types of damage can not be seen.  

>It hurts no one to see if everything is 
>where it should.  If the values are good, then that's great, if bad, then 
>you gotta replace them.
>
Replacing them is not as good as finding out how the damage came about. 

>Anyhow, the resistors may or may not be your problem.  Mis-tuning may be 
>your problem instead.  ...

My guess is that the amplifier was correctly tuned -- i.e., for maximum 
output.  

Rich. Measures.  Web site:  www.vcnet.com/measures


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