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[AMPS] Power Handling of Resistors

To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: [AMPS] Power Handling of Resistors
From: Wt8r@aol.com (Wt8r@aol.com)
Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 23:01:43 EST
n a message dated 3/7/00 11:01:36 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
Peter_Chadwick@mitel.com writes:
 
>  Dave says:
>  
>   >(2)  Neither does he have any concept of the DIFFERENCE  in the
>  application 
>   >of that small amount of power for 500ms, the length of which is
>  controlled by 
>   >the pushing of a microphone button, as opposed to the UNCONTROLLED
>  avalanche
>   >of the dumping of ca. several joules of energy in a very short time
>  which 
>   >usually ends in the catatrsopic destruction of a bandswitch or
>  other tank 
>   >component.
>  
>  Dave, are you saying that the amount of energy involved in 160 watts for
>  500msec is not the same as 1600watts for 50msec or 16kW for 5msec? Or am I
>  misunderstanding you?
>  
>  73
>  
>  Peter G3RZP
> 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------- 
No Peter,

I know there are times when you might think that we lads over here in the 
colonies are a bit slow on the uptake, or that we don't speak/write the 
King's English, so please read again what I said in my original post:


This is the point where ignorance overtakes (overshadows) common sense.  (1) 
Apparently Jon hasn't the slightest idea (CLUE) of the MAGNITUDES of 
difference between the AMOUNT of energy stored in the power supply of a multi-
kilowatt power supply hooked to 220 VAC mains and a TOY desk top 160 watt amp.
     
2)  Neither does he have ANY concept of the DIFFERENCE  in the application of 
that small amount of power for 500ms (or 2 seconds), the length of which is CO
NTROLLED by the pushing of a microphone button, as opposed to the UNCONTROLLED
 avalanch of the dumping of ca. several joules of energy in a very short 
(extremely short time) time which usually ends in the catatrsopic destruction 
of a bandswitch or other tank component.

What I am saying here is, that if the capacitor bank in a 5KW, 4000 VDC power 
supply, with 16 or 32 uF of capacitance discharges through an arc (however it 
is initiated) into a bandswitch or other component, the discharge will take 
place  so quickly that it will be totally unexpected (unanticipated) with a 
resultant bang and explosion with accompanying light that all that will be 
left are crispy critters .  Obviously this is the result of currents and 
voltages of such magnitude and such  short duration as to vaporize metal.  


> What follows is pure sophistry and, Yes, he has not thought it through.
  
>  For that matter, I've not thought this through, but how many RF cycles at
>  VHF could take place in a matter of a few milliseconds?  I guess you'd need
>  to calculate the period, which is 1/F.  At 144 MHz, this is 6.9
>  nano-seconds.  So if our event is on the order of nanoseconds you could get
>  just a couple of RF cycles going which ain't gonna hurt anything.  The 
point
>  is that a short event as Rich claims is what happens isn't going to stress
>  components beyond a breaking point especially when it is so short it 
doesn't
>  even show up on the meter movements.
>  
>  At least that's the way I see it.
>  
>  73,
>  
>  Jon
>  KE9NA
> 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------
> Dave in Dayton, WT8R

Jon's phony baloney SCIENTIFIC method of taking the D cells out of his Boy 
Scout flashlight to perform some silly experiment where he zaps a 50W 
resistor for 2 seconds and then exclaims, see I put my money where my mouth 
is and no spurious oscillation occurred nor did the resistor explode or even 
get warm. 

Let me tell you, he has made a believer out of me.  I can't wait to see his 
next post for another scientific revelation...!!!

Dave, WT8R

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