[Amps] Overdrive protection

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

> My question -- and maybe there's an Alpha employee on the list who
> wants to answer -- is "isn't it possible to make an overdrive
> protection circuit that will cause the amplifier to fault fast enough
> to protect the tubes and components?"

Of course there is but such a protection circuit would make the amp
almost impossible to use with the many rigs have have a horrendous ALC 
spike on initial key-down.  Many of the most commonly used rigs produce
a full power (or higher) 2-5 ms long even when cranked back to 30 or
40 watts.

73,

    ... Joe, W4TV


On 7/26/2012 12:36 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:
> Alpha's email newsletter talks about damage to amplifiers as a result of overdrive -- the
> example is given of amplifiers designed to produce 1500w output with 40w drive being
> driven with 150w. They say that there is a log maintained by the firmware which records
> overdrive incidents and that they won't repair damage caused by this kind of abuse under
> warranty.
>
> I am sympathetic to their attitude and don't approve of the philosophy that all knobs
> should always be set to 11. But sometimes it's unintentional.
>
> My question -- and maybe there's an Alpha employee on the list who wants to answer -- is
> "isn't it possible to make an overdrive protection circuit that will cause the amplifier
> to fault fast enough to protect the tubes and components?"
>