[Amps] AL-1500 power relays

[Dave Hachadorian]

I used my AL-1500 in the Sprint Contest on Saturday night, and 
everything worked fine.

This morning, I was puttering around the shack, and heard a 
humming noise.  Come to find out, the AL-1500 was sitting there, 
with the power switch off, and all the lamps dark, but full DC HV 
was showing on the meter.  I haven't pulled it apart yet, but my 
guess is that the surge limiter relay contact has welded shut, 
causing the main power relay contacts to weld shut.  I never did 
like that idea of using an AC relay as a surge limiter.  Just a 
little chatter on the contact as the voltage ramps up and  it 
gets stuck.  Then the main power relay takes the full surge next 
time it starts, welding it shut.

Anybody have a better way to handle the surge limiting, rather 
than the old series resistor / AC relay trick?

Thanks.

Dave Hachadorian, K6LL
Yuma, AZ




.