[TenTec] Troubleshooting Power amps in generalTuesday, March 23, 2010 9:16 AM

[Art Trampler]

For those wondered about Ten-Tec's opinion:
 

--- On Tue, 3/23/10, Paul Clinton <service at tentec.com> wrote:


From: Paul Clinton <service at tentec.com>
Subject: Re: Titan 425: Fuses Blown
To: "Art Trampler" <atrampler at att.net>
Date: Tuesday, March 23, 2010, 11:40 AM





Dear Art:
 
Folks on the reflector are correct. Fuses do not blow for no reason. Better to find the real problem than to blow a $500 transformer.
 
73,
Paul R. Clinton
WD4EBR
Service Manager
 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Art Trampler 
To: service at tentec.com 
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 10:50 AM
Subject: Titan 425: Fuses Blown






Hello,
 
You'd think a simple thing like blown fuses would not create such controversy, but such is posting anything to the TT Reflector!
 
Scenario: Turn Titan on, leave shack to get cup of coffee.  Return in a few minutes (no drive applied in between) and unit is dead, main fuses blown.  No odors, no scorching of fuses, etc.
 
Question: Is there a real danger to the unit of replacing the fuses, perhaps with 15 amp fuses, and turning it on again as a test of (1) will it blow again and (2) when will they blow, fi they blow?
 
The TT Reflector majority opinion is don't do it, figure out why the fuses blew first and work that way, but a couple of 425 owners write that their fuses have popped from time to time and they simply replace them.
 
Last parameter: Unit seems in excellent condition, producing full output with 35 to 50 watts drive and grid current in the 20 to 30 ma range.  I will tend to load a bit heavy to keep grid current way down and perhaps lower efficiency closer to 60% than keeping it up at 67% or better with higher grid current.
 
Your thoughts?
 
73,
Art Trampler, KØRO