[TowerTalk] Traps and High SWR-troubleshooting problem ?

[Gary Marks]

I have a Hy-Gain TH7-DX antenna that has a high SWR on 15M ONLY. With only about 30 watts power, the SWR is 1.5 to 1 but as soon as about 300 to 400 watts are applied, the SWR jumps to over 4 to 1.
It works perfectly on 10M & 20M.  I removed all the 15M traps looking for carbon tracking, dis-assembled them and wire brushed the coils and cleaned them with solvent. 

After installing all the cleaned 15M traps I still have the same problem. At that point I removed both the 10M and 15M traps and wire brushed all the traps and re-installed them again with the same high SWR problem only on 15M.  This time I kept my antenna tuner out of the system by installing a barrel connector between the in and out coax cables.
While testing the SWR again on 15M, I just happened to touch the coax connector's (yes they were tight) at the barrel connector and they were VERY HOT. 

At this point I replaced the BN-4000B balun with a new one and I still have the exact same problem.....a 4 to 1 SWR jump from 1.5 to 1 when applying over 300 watts or so on 15M ONLY.

Anyone have any idea what the problem might be ?

Gary