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Re: [Amps] L7 problems

To: AMPS <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [Amps] L7 problems
From: Alek Petkovic <vk6apk@bigpond.com>
Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2016 08:09:59 +0800
List-post: <amps@contesting.com">mailto:amps@contesting.com>
If its simple to disconnect all the wires on T1, then a megger will tell you if it is sick. Check between windings and frame, etc.
Solid state ones are cheap as chips on ebay and hand wound ones are 
usually even cheaper at flea markets.
73, Alek.

On 11/12/2016 2:03 AM, Paul Kraemer wrote:
There are no feedthroughs on an L7, just disc ceramics
Paul

-----Original Message----- From: Alek Petkovic Sent: Friday, December 09, 2016 8:36 PM To: AMPS Subject: Re: [Amps] L7 problems
Did you check the filament feedthroughs like the other Jim suggested?

73, Alek. VK6APK

On 10/12/2016 10:10 AM, Paul Kraemer wrote:
Jim
Good to hear from you.  I was hoping you would have comments.

I had already made the change on the keying going to a 100K 5w and series string of 1N5408 in ct for bias. The relay shorts the resistor. Just like my ES4L4B kit includes with the soft start and soft key. I also don't like putting the 120v on the ct and running zero bias on keyed.
I had also done the diodes HV- to gnd and the one across the grid meter.

Of course I made sure along the way the changes didn't make any difference to the problem
Interlock was checked first off and has a stiff bit of pvc cable 
jacket in there to keep it defeated while I work on it.
Feel like only thing left in the equation is something is wrong with 
that transformer.  I have some lv high amp industrial transformers 
that with a little adjust from a variac I can run at least one tube 
on the bench and I'll disconnect primary and secondary of the Drake 
transformer.  Don't need the relay power just to test so that should 
say yay or nay and I can send the transformer to Heyboer for rewind 
if it shows that IS the culprit.  I'll let everyone know how it works 
out.
Any notes or history would be appreciated

Paul K0UYA


-----Original Message----- From: Jim Thomson
Sent: Friday, December 09, 2016 12:05 AM
To: amps@contesting.com
Subject: [Amps] L7 problems

Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2016 20:52:20 -0600
From: "Paul Kraemer" <elespe@lisco.com>
To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: [Amps] L7 problems

Group
I have an L7 that was sent to me for repair and I am getting nowhere with it.
The problem is the grid meter has a small negative reading in standby 
even with NO tubes installed.
If the antenna relay is keyed the reading goes to zero.  The amp does 
work if you ignore that pesky off scale negative reading in standby.  
The amp does same thing on three different supplies so it is NOT the 
power supply. I have an L7 of my own that is fine on the supplies so 
it is the L7 at fault.
Here is an A/B comparison of the bad amp (customers) and a good one 
(mine)
The ONLY things I have been able to observe between bad and good is:
(1) Bad the center tap of the filament winding is off center by about
0.2vac. In other words, it should be the center and instead measures like 2.6vac one side to center and 2.8vac other side to center whereas good will
measure EXACTLY the same either side to center
(2) Bad there is a measureable 25mv (dc plus 60hz)to ground on the negative connection of the HV supply. Since that voltage is across a 1 ohm resistor it makes the amount of negative grid current. If the amp is keyed the voltage goes nearly to zero as it should be all the time. Good amp is ZERO all the time.
Same supply, same location, just swap the linear.

I hope someone can give some insight to this.

Thanks

Paul K0YTA

## I had the exact identical problem on a hb 4-1000 GG amp years ago. Neg grid current on RX..... then rises to zero when u hit the PTT (no drive applied). With drive applied, it operated normally. Lemme dig out my old notes as see if I can find it. But it only happens when I cranked the B+ way up to 5600 no load..on RX. I also own 4 x drake L4Bs...with mating 4 x L4PS power supplies. L4PS is identical to the L7PS. I have not had the neg grid current issue on the drake amps. I did have one of them with a fil to cathode short..that resulted in idle current on RX. One bad tube, thats it.
##  IF the CT is not dead center on the fil xfmr sec, you will hear 
60 hz hum over the air.  A buddy re wound a fil xfmr for a hb 2 x 
3-500Z amp. The loaded voltage was a
bit high, so he took turns off of one end only. Voltage was back down 
to 5.0 vac..... but the CT  was no longer dead center, but 
offset....since he removed turns from ONE end
only.   You could hear the slight bit of hum over the air.... but in 
his case, it was a lot more off, vs  ur .2 vac offset.
##  I had another buddy with the neg grid current issue on RX...on a 
drake amp, dont recall if it was an L4B or L7.  Again I will attempt 
to dig up notes.
Check the B+ interlock circuit.  On the L4B...with top lid removed, 
it just doesnt short the B+ to the chassis.  It also shorts the B- to 
the chassis..and does that
1st, a split second b4 the B+ gets shorted to chassis.  You can see 
that on the spring loaded plunger rod assy.  Rls it by hand in slow 
motion... and you will there is
2 x sets of contacts.... with the lower set grnding the B- to 
chassis...then followed by grnd the B+ to chassis....last.
##  On my l4bs.... I tossed the pair of 50 watt bleeder resistors in 
the HV supply.  The no load B+ didnt budge...2650 on RX.   2500 under 
load of 800 ma.
Ok, oem deal was to use a 7k 5 watt  resistor in series with the 
former bleeders.  The V drop across the 7k was + 130 vdc..used to cut 
the tubes off.  On CW position,
its  +90 vdc to cut the tubes off.  Its a dumb fubar method imo, 
since the CT goes open when TR 3PDT relay is in mid air.    With big 
bleeders removed, you no longer have any
90/130 vdc for cut off bias.   No problem just use a 100k at 3 watt 
mof..or a pair in parallel for redundancy... in the ct lead.   Then 
re wire the center tr relay contacts so they
just short out the 100 k..when on TX.

## RVS connected 1N5408 / 6A10s wired between B- and chassis. Then the meters are protected. B- cant wander more than +/- .7 vdc.
stay tuned.

Jim   VE7RF


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