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Re: [TenTec] Orion II master resetting each turn on

To: "'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'" <tentec@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II master resetting each turn on
From: "Duane Calvin" <ac5aa1@gmail.com>
Reply-to: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2015 22:33:24 -0600
List-post: <tentec@contesting.com">mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
For some period of time a few years back, EVERYONE had problems with 
electrolytics due to a stolen fake formula for the electrolytic compound in the 
caps.  Sure caused a lot of problems.  I had to repair my Samsung big-screen TV 
by replacing electrolytics on the power supply board, for example.  I used to 
know the years this occurred, but no room in my memory for that any more!

        73, Duane

Duane Calvin, AC5AA
Austin, Texas
ac5aa@ac5aa.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Gary J 
FollettDukes HiFi
Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2015 10:24 PM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Cc: John Bescher
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II master resetting each turn on

Well, the hardest part of replacing the battery is removing all of the cabinet 
screws.

The front panel hinges open with the removal of four flat head screws inside. 

The battery will be in plain site once the panel is hinged open. Just make sure 
you mark the orientation as the board has no markings to help you. Reverse 
installation could be bad for your health, or at least that of your radio.

As far as “other issues” go, it would seem that Ten Tec had some supplier 
problems with the electrolytics on the power distribution board because every 
time you call them with a problem, they always tell you to install the 
capacitor replacement kit.

That WOULD be an easy repair but for the fact that the board has so much Copper 
on it that it draws your soldering iron heat away from the thru holes, making 
removal of the old ones a challenge unless you have a BIG soldering iron. Then 
you need to clear the holes for reinstallation, a job best accomplished by 
heating a piece of sacrificial wire of smaller gauge than the capacitors with  
soldering iron and forcing the wire through the melted solder to open up the 
holes. Pull the wire through the other side to draw the solder out of the way.

I tried Solderwick but that was useless as I could not get it hot enough to 
draw solder like it is intended to do.


I don’t know if TT used Lead free solder on this board but it sure seems so as 
this stuff is really hard to melt, especially against the ground plane. 
Nonetheless, it is still technically an easy repair, just tedious.

A tightly focused heat gun works well too, you just need to contain the heat to 
the area of interest and not overheat. I found that I could get the solder on 
both pins to melt at the same time, and then I could snap the board against my 
wood bench top and the cap and solder would fly freely from the board leaving 
the holes clean.

If the solder is indeed Lead free, it is not a great idea to use Lead-bearing  
solders for repairs since this will form a brittle intermatellic which will be 
more fragile than it should be. A cold solder joint may even form as the melt 
cools and crystalizes as the inter metallic compound.

I would like it if Ten Tec would tell us what solder they used…

This would be true with any ROHS compliant piece of electronics, since Lead 
free solder is a requirement for ROHS compliance.

Gary



> On Nov 12, 2015, at 10:01 PM, John Bescher via TenTec <tentec@contesting.com> 
> wrote:
> 
> I have the same problem and called Ten Tec.  They advised:
> 
> 
> 1:  The battery change is not straightforward, it can be done in the field 
> but apparently a few owners had difficulties.
> 
> 
> 2:  There may be other problems that caused the battery to fail.  Changing 
> the battery may not be the entire solution.  They advised having the O2 
> checked out, especially the power system.
> 
> 
> 3:  They recommended sending the O2 to Ten Tec service and sent me a "Return 
> Authorization".
> 
> 
> I will be sending my O2 to Ten Tec, if nothing else to have it checked out.  
> This is the only problem I ever had with the unit and am pleased with its 
> performance.  I want to keep it 100 percent functional for many years.
> 
> 
> 73...John, N4DXI
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gary J FollettDukes HiFi <dukeshifi@comcast.net>
> To: Walt <waltk8cv@wowway.com>; Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment 
> <tentec@contesting.com>
> Sent: Thu, Nov 12, 2015 10:44 pm
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion II master resetting each turn on
> 
> 
> Like most repairs on Orion’s, the is REALLY easy to do!
> 
> 
> 
>> On Nov 12, 2015, at
> 9:34 PM, Walt <waltk8cv@wowway.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Yep, it is about a $20 including
> postage from RCR or whom ever now owns TENTEC! Check the wicki as it 
> has info on how to do it. It is behind the front panel and has 4 pins and 
> mounts on an IC.
> 
>> 
>> Walt K8CV
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: DieselCar--- via
> TenTec
>> Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2015 4:17 PM
>> To: tentec@contesting.com
> 
>> Cc: DieselCar@aol.com
>> Subject: [TenTec] Orion II master resetting each
> turn on
>> 
>> Hi All,
>> 
>> My Orion II have been running flawless since February
> 2006. But now after
>> it has had a good nights rest and it is turned on the
> next day, the MASTER
>> RESET COMPLETE appears in the bootup window.  Now I
> have to reset all my
>> preferred  parameters. 
>> 
>> I believe that there is a
> lithium battery that holds its setting.  This
>> maybe the culprit.
>> 
>> Has
> anyone else has had the problem.  And if it is the lithium battery
>> then
> where is it located.
>> 
>> Please advise and thanking you in advance. 
>> 
>> 73 de
> Rick W4UEF
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