Josh380
Member
Repeater builder says this radio will draw 31a, but that number might be slightly exaggerated. Anybody have one of these units..can you tell me exactly what the current draw is at max power?
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Spectra 110w UHF current draw question
- Thread starter Josh380
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i can tell you that the 110w VHF astro spectra we have installed is fused with a 50 amp circut breaker.
If you want, i can stick a meter inline and see what it draws.
Should be extremely close to what yours will draw.
If you want, i can stick a meter inline and see what it draws.
Should be extremely close to what yours will draw.
N4KVE
Member
Mine would blow 25 amp fuses once in a whole. Never blew a 30 amp fuse.
Josh380
Member
So should a 30a supply be enough to drive it?
N4KVE
Member
Depends whose supply. Some 30 amp supplies can only deliver 30 amps for a second. You want to look for a 30 amp continuous power supply, which usually means a 40 amp supply.
Josh380
Member
Madrabbit, an actual reading would be helpful. I don't imagine there would be much difference if any. If only the service manual wasn't so vague.....
sure, i'm doing a half day today, but i can get it done before i leave.
Model # is T04KLH9PW9AN, 110 watt VHF astro spectra, remote mount w/ W9 head
Everything observed is at 13.93 volts (engine on, truck on high idle)
140 milliamps average draw when powered off (which seems high)
1174 miliamps when powered on, idle, nothing recived
1208 milliamps with speaker recieving static (monitor button pushed)
Average of 12.5 amps transmitting 10 seconds on a low power channel (i *think* this is 40 watts, not 100% sure)
Average of 32.45 amps transmitting 10 seconds on a full power channel.
Last annual maintnance log on this radio said it was tuned on 4/18/16 and the observed power output was 119 watts. (also, wtf, a spectra putting out MORE then its rated power?)
Everything observed is at 13.93 volts (engine on, truck on high idle)
140 milliamps average draw when powered off (which seems high)
1174 miliamps when powered on, idle, nothing recived
1208 milliamps with speaker recieving static (monitor button pushed)
Average of 12.5 amps transmitting 10 seconds on a low power channel (i *think* this is 40 watts, not 100% sure)
Average of 32.45 amps transmitting 10 seconds on a full power channel.
Last annual maintnance log on this radio said it was tuned on 4/18/16 and the observed power output was 119 watts. (also, wtf, a spectra putting out MORE then its rated power?)
RKG
Member
Since shortly after the ice age, we have always insisted on 50A Astron power supplies for 100W control stations. This may be just a tad over what you might get away with most of the time, but a margin of error here is worth a lot.
The VHF is rated at 110 watts. Not uncommon, they will do 130 in most cases. Depends on the Calibration.
Once you are at 100 watts another 10 is not very significant.
The fuse specified in the manual is 35 amp.
I would definitely NOT use a circuit breaker, too slow of a response if there is a problem, and NOT a 50 amp breaker. By the time a 50 breaker trips the the transmitter PA will be crispy critters.
Project25_MASTR
Millennial Graying OBT Guy
Mine puts out right at 115 W. Low power is dead nuts 50W though.
Some of the variance also is due to techs using improper slugs to align the PA (Your actually supposed to change slugs if you are within 10% of the slug's power ratings. So for a 100W slug that would mean you really need the 250W slug if you are reading 90W+ or either a 25/10W slug for below 10W.
What motorola lists in the service manual allows for some error. If the amperage is higher than what is being drawn, then the radio needs to be serviced as something isn't right.
Josh380
Member
So my 30a supply won't cut the mustard. FMR. Another $30 I have to spend now.
Josh380
Member
How hot do these run? I'm sure a fan wouldn't hurt, but is it necessary? Also, you mentioned low power..is there a user selectable hi/lo pwr button? (A7 head)
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jhooten
Member
Same as mine.
N4KVE
Member
When I used a 100 watt UHF MCS2000 in the trunk of my car, I built a shroud with 3 cooling fans blowing on the heat sink to keep it cool.
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My old one put out a solid 118 on high. It was under the rear seat of my Tahoe which has plenty of room for air. I never ran fans and it never gave problems. However the weather here isn't exactly equator hot.
Project25_MASTR
Millennial Graying OBT Guy
If you run them at full power they will get hot quick. Run them at low and they will run all day at a 50% duty cycle. And yes, there is a hi/lo feature. The button actually say H/L (I seem to remeber the 7 on my A7 displaying that) but my W9, W5 and W3 all have individual buttons (button or menu on the W3).
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I recall that button being horn/lights on my w9 control head. But I suspect it's programmable like everything else. Or maybe I have terrible memory. Either is just as likely. Mine did got hot but it took a lot of chatting. I don't know what the actual duty cycle is but it took a rather talkative call to get mine warm. However unless you're out in the sticks low power is usually more than a plenty.
N4KVE
Member
Here in Florida, it can get real hot in the trunk of a car, especially in the summer. And yes, H/L is horns & lights, but again depending on the radio, can be programmed to do hi/lo power. I ran mine at 50 watts except for the odd time I was 60 miles from the repeater.
RFI-EMI-GUY
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The 140 milliampswhen turned off is suspicious. Check to see if the emergency alarm jumper is in place. I read a post somewhere just yesterday that 400 ma was observed with that jumper missing. It could be that the logic is trying to wake up with that jumper removed, IE someone activating alarm function with radio turned off.
Otherwise, it could be the PA is oscillating.
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