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G8MNY  > TECH     21.01.26 19:51l 90 Lines 3795 Bytes #6 (0) @ WW
BID : 50075_GB7CIP
Subj: Power Factor of Drake L-4/4B PA
Path: JH4XSY<N3HYM<GB7YEW<GB7CIP
Sent: 260121/1049Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO #:50075 [Caterham Surrey GBR]
From: G8MNY@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To  : TECH@WW

By G8MNY                                   (Updated Jun 24)
(8 Bit ASCII graphics use code page 437 or 850, Terminal Font)
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For /P work these 1960/65 USA made Drake PAs has a very poor mains power factor
on 50Hz it is only 0.5 lagging, this means in standby it draws 2x the mains
current it needs to.

Exactly where to put a PF correction capacitor is not straight forward, as the
PA has Tune and SSB modes where the mains tap on the HT transformer is changed
by 30%.
                                   CW/tune
Lo-oo/o\ oĿ_
 Fuse 1   on                       oSSB        __)|| _
                 200VA                   TUNE__ ||(
              ____    __           _____________)||(  850V on
 Heaters, Fan  115V)||(__ 5.5V      |          __ ||(  TUNE mode
  & Relay PS   ____)||(__ 30A       |             )||(  or 1.1kV
 Transformer  ____ || __           |         115V)||(  in SSB Mode
  is in the   115V)||(  18V        |        _____)||(  @ 2A to
   PA unit.  FAN   )||(__0.5A       |       [o-o__ ||(  the Voltage
                         16uF===   Fuse 2   )||(  Doubler
                              400V |         115V)||(_
                               AC  |            _)||  2.2kW Peak
N      HT Transformer

For 110V mains, all the primary 110V and tune windings are each put in parallel
not series.

Wired to the above, the correction is effectively about 10uF when on tune mode
and 16uF when on high power SSB mode. In the UK on 50Hz 230-250V, the
transformer is heavily saturated on SSB mode, when the extra mains TUNE
tappings are bypassed. The 16uF does the best it can (high 3rd & 5th harmonic
currents!) to tune the heavily saturated HT transformer core in SSB mode!

Results were PF of 0.97 in tune mode (up to 800W PEP on good mains), and 0.7 in
SSB mode (up to 1400W PEP with odd order mains harmonics!), UK now has a 1kW
licence! Or in other words I saved at least 1 Amp at 240V, so there is more
available for other loads (lights & rotator etc.) before the /P generator's
10A mains trip goes!

HT BLEED CHAIN
I reworked the PSU, changing the 2x 50K 50W (was broken) + 5K 5W HT bleed and
120V DC tap chain, for 6x 68K 10W + 27K 5W, and with a series HT warning neon,
all on a smaller tag strip. The wasted power is much less and the light from
the new hazard neon is visible through the mesh cover.

I used the freed up space to mount the mains 16uF capacitor above.

HT 2.8kV              HT 2.8kV
       @1A                 68K
 50K                         
 50W                        68K  REPLACMENT
 WW                          
     ORIGINAL              68K  All
 50K                         
 50W                        68K  10W WW
 WW                          
                           68K
                    Hazard  
                      Neon (:)
   +120V ALC              +120V ALC
 5K    & Cathode            27K    & Cathode
 5W    Rx Bias              5W     Rx Bias
 0V                   0V

HT CAP STACKS
I also cleaned & remounted the 2 stacks of 4 electrolytics, this time avoiding
the need for HT crossover wires, by putting the +ve multiplier stack near the
+ve output cable mount, and the -ve stack on the other side!


See my Tech bul on "ALC line for Drake L-4B PA", "PTT Line for Drake L-4B PA"
"Valve Heater delay Drake L-4B PA", "Drake PA 3-500 valve repair" & "Using 2
HF PAs".


Why Don't U send an interesting bul?

73 de John, G8MNY @ GB7CIP


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