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To be accurate, the power switch itself has not failed; it's the light inside the power switch which has failed. ?The amp itself is still operating after the light goes out.
73, Kent K9ZTV
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Btw while I was on the HHH Net this morning, the replacement power switch of my LA-1K (S/N 38935) has failed after just nine (9) weeks of installation.? I have already emailed Mark Ward (Palstar technician) this video clip showing the same failure experienced by the original power switch that Mr. Ward deemed defective on February 20, 2023. 73, Ray KJ5MI
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On Sun, Apr 30, 2023 at 08:03 AM, Kent Trimble, K9ZTV wrote:
To be accurate, the power switch itself has not failed; it's the light inside the power switch which has failed. ?The amp itself is still operating after the light goes out.
?
Hey Kent, A fully serviceable power switch assembly so installed in the LA-1K shall include an indicator light that stays on the entire time the power switch assembly remains in the powered-on position for as long as the amp is hooked up to a proper AC power source.? Any deviation from that stated condition shall render said power switch assembly defective as a fully serviceable item. Just so readers of this new thread has the whole story in one place, here's my original post /g/la1k/message/1228 referred to by Mr. Trimble, K9ZTV, when questioning my assessment of the situation. 73, Ray KJ5MI
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Ray ...
What you say is true. ?What I said is also true.
I wasn't questioning your assessment, I was narrowing the problem.
When I ordered an HF-AUTO several years ago the same (presumably) kind of rocker switch as on the LA-1K was inadvertently installed upside down. ?The switch itself worked perfectly but to my mind, ON is UP, OFF is DOWN, and several days of it being the opposite was really bugging me. ?Much, I'm sure, as the light in your switch is bugging you.
Deciding it wasn't worth my paying shipping costs, or worth wasting the factory's repair time, I started digging.
Reversing the switch was straight-forward but not easy, owing to wires being dressed after the switch was installed. The wire lengths were just taut enough and the maneuvering space just tight enough to make things interesting. ? But eventually I got it reversed.
When ordering the LA-1K a few years later, I called the factory for assurance its power switch would be installed correctly, which it was.
People will occasionally make mistakes and components working properly at shipment will occasionally fail. ?That's why we have warranties.
I'd have them send me a new switch (with wiring attached) and see if I could replace and wire it myself (in true amateur tradition and all that). ?If I couldn't, I'd send both back for warranty service. ?Since we're dealing with a power switch, you may or may not feel comfortable doing the work yourself, but a suitably experienced ham near you might.
The point is, you should have received a longer-lived switch. You didn't. ?Join the crowd.
73, Kent K9ZTV
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On Apr 30, 2023, at 9:06 AM, tuneupmagic (null) via groups.io <tuneupmagic@...> wrote:
? [Edited Message Follows]
[Reason: Edited to include link to my original post in another LA-1K thread.]
On Sun, Apr 30, 2023 at 08:03 AM, Kent Trimble, K9ZTV wrote:
To be accurate, the power switch itself has not failed; it's the light inside the power switch which has failed. ?The amp itself is still operating after the light goes out.
?
Hey Kent, A fully serviceable power switch assembly so installed in the LA-1K shall include an indicator light that stays on the entire time the power switch assembly remains in the powered-on position for as long as the amp is hooked up to a proper AC power source.? Any deviation from that stated condition shall render said power switch assembly defective as a fully serviceable item. Just so readers of this new thread has the whole story in one place, here's my original post /g/la1k/message/1228 referred to by Mr. Trimble, K9ZTV, when questioning my assessment of the situation. 73, Ray KJ5MI
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On Sun, Apr 30, 2023 at 12:00 PM, Kent Trimble, K9ZTV wrote:
What you say is true. ?What I said is also true.
?
I wasn't questioning your assessment, I was narrowing the problem.
Kent, Let's look at it from the power switch manufacturer's perspective.. the power switch currently installed in my LA-1K will be declared defective at final test for failing to fully meet the stated performance specifications of the power switch.? Then, for continuous manufacturing process improvement purposes, they may request the defective power switch be undergone certain failure mode analysis procedure.. for example, identifying a marginal batch of LED (light inside the power switch) imported from the PRC wasn't caught by their incoming QC personnel. So, while all I care about, as an end user, is the final test results, you would rather focus on root causes; maybe even including the failure mode analysis piece.? Bottom line: Contrary to your first assessment this morning... to be accurate, the power switch assembly currently installed in my LA-1K has failed to fully meet its performance specifications. Please find attached an image file showing the replacement power switch currently installed in my LA-1K and the original power switch (deemed defective by Mr. Ward) sitting next to the piece of paper that accompanied the replacement power switch that Palstar shipped me at my request, free of charge. I personally performed the power switch remove/replace actions to return my LA-1K to fully serviceable condition.? Just FYI... I took a field engineering service job (i.e. a glorified technician) after I was laid off from my very first real engineering job in the semiconductor industry in Silicon Valley.? My lead taught me a few things about servicing small and medium size computers.? Lol.. they even sent me to their in-house tech school to service line printers and teletype machines.? Oh well, long story short, I went back to manufacturing integrated circuits as a real engineer after the U.S. economy recovered. So, remove/replace the LA-1K power switch is a simple task for me.? But from seeing the LA-1K online reviews (e.g. ) I had no ideas that a nearly USD $4,000 Palstar amplifier would start acting like some hobby kits sold on PRC websites, my friend. 73, Ray KJ5MI
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Hello Everyone,
Quick update:? Mr. Mark Ward of Palstar has informed me earlier today, by email, Palstar discovered all of their power switches, obtained from a new supplier, have the same fault that causes the malfunction as seen here on my practically new LA-1K (about 4 months old) bought directly from Palstar.
Mark has stated that they will send me a new power switch, from their original supplier, ASAP.
If y'all have been following my postings here, this next new power switch will be the 2nd replacement power switch for my practically new LA-1K.
73,
Ray
KJ5MI
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I have s/w like that and acts like that on my Astron 35m. It has done that for 30 years plus. PS still works fine. Just like your amp does.
Steve
W7CM
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Hello Everyone,
Quick update:? Mr. Mark Ward of Palstar has informed me earlier today, by email, Palstar discovered all of their power switches, obtained from a
new supplier, have the same fault that causes the malfunction as seen here
on my practically new LA-1K (about 4 months old) bought directly from Palstar.
Mark has stated that they will send me a new power switch, from their original supplier, ASAP.
If y'all have been following my postings here, this next new power switch will be the
2nd replacement power switch for my practically new LA-1K.
73,
Ray
KJ5MI
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So, it's not a power switch failure but just the bulb inside.? I wonder if it's incandescent or LED?? I received my amp directly from Palstar in September of 2022 and have had zero issues with it.??
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I purchased my LA-1K direct from Palstar in late December of last year. It's about 4+ months old. The power switch does not light up, but it works fine in powering up the amp. I'm not sure I need it to light up since it's obvious when the amp is on as the front panel screen is brightly illuminated. I might contact Mark for a new one just to have it if I ever want to replace it. Joe WW8X
On Mon, May 1, 2023 at 3:12?PM Ron - WD8T < rpemers@...> wrote: So, it's not a power switch failure but just the bulb inside.? I wonder if it's incandescent or LED?? I received my amp directly from Palstar in September of 2022 and have had zero issues with it.??
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Remember Ameritron?? They are now part of the MFJ family -- jokingly called Mighty Fine Junk back in Texas where I first got my no-code ticket.? Hams around here warned me about Amerition's solid-state amps when I bought my brand new Ameritron ALS-600S to pair with my brand new IC-7300, that I would be extremely lucky if I happened to receive one from Ameritron without issues.? But, I bought the ALS-600S anyway because it's so cheap!!? Long story short, a year later its T/R relay failed!? After swapping out the defective T/R relay with a much more reliable one (recommended by another Hams) all is well; took me all afternoon to perform that remove/replace action.
But, I had absolutely no ideas that the nearly USD $4,000 LA-1K would develop problems for me twice in just four (4) short months.? I guess, we simply can't take the words of YouTuber's review such as this one on the LA-1K at launch.
Since I am already an extremely satisfied owner of the Elecraft KX2, acquired during their 2018 Thanksgiving sales not long after launch, I can base it on my own experience, as opposed to questionable online reviewers, in deciding on a reputable ham radio equipment manufacturer to build my full-legal-limit amplifier.
Scheduled delivery of my brand new Elecraft KPA1500 is this Friday; acquiring the beauty with free shipping right before their almost 6% price increase!
73,
Ray
KJ5MI
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Ray, I think the entire group has determined by your several posts, that you are no longer a Palstar fan. Since we have received your point of view I think this entire thread of Palstar bashing has run its course? Enjoy your??Elecraft KPA1500..73
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Agree 100%.? Buyer's remorse can be a painful ordeal, for some.? Please suffer your angst privately.
73, Jerry Webb, KB1N ?
On Tue, May 2, 2023 at 2:09?PM K8MCN Kelly < k8mcn@...> wrote: Ray, I think the entire group has determined by your several posts, that you are no longer a Palstar fan. Since we have received your point of view I think this entire thread of Palstar bashing has run its course? Enjoy your??Elecraft KPA1500..73
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Gents, points well taken... There goes to show.. consumers are definitely at a major disadvantage relying solely on publicly available feedback relating to user experiences with various products marketed in the open market.? Oh btw, I am keeping my LA-1K, same way I did my 2016-vintage Ameritron ALS-600S, for their respective good attributes.
73,
Ray
KJ5MI
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Mine is 2yrs old purchased direct from pal star, never a glitch.? I drive it with 40 watts from a ten tec omni7 and get 800 to 1k out.? Ant is a zero 5 40 meter vert fed with 213 coax. Swr is pretty flat across 40 and 15 meters. Great amp
On Tue, May 2, 2023 at 4:29 PM tuneupmagic (null) via <tuneupmagic= [email protected]> wrote: Gents, points well taken... There goes to show.. consumers are definitely at a major disadvantage relying solely on publicly available feedback relating to user experiences with various products marketed in the open market.? Oh btw, I am keeping my LA-1K, same way I did my 2016-vintage Ameritron ALS-600S, for their respective good attributes.
73,
Ray
KJ5MI
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Ron - WD8T