undervolting?

[heavyD]

Can you damage an amp by undervolting? I.e. run it on almost a totally dead battery for a couple of minutes. I got a very clean Texas star 250 hdv the other day which supposedly tested fine prior to shipping. Hooked it up to my 949 and set the dk to 2 and keyed up to check the swr. The needle went up and immediately all of the way down. Checked wattage and it was like 1/2 w out. I realized the battery was really low and changed it out. Now same thing. Raised dk and nothing. Modulation gives me like 2 Watts out total with the amp on. Its not the radio or the coax. Swr is flat. Any ideas other than blown pills? The pre amp works and if I turn the pre amp on and amp off I get the same low output until modulation. Its only a few weeks old and looks it inside and out.

 

[bushwacker]

Can you hear the relay in the amp clicking( pre amp turned off)?
Can you check how much current the amp is drawing?

there should be no problem with underpowering an amp.
If the amp is drawing current during TX....then its working and the power is just not getting out.
Open up the amp and check if the relay is activating......do a very short key and feel is the pills are getting hot. Make sure your supplying the amp with enough current and check the voltage.
You can also check for voltage drop at the amp when its keyed.

 

[9C1Driver]

If it was a new purchase has it even been converted yet from CW transmitter?

 

[TonyV225]

Thats what I was wondering aswell because these newer Texas Stars have to be converted or setup for running with microphone audio otherwise there sold as CW transmitters

 

[heavyD]

Supposedly converted and tested good into dummy load. Also yes relay clicks. Pills are not getting warm I dont think its drawing any current other than to operate the light. Ill have to check tomorrow

 

[mackmobile43]

Can you damage an amp by undervolting? I.e. run it on almost a totally dead battery for a couple of minutes. I got a very clean Texas star 250 hdv the other day which supposedly tested fine prior to shipping. Hooked it up to my 949 and set the dk to 2 and keyed up to check the swr. The needle went up and immediately all of the way down. Checked wattage and it was like 1/2 w out. I realized the battery was really low and changed it out. Now same thing. Raised dk and nothing. Modulation gives me like 2 Watts out total with the amp on. Its not the radio or the coax. Swr is flat. Any ideas other than blown pills? The pre amp works and if I turn the pre amp on and amp off I get the same low output until modulation. Its only a few weeks old and looks it inside and out.

If the pills are blown you won't see any output from the radio when the amp is turned on.

 

[heavyD]

Yep..confirmed burnt pills and a couple other things. That is the last amp sight unseen I will purchase,lesson learned. Its okay got a great deal on a clean dx 399 that smokes. Used the other amp as trade. He hooked me up