2995dx amp switch install w/pics/questions

johnny9 · Jan 31, 2014

well its took me a while but i just got a new"less than yr old" rci 2995dx with the green digital face..sadly it came from a good friend that passed away last yr so i traded his brother out of it..got about 400 into it so not too bad..

decided after reading for 2 nights to install a switch in the amp section for lower watts as i talk to guys in my n.hood thats real close and also dont wanna start over just yet with new amps..i like my ole tube amp that i hardly ever use.
really have no need for a amp with this radio either..it walks the dog..

i read that on the older 2995dx units folks says they run the switch on a brown wire that plugs into the back amp circut board in the right corner..i have a small plug there but its yellow and green wires..
the new mean well power supplys have a row of wires on the end and all labeled so i used the red"hot "wire coming from the p.supply going to the amp and switched it in that wire. IS THIS OK ?
im asking because i just finished it up and everything is working fine with it on,but dont wanna turn it off till i no for sure why folks say use the small plug on the board to install the switch? they say this about the older ones far as i been reading..
so me cutting the power at the main hot lead to the amp should be the best thing to do id think..comments welcome,except how 4 watts is the limit and im an outlaw<can not stand it> the first pic,red wire on the left it the one i used,and i fused it also with 20 amp fuse and used 25 amp switch..had to use a white wire as i was out of red

thanks,and heres some pics of the radio and switch install,j9

johnny9 · Feb 1, 2014

rci puts these hot wires in a groove thats very sharp and can really cause problems for someone that moves it around a lot over the yrs imo..so heres pics of where they shove them,,i moved mine away as they already had a slice in them and could waste the radio real fast..
this is a view of them from inside the bottom cover.

fodendaf · Feb 1, 2014

I would put the switch on the green or yellow wire in that picture. when i tried it on my n2 it didn't matter which, but i put it on the + wire as most circuits are negative ground. Because you have cut the power to the amp you will be transmitting through the power transistors and you may blow the 7watt final in the radio due to high swr. If you had an external amplifier like a texas star you could disconnect the power in that way because the amp relay would not move in to tx on radio tx but in this instance you cannot as the relay changeover is powered from the radio and not the amplifier board.

Big Dog 59 · Feb 1, 2014

All you had to do is turn the low power pot down .I, had these radio's for years .That having to disable the amp is not true .. My dead key is 1.5 watts works great , .. Run it into a TS -500 sounds awesome ..

I know that doesn't help you now but when i hear of someone doing this try to get the word out ..

KD2GOE · Feb 1, 2014

If that amp is any thing like the older 2990's you want to put the switch on the keying wire not the +12 line... I did what you did and burned a 1k pot and a resistor on the Bord when I keyed up...

M0GVZ · Feb 1, 2014

Plus that wire looks awfully thin to be putting a lot of current through.

johnny9 · Feb 1, 2014

this is why im glad i waited to try the switch i installed,thanks fellas

i have not turned the switch off at all,as i was waiting for the correct answers so i didnt screw something up.

this is the newer 2995dx,has the 2 2990 pills in the amp board also
,even tho i read the newer ones should hav a lower numbered mosfet pill iirc.

i understand about turning it down by adjusting the low power pot but that dont keep the deadkey down to 8-10 s swing does it?then if i accidently turned the knob the tubes would be toasted fast.

im looking for 1-4 watt deadkey with no more than 12-15 swing tops,so when i have the "itch,lol" i can use the old sweet smooth tubes .

thanks for helping me.

..so how do i tell weather to install the switch in the yell or green wire??
seems like there would still be power going to the amp when i keyed up since the main hot lead i put the switch in is still getting power even tho the green/yell wire will have the switch??
please help me get the right wire so i can play,i have a multimeter and learning slowly**Jump_im**
heres a video of what i want. Ranger RC- 2995DX Tune-up Report - YouTube

fodendaf · Feb 1, 2014

pull the plug on the amp board with the green and yellow wire. now with the voltmeter set to 20v put the black wire on the negative of the power supply. keep the radio keyed up and touch the red wire of the voltmeter to the back of the plug touching one of the terminals within. whichever wire you find the 8v or 12volt or whatever in is the one you break to put a switch in although since the relay circuit does not power anything else it does not matter which of the wires you cut.
All transistor amplifiers in all radios are powered all the time on receive drawing negligible current. There is no need to worry about disconnecting them. They only start to draw large current when drive is applied to them.

johnny9 · Feb 1, 2014

thanks very much for sure! so these small wires just key the amp,and even with the red wire i put the switch in is constantly hooked up it cant do anything unless its keyed by this yell/green wire?..sorry im slow but i think im understanding it much better now.if i got that right

ok so in a few hrs when i get back home i will change the switch to the smaller wires mentioned..will i still need to adjust the low power pot to get what the guy did in the video? id think it will be low enough w/out the amp but fixing to find out no doubt.
low as the radio will go now is 9-10 watt dk and swings 50 pep or lil better.
so will this 25 amp switch still work for this also? and should i fuse the switch for safety? i can p/up a smaller switch also if needed.j9

fodendaf · Feb 1, 2014

I don't know anything about swing mods. If I want more audio I use a power mike and leave the radio stock. Am deadkey with the amp on that radio with rf power turned down is probably 10 watts if it is like my 2970n2. with the amp off it should be under 1 watt. I can't see what has been done so far causing trouble.
The 25 amp switch is fine. It will last longer than any smaller switch and you won't have to drill more holes. It is not necessary to fuse the switch as it only carries current on tx. If you want to you can fuse the 13.8volts entering the radio mainboard in case a final goes short as many ranger radios have suffered vapourised circuit boards because of this. That is if there is not one there already.

johnny9 · Feb 1, 2014

thanks a bunch..and hope everyone is havin a great weekend..will be re doing the switch in a lil while..

johnny9 · Feb 1, 2014

mkube396 said:
If that amp is any thing like the older 2990's you want to put the switch on the keying wire not the +12 line... I did what you did and burned a 1k pot and a resistor on the Bord when I keyed up...

see whay i waited..glad i did after hearing this

thanks for mentioning it

if they sold a book for complete idiots on every subject id have many books lol..
now need to find directions for a fan switch..when first powered up it spins so fast i think it is off balance till it slows down..maybe will just replace it.

johnny9 · Feb 3, 2014

thanks for the help guys..everything has been great past couple days.in the green face newer models its the green wire"measures 13 in idle and 8.51 when keyed up,on the multi meter set on 20dcv" easyer than the first time with the wrong wire lol.
this radio has the newer color but still has the 2 2990 pills in the amp,,does this mean it is still the mosfet radio? or the inbetween series w/out them?
it has the newer power supply with internal fan also..its fixing to get replaced when i find where to get it cheap.
and i ordered the rehostat dial to mount in the back to turn the fan down..runs way too fast on start up

the amp turned off i get 4 watt pep on lsb on high power.
amp off on am dk 1 watt and swings 2..i want to turn up the am a couple watts but want to make sure it dont affect the alighnment or anything..
im sure it dont but will wait till i no for sure..
vr19 is low power adj pot and easy to get to..

just got a sadelta echo master plus classic today to try also..it has the 2 meters in it<More audio> in exc cond i will say

anyone ever tackle doing blue leds for there first time and have any suggestions..they match my diawa meter perfectly.

9C1Driver · Feb 3, 2014

johnny9 said:
well its took me a while but i just got a new"less than yr old" rci 2995dx with the green digital face..sadly it came from a good friend that passed away last yr so i traded his brother out of it..got about 400 into it so not too bad..

decided after reading for 2 nights to install a switch in the amp section for lower watts as i talk to guys in my n.hood thats real close and also dont wanna start over just yet with new amps..i like my ole tube amp that i hardly ever use.
really have no need for a amp with this radio either..it walks the dog..

i read that on the older 2995dx units folks says they run the switch on a brown wire that plugs into the back amp circut board in the right corner..i have a small plug there but its yellow and green wires..
the new mean well power supplys have a row of wires on the end and all labeled so i used the red"hot "wire coming from the p.supply going to the amp and switched it in that wire. IS THIS OK ?
im asking because i just finished it up and everything is working fine with it on,but dont wanna turn it off till i no for sure why folks say use the small plug on the board to install the switch? they say this about the older ones far as i been reading..
so me cutting the power at the main hot lead to the amp should be the best thing to do id think..comments welcome,except how 4 watts is the limit and im an outlaw<can not stand it> the first pic,red wire on the left it the one i used,and i fused it also with 20 amp fuse and used 25 amp switch..had to use a white wire as i was out of red thanks,and heres some pics of the radio and switch install,j9

When you buy one of the HIGH powered radio's you need to understand it is what it is and you want to run straight radio with no amp. If you want to run a 30-40 watt radio into an amp you buy what is called an RCI 2950. Nuff said.

There is no need to install a switch of any kind. And you guys that try to run a 2995 at 1.5 watt dead key.......LOLOL wow.....I laugh at you. That's a load of crap. The RCI tune up manual has no information on trying to turn a 150 watt radio into a 1.5 watt dead key radio.

This whole thread is useless at best. You don't buy a high powered radio unless that is what you need. If you want to run a 1.5 watt carrier or run a 30 watt peak radio you BUY A LOW POWERED RADIO.

johnny9 · Feb 3, 2014

well,,i wanted to run a 4 watt radio into a smooth tube amp when i wanted to as an option..and it did exactly what i wanted..period!
i can be "incognito" in my n.hood with people that are close and not blow out there ears and hear them complain i have to much power,even when turned all the way down the lowest the radio will go is 100-110 watt on ssb.

ranger does this mod all the time and people pay 300 bucks for it and a fan switch

so this thread may have not help many but it helped me do what i wanted to do.
and saved me money and i learned something in the process

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2995dx amp switch install w/pics/questions

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