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PHANTOM TOOK A DUMP. ANY SUGGESTIONS?

Stellasarat

Stellasarat

Active Member
Sep 17, 2013
213
54
38
If I didn't have bad luck I'd have none at all. Two weeks ago my Palomar 300 a which I use with my AM set up (Sonar fs 2340) begin keying up only upon the second key down.

I replaced it with my macaco 300 only to find half the out put of what it used to do (never been a big fan of the macro anyway).. I decided to go with the always reliable Palomar 500.

I decided to hold off on sending the palomar 300 a out for repair until I needed to send something else. That time didn't take long.

Today my phantom made an odd sound then all power to everything I have plugged into my power strip shut down (madison , maco 150 preamp and of cause the phantom).

I emeditly reset the circuit breaker on the strip, and gave it another go. As soon as I turned the phantom on I noticed the green power light on the phantom was dim and the power strips circuit breaker tripped again (no key up nessasery).
It was obvious the phantom had developed an issue. I dusted off the other Palomar 500 and removed the phantom. I knew the super star/Palomar 500 at half the output of the phantom would do fine.
The two signal reports I received showed what I suspected, meter readings were neglagabpe between the two amps.
Being the Palomar 500 is about half the size and whaight it makes sense to just retire the phantom, and 300 a for that matter, but I'm a sucker for tubes and nostalgia.
I will be packing up the 300 A and phantom then sending it out to my tech for repair.

I'm just curious if anyone can give me an idea what may have happened to the Phantom to cause it to trip the circuit breaker on the power strip, and obviously stop working?
The initial trip of the circuit breaker on the power strip happened while I was modulating on ssb which is what the Phantom is used specifically for.
I use it with My Madison.

Truthfully it really doesn't matter what the problem is I will have it repaired, like I said I'm just a sucker tube CB radio amplifiers and transceivers. I actually enjoy tube equipment in general. I'm very impressed with the Palomar 500 4 x 1446's, even though I know its not a very well made amplifier, but then again most CB amplifiers are not.

So if anybody has an idea what would have caused the Phantom to take a dump, I'd like to get your input as my curiosity is killing me, & I won't know what it was until my tec gets it, (Thursday/Friday).
I'd like to add that I've seen many of these differently labeled Palomar 500 35 amp combination amplifiers going for good money on eBay ( 375- $450 including shipping) and not only have I gotten excellent reports there reliable and great back up amps.
Thanks my friends and enjoy your radio time. PS I myself know little to nothing about amplifiers and transceivers but I am suspecting it's probably a capacitor, close or no cigar?IMG_20151214_032004.jpg
 

Always appreciate your help and advice Waverider. As far as the tubes go amplifier always had the rated output at least rated according to dna manual. The tubes are original DNA stamp Sylvanian I believe. If you mean that the cap going in the power supply section could have caused the tubes or at least one of them to go I don't know if that's what you're suggesting I hope not but before this issue the output of the amp was on the money and always performed excellent. I don't have a tube tester and never did test then, but I assumed they were better than average as I stated the output was exactly as the DNA manual stated with 12 watts-15 on ssb I get a bit / 1100+ Watts showing on my MFJ 828. When I'm lazy and don't feel like warming up the Palomar 300 a and sonar 2340 switch the medicine to the inside and with one and a half watts The Phantom shows 100 Watts dead K and 800 watt swing. As a matter of fact that output shows up on all of my three meters even though the other two are cheap workman meters. Thanks for the advice. Everything in the amplifier is original including the capacitors I may just have him rebuild the whole thing. its probably really worth it to replace the Cape and everything else that can be replaced.. I really enjoy the phantom it's such a great amplifier, at least as far as I'm concerned. It performs outstanding and I always get excellent reports with it. I will post the diagnosis and the repair outcome. Have a great holiday if I don't hear from you until then.
Stellasarat said:
If I didn't have bad luck I'd have none at all. Two weeks ago my Palomar 300 a which I use with my AM set up (Sonar fs 2340) begin keying up only upon the second key down.

I replaced it with my macaco 300 only to find half the out put of what it used to do (never been a big fan of the macro anyway).. I decided to go with the always reliable Palomar 500.

I decided to hold off on sending the palomar 300 a out for repair until I needed to send something else. That time didn't take long.

Today my phantom made an odd sound then all power to everything I have plugged into my power strip shut down (madison , maco 150 preamp and of cause the phantom).

I emeditly reset the circuit breaker on the strip, and gave it another go. As soon as I turned the phantom on I noticed the green power light on the phantom was dim and the power strips circuit breaker tripped again (no key up nessasery).
It was obvious the phantom had developed an issue. I dusted off the other Palomar 500 and removed the phantom. I knew the super star/Palomar 500 at half the output of the phantom would do fine.
The two signal reports I received showed what I suspected, meter readings were neglagabpe between the two amps.
Being the Palomar 500 is about half the size and whaight it makes sense to just retire the phantom, and 300 a for that matter, but I'm a sucker for tubes and nostalgia.
I will be packing up the 300 A and phantom then sending it out to my tech for repair.

I'm just curious if anyone can give me an idea what may have happened to the Phantom to cause it to trip the circuit breaker on the power strip, and obviously stop working?
The initial trip of the circuit breaker on the power strip happened while I was modulating on ssb which is what the Phantom is used specifically for.
I use it with My Madison.

Truthfully it really doesn't matter what the problem is I will have it repaired, like I said I'm just a sucker tube CB radio amplifiers and transceivers. I actually enjoy tube equipment in general. I'm very impressed with the Palomar 500 4 x 1446's, even though I know its not a very well made amplifier, but then again most CB amplifiers are not.

So if anybody has an idea what would have caused the Phantom to take a dump, I'd like to get your input as my curiosity is killing me, & I won't know what it was until my tec gets it, (Thursday/Friday).
I'd like to add that I've seen many of these differently labeled Palomar 500 35 amp combination amplifiers going for good money on eBay ( 375- $450 including shipping) and not only have I gotten excellent reports there reliable and great back up amps.
Thanks my friends and enjoy your radio time. PS I myself know little to nothing about amplifiers and transceivers but I am suspecting it's probably a capacitor, close or no cigar?View attachment 16957
Click to expand...
wavrider said:
cap, diode, any of the two, have the tech rebuild the power supply then it should be good and just hope none of the tubes went bad.
Click to expand...
 
Stella if the tech has a tube tester have him test tubes first to make sure exactly what you have. A tube may have flashed over and took out the high voltage, or cap shorted and took out some diodes.

Test tubes, if tubes are good and you do not have to spend a fortune to replace those old sweep tubes then rebuild ALL power supplies including bias supply, check relays for wear and replace as necessary,

When all that is done then that old sweep tube amp should be ready for another 30 years of service if not abused.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and the family also
 
Thanks for your reply. Can you explain what it means when a tube is shorted? I should have mentioned in my op that up until that point the amp worked flawlessly. When I say flawlessly I mean as far as output goes. I've never been using a piece of tube equipment where the tube actually just went out while I was in transmission or even when the piece of equipment was idle. I did hear a strange sound simultaneously as the power strips circuit breaker tripped, and it definitely came from the phantom.. I wouldn't describe it as a popping sound, and there was no smoke or smell.. Thanks again for your knowledge.
Crusher said:
Wave rider hit it on nose. Power supply probably took a dump or tube shorted.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks again Waverider. I send everything to Mike at Mikesradiorepair and yes she absolutely does have a tube tester. There's no doubt he will find the problem and repair it. I will most likely have him rebuild the whole inside of the amp or at least everything that can be brought up to speed or even better than original. To replace the amplifier especially one in such good condition or at least good condition before this problem would probably cost a pretty penny and I be lucky to even find one that's cosmetically as nice as my Phantom is. I know it's going to cost me most likely more than the amplifier is worth just because of the shipping. I ship everything priority as not to have it bounced around in a truck for 4 or 5 days. I'm assuming the round trip postage alone will probably run me between 125 and $200. Mike's prices are fair and he's always done the right thing by me so I'm hoping the price to repair it is not going to exceed what I would be willing to pay for the amp out right. But I should know by Saturday as the app will be in the mail tomorrow and everything I've sent him priority usually gets there within one day, 2 days tops. He usually gets right on it so as soon as he gets it I'm sure I'll know within an hour what the issues are and I'll definitely post them. Thanks again always appreciate your help.
wavrider said:
Stella if the tech has a tube tester have him test tubes first to make sure exactly what you have. A tube may have flashed over and took out the high voltage, or cap shorted and took out some diodes.

Test tubes, if tubes are good and you do not have to spend a fortune to replace those old sweep tubes then rebuild ALL power supplies including bias supply, check relays for wear and replace as necessary,

When all that is done then that old sweep tube amp should be ready for another 30 years of service if not abused.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and the family also
Click to expand...
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I found some errors in that article you wanted him to read, whoever wrote it needed to reread it all again. a 4cx800a is NOT a 8877! I have owned and used both!
 
Also, I have a boomer 500 which is the same and a palomar 35A that was the same, I have that one too. Those are all the same, 4x1446's. I was able to get about 500-600watts pep or so out of them, max. however I think they were doing most in the 400's while talking and whistle and it would peak it out. I was dead keying 150-250 watts sometimes, didn't hurt it. I think I ran that amp at a 75-100watt dead key and let it go from there, depending on what power level you were on. You can mount a 4 inch fan to the side of the left heat sinks with some wooden spacers and some semi permanent adhesive and keep those heat sinks cool so you can beat on it if you want. (the right side is for the power supply transistors and doesn't get really hot, but just warm and doesn't really need a fan unless your a SSB freak and talking all day and night.
 
Last edited:
Crazy_D said:
I found some errors in that article you wanted him to read, whoever wrote it needed to reread it all again. a 4cx800a is NOT a 8877! I have owned and used both!
Click to expand...

Send an email to the author of the article explaining what you consider to be mistakes.
 

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