Questions about the PGXL Amp?

Mark Griffin

GE Flexradio Community,

I am considering a Flexradio for my 6400M. Does the unit come wired with a plug for 220-240 Volts? Also, I am currently using a Palstar HF Auto. So I am wondering what the connections would be between radio, ATU and PGXL? I would assume that a Coax would connect between the Antenna 1 or 2 to the Drive A connection on the PGXL. And then connect a Coax from the PGXL Output to the Input of my Palstar HF Auto. And I would also have to connect an ethernet cable from my router to the Lan Port on the PGXL. Am I correct with my thoughts on this? Thanks!

Mark Griffin, KB3Z

Mike-VA3MW

The power cord requires your own plug to be installed. You can work with your electrician to resolve that since there are many variances at 220VAC.

The only connection to the radio required is a LAN cable and an RF cable connected via a network switch.

You HF Auto would work the same way using the TX1 PTT lead on the radio to move it into TX. You will have to move the PGXL to standby to generate a low power carrier from the radio to turn the tuner.

RF connection looks like this:

Radio<>PGXL<>HF Auto<> Antenna -- since it is on a 6400, all on Ant 1 and Port A

73

Larry _ NY8T

Your correct on everything you mentioned, the amp comes with a power cord but you have to put your own plug on it for 240 vac. or you can buy one already made up, the amp accepts the C13 plug and depending on your 240v outlet you would probably use the 6-15p plug. Here is a link, just make sure you get the correct length.

https://www.amazon.com/NEMA-6-15P-C13-Power-Cord/dp/B004WJM2V0/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=5SLBQP5N3G0B&keywords=c13+240vac+power+cord&qid=1640141891&sprefix=c13+240vac+power+cord%2Caps%2C106&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyQjJHRFlTQk1FUDZGJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTkzNzgzMThERFdFQTcyWDZESyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDMwMzkzMzY3TUNBOTM3MEo4TCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

DonS

The power cord for the PGXL has three wires - white, green, and black coming off a C13 connector. Can someone tell me which color goes where on the NEMA 6-20P (20A 250v plug)?

Don - kx9q

DonS

I know the green is ground from the leviton spec sheet and the white wire go to the silver **** and the black wire goes to the brass ****. The problem is both screws are brass

WX7Y

For 250V for Standard US house wiring the Amps Black Wire goes to House Black wire and the RED House wire goes to White on the AMP.

For 125V then the White goes to Neutral or White House wire.

GREEN is ALWAYs Ground

So for 250V the Black and White wires goes to the two Brass colored (on the 250V Plug) Screws and the Ground or Green wire goes to the Silver or Green **** if it is green in your Plug.

Document-34989-Wiring+Diagram,2.jpg

Alan

Don

Based on your questions, and my presumed level of your electrical wiring knowledge, with due respect, I highly suggest you hire a licensed electrician to wire up your 250 VAC circuit.

Too do this correct, requires you know for certain the color of wire for each leg of the spit phase transformer (should be red and black), and you must know the difference and color wire for the safety ground (bare or green) vs the neutral (white). All of these need to, first, be verified correct in your house wiring.

Getting any wrong, will result in danger to you, your house and your PG-XL.

Alan. WA9WUD

DonS

Alan

I am waiting to hear back from my electrician friend. Black is hot, white is normally neutral and green is ground, however, my understanding is both black and white are hot for 220 based on the wiring I have from the amp coming from the C13 connector on the back of the amp. This will go to a three prong NEMA 6-20P plug which has the ground spade and the two hot wires going to the other two spades.

Don

David Decoons, wo2x

Don,

There is no neutral on the PG XL.

The electrical service coming into your house is 240 volts across L1and L2. There is also a neutral and the electrical panel is grounded.

From line 1 to neutral or line 2 to neutral you get 120 volts. Half the circuit breakers for 120 volts are normally using line 1 and the other half. A 220 volt breaker uses 2 poles, one for line 1 and other for line 2 so you get 240 volts. Typical wiring to the outlet is line 1, line 2, and ground.

For the L6-20P it uses ground to the green colored terminal in the plug.and the black and white can go to either brass colored connection.

Sounds like you already know this, having looked up the L6-20P plug.

Dave wo2x

Alan

White is neutral. If your home wiring is correct, the L1 and L2 are black and red. If your house used the white wire as either the L1 or L2, to the sub circuit, they should have put red marking tape on the end, to show the white wire was re-purposed to a hot L1/L2 wire.

So, red to black will be 240 VAC. Green or bare wire, to the safety ground on the PG-XL

What ever you do, DO NOT connect the white (neutral) wire to anything in this circuit. This will result in bonding your house neutral to a the safety ground, at the PG-XL, and will result in your your GFCIs tripping, and house possibley, burning down, if your utility neutral should be lost.

If your home is wired correctly, white to black will be neutral to hot, hence 120 VAC.

All of this presumes your home wire colors are per the electrical code.

Hire an electrician to do the 240VAC sub circuit, if any of this is not clear to you.

Alan

David Decoons, wo2x

Hi Alan,

You are correct in marking the white wire if it is repurposed to be used as L2.

DonS had a question as where the wires of the cable go in the plug. The power cable has a white, green, and black wire. It can be wired for 110 volts or 240 volts.

In this case when wiring it for 240 the white wire OF THE POWER CORD is connected to one of the “hot” terminals in the plug and the black to the other. Green goes to the ground (green) connection in the plug. I use a NEMA L6-20P plug. My outlet has an L6-20R receptacle.

I used caps above so people understand I am talking about the power cord and not wiring in the house.

If in doubt, consult a licensed electrician.

73

Dave wo2x

Alan

Dave ...Oh......My comments were for the 240VAC receptacle end.

I did not notice question was for the supplied Flex AC pigtail cord. In that case, your comments are on spot.

In my professional career, I saw the consequences of loosing the utility neutral, and the damage, that will occur with improper safety ground to neutral bonding or improper wiring of the L1/L2 legs.....so I jumped to the receptacle end, of the connection.

Don....question. Do you have an exiting, properly wired, 240 VAC NEMA 6-20 receptacle? If so....none of my comments apply. Install the plug to the Flex pigtail, as Dave says.

Alan. WA9WUD

Mark Griffin

I purchased from Amazon the NEMA 6-15P to C13 Power Cord- 15A/250V, 14/3 AWG - Iron Box # IBX-4933 6 FT, Molded.

It should arrive by 12/29 or 12/30. My amp is supposed to arrive on 12/29.

Thanks for all the help guys. The last time that I put a 240V Plug on an electric cable was when I purchased the Alpha 8410 Amp. And that was quite a lot of years ago.

Mark Griffin, KB3Z

David Decoons, wo2x

Hi Mark,

I was glad JP was able to help you out. When you get the amp, download and install the 3.6.21 Power Genius utility from Flex. Setup is pretty straightforward.

Feel free to give me a call if you have questions. Good luck with it!

Dave wo2x

DonS

Alan, Dave

Yes, the NEMA 6-20 receptacle was put in by a licensed electrician and ham friend about two years ago so I could run 220 to a previous amp. I was concerned about the 6-20 plug on the Flex pigtail because the instructions that came with the Leviton plug mentioned a silver and bronze **** and the connector only had two bronze screws and one green **** for the ground. The diagram Dave sent me help explain the wiring of the plug. Everything is working fine once I got the correct version of the PGXL Utility program loaded - v 2.2 vs v 3.6.21. Not sure how I downloaded an older version.

Don - kx9q

W2PP

You will quickly discover that the PGXL is the most boring kit you’ll ever own!!! I set mine up two years ago and all I ever do with it is move from standby to operate!!!

it just works

And the TGXL is even worse 99 percent of the time I forgot it’s even there The other 1 percent is dusting it off

Peter

Mark Griffin

That's OK with me Peter. I like equipment that works with little or no issues. I have heard pro's and con's about the TGXL. Especially with Automatic tuning. Currently I have the Palstar HF Auto, which has served me quite well for many years.

Mark KB3Z