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6600M Fan Speed Questions

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Answers

  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited August 2019
    I don't beleive the slow call is because they are holding information back. It is most likely because Steve has not been able to do so yet.
    In the past Flex has had no problems telling people the information they are looking for is clasified. And in this case they have not said that.
  • KC2QMA_John
    KC2QMA_John Member ✭✭
    edited August 2019

    I don't mind waiting a bit longer as I’m sure the guys at FRS are busy also I believe they may be on travel this week.

    The question that is most important to me is will they simply just raise the RPM limit in SSDR so we can use this much better performing and higher quality fan.

    NOCTUA FAN-Industrial grade commercial fan.

    https://noctua.at/en/nf-a14-industrialppc-2000/specification



  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited August 2019
    Hope they pay you for the adds you run on them  lol
  • KC2QMA_John
    KC2QMA_John Member ✭✭
    edited August 2019
    I'll mail you the checks :)
  • KC2QMA_John
    KC2QMA_John Member ✭✭
    edited September 2019

    I left a voice mail with Steve Hicks Friday (8/16/2019) and have not heard back yet.

    I know they have been very busy lately.

    Today is (9/04/2019) Still no response from Flex?

    I left my Call,Name, Email & Phone #

    I asked:
    1. What is the Specific temp that will cause a 6600M to shut down?
    2. What is the final transistor/s used in a 6600M, I could not find that info anywhere?
    3. And most important Would it be possible to raise the RPM limit in a future version of SSDR to accommodate the above fan?

    I hope to speak with Steve on the phone or email soon...

    I think Joe may win the bet ;)
  • Dwayne_AB6A
    Dwayne_AB6A Member ✭✭
    edited September 2019
    I appreciate modding as much as anyone but IMO, adding an amp mitigates any stress on the radio and depending on the amp size, both amp and radio will idle along at higher power levels. As an example, with a 1KW amp, 200W is 10W from the radio and 20% duty cycle on the amp.
  • KC2QMA_John
    KC2QMA_John Member ✭✭
    edited September 2019

    This is NOT a what I would call a "mod" it is simply installing a better fan in place of the original one.

    Adding an HF amp is kind of stating the obvious, Clearly if you add a big power amp you can lower the drive but that is not the objective here, the objective is to be able to run the radio at its full stated 100W output with out overheating the PA and if you read this thread you will see that by just simply replacing the stock fan yields a big improvement in cooling performance. 

    The only problem is in the SmartSDR code the software is programmed to shut the radio down if the fan RPM’s go over 1500. So all that needs to be done to make this fan work great in these radios is for Flex to just raise the RPM limit in the software to 2100 RPM’s.


  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited September 2019
    John, any time you replace an original part with another model part is a MOD.

    There is nothing wrong with what you are doing and it is a good thing I think. But to do it because it is beleived it is because of a designe flaw would not be correct.

    Many  run their radios at 100% duty cycle for days without over heating, So heat does not seem to be an issue. I have not read were radios keep shutting down because of over heating. But an fan improvement would still be a good thing, but not because of cooling problems now.
  • Dick Van Zandt
    Dick Van Zandt Member ✭
    I'd sure like my 6600M to run cooler while doing FT8 contesting. As others have commented: my DC power connector is so hot it feels like it's about to come apart. Have there been any updates on cooling improvements or upgraded fans since this discussion in Sept. 2019?
  • KD0RC
    KD0RC Member, Super Elmer Moderator
    edited June 17

    Hi Dic k, a hot connector is a symptom of dirty, corroded or loosely fitting contacts, not rig cooling. I would turn the rig off and let the connector cool to room temperature. Then use de-oxit or other contact cleaner and exercise the connector by plugging and unplugging it multiple times.

    Using FRStack4 or other third-party software that measures the internal voltage of your Flex, check to see how much voltage drop there is going from receive to transmit. Mine drops somewhere around 500 mV. I have a Power Pole connector at the radio and ring terminals at the power supply to eliminate a second connector.

  • Gord-VA7GP
    Gord-VA7GP Member ✭✭✭

    When it comes to fans, I may humbly offer:

    Sure, a sub-$2 fan in manufacturing is understandable, when it meets the specified requirements.

    But along the way, the manufacturer probably identified a half-dozen alternatives that were marginally better in some way (longevity, airflow, noise, etc). And perhaps these were priced for the aftermarket enthusiast (ie single-lot, retail-packaging, consumer-channels), so they didn't make it into the factory production.

    But, for aftermarket enthusiasts (automotive OR radio), spending $20 on a fan that performs better, lasts longer, is quieter, etc … that is OK. I personally do this all the time 🤣

    I wonder, then, if Flex may have suggestions for fans that exceed the original performance, but may only be financially appealing to the aftermarket enthusiast?

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin

    Not really. We stopped on that fan we use and we won't revisit the fan that we specify until the current fan becomes unavailable. With so many projects going on, it is all about time management.

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