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What is the Operating Temperature Range for the Flex-6400?

snacey0103
snacey0103 Member ✭✭
edited June 2023 in Peripherals & Station Integration
Hi all, I am planning to locate a new FL-6400 in my garage. I am located in San Jose, CA - houses where I am located are small and on small city lots so placing the Flex-6400 in the garage can solve many problems - it will be close to the antenna and is out of the house (key for my spouse). Temperatures in the garage fluctuate throughout the year between +40F to +107F. I have seen mention of a operations range or +32F to +137F in another Community post, but can't find any official specifications. Does anyone know?
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Answers

  • KD0RC
    KD0RC Member, Super Elmer Moderator

    From the Flex-6400 and Flex 6600 Hardware Reference Manual page 13:

    Operating Temperature Range 0 to +50C, +32 to +122F

    I think you will be more than fine with the rig in your garage.

  • snacey0103
    snacey0103 Member ✭✭
    Many thanks Len. Being a newbie, I tend to ask lots of "simple" questions. Once I have the Flex-6400 and begin to install and use it, I'll do better. :) -- Scott, W1MVY
  • KD0RC
    KD0RC Member, Super Elmer Moderator

    Never a problem to ask here!

  • Craig Gagner
    Craig Gagner Member ✭✭

    Hi there,


    I do something similarly, running a flex 6300 from an unconditioned space. I'm in the Pacific Northwest so my conditions are different than yours. My only caution is that the space temperature not drop below the dewpoint temperature. That could cause a condensing issue. I have to watch that here in my neck of the woods.

    Best,


    Craig w7phg

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

    I can 100% confirm that my radio has had no issue on the low side.

    Just this week, the radio saw -15C and worked without issue.

    73

  • snacey0103
    snacey0103 Member ✭✭

    Thanks for all the comments.


    I just got my Flex-6400 on the air yesterday from my garage with a temporary Buddipole in my front yard - even with that tiny antenna I notice a tremendous difference from my old Yaesu.

    I'm pleased to hear that the rigs can stand some interesting temperature swings. @Craig, I note your dewpoint comment, that is not really an issue here in San Jose - certainly not like what you see up north! @Mike, brrr - we don't see that much of a low either.

    All I need to do now is get my permanent antenna up in the coming week and see what the Flex-6400 can do!

  • KD0RC
    KD0RC Member, Super Elmer Moderator

    Congratulations Scott, I think you will really enjoy the radio!

  • Hal Massey
    Hal Massey Member ✭✭

    Hello San Jose, CA. ---- 27 years in Sunnyvale CA before moving to Northern Colorado. You will be fine. Your Flex can tell you what the PA Temp is via a LAN or WAN connection...Just don't put it up in the rafters where it gets really warm on some summer days...

    Regards

    Hal / WB6NNR

  • snacey0103
    snacey0103 Member ✭✭

    Thanks Hal, The radio is installed on a garage counter top so it will hopefully be good.

    73, Scott W1MVY

  • Wayne
    Wayne Member ✭✭
    Why is there no temp meter on 6400 like there was on 5000??
  • KD0RC
    KD0RC Member, Super Elmer Moderator

    Hi Wayne, there are free third party apps available. FRStack and SDRMonitor both show rig voltage and temperature. I like SDRMonitor because it is small and "attaches" to the SmartSDR window. It is just as if it were part of SmartSDR.

    image.png


  • Dan Trainor
    Dan Trainor Member ✭✭✭

    Two things to add... It just so happens if you're using SmartSDR for Mac version both the voltage and temp are displayed in the upper right part of the menu bar. The other comment I would say is that if you are running a high duty cycle mode, keep a close eye on high temps. It can easily creep up well above 50 degs C. I noticed this when operating AM and having long buzzard transmissions :). In fact, fans could not keep up. temp went too high and as a result I believe I blew my finals. My 6600 now in for repairs. Now using my backup 6400 radio - and watching temp carefully. I now end my transmission at around 48-50 deg C, just in case. Dan de WA1QZX

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin
    edited June 2023

    The radio has lots of overheat protection in it that will dial back the power if you start to approach above 80C, however, it is a good idea to keep an eye on things, especially in constant carrier modes such as AM and FT8 (and a few others). Our RF design engineers are pretty savvy about heat management and the specs of the RF components. And, we know our customers can be long winded at times. That is why we also have a timeout out timer.

    Dan, I went to look for your ticket to see what happened in your case, but I was not able to find it.

    I do see a ticket opened currently for your 6600, but it doesn't seem to be related to the finals failing. And, I see an issue with your AM carrier.

    Am I missing something?

  • Dan Trainor
    Dan Trainor Member ✭✭✭
    edited June 2023

    Thanks Mike. 80 degs C. (176 degs F) seems abit late to start dialing back power. But, anyway it is not necessary for you to track down my 6600 repair ticket. I am sure they are processing it properly and root cause will of course be determined, as per normal. And repaired as always. But, ticket number is: #58018. Another ticket is #57712 - I submitted having to do with the AM Carrier Reduction bug. That might have presented too much power to 6600 final PA - overheating. As, I assumed I was at 25W carrier (the max allowable), but it was actually running hot at 80W before I realized the bug existed. Then I reduced carrier to 56% which brought it back down to 25W carrier. There is yet another ticket on my 6400 (a back up radio) #58501 which has to do with the max AM carrier level being only 20W, it used to be 25W as documented in manual. I think it still should be 25W. I suspect it is an oversight/bug that occurred as a result of fixing the previous AM Carrier Reduction bug. I asked them if this was an undocumented design change, but I never got an answer back. All these issues are interrelated. In any case, my 6600 is in for repair and I am confident it will come out the other end as good or better than new. No Rush. And I have my 6400 swapped in same position, so I can continue to operate without skipping a beat, literally.. I can also remote into one of my other radios. In this post, I just wanted to make a small comment about temp gauge watching and also overheating on AM mode - let's say my "my lived experience" :). Thanks, dan

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