Kilovac relay coil voltage

[K6JEK]

I seem to have a couple of Kilovac HC-3 vacuum relays but I can’t figure out the coil voltage. They are marked HC-3/53 or S3. The later part is handwritten so it might be an S or it might be a 5.

The data sheet I found says the number after the / indicates the coil voltage, blank is 26.5, /12Vdc is 12 Vdc, and /115dc is exactly what you’d expect. But nothing about /53.

I have a hard time believing its 53vDC. I suppose I could try 12vDC and see if they switch. Anyone have a information or a better idea

I also discovered that new ones are crazy expensive. I sure didn’t spend over $400 for them,

[W1ITT]

https://www.qsl.net/k7em/henry_amplifier/Kilovac_HC-1_Relay.pdf

On this link, scroll down to the Coil Data box and see the coil resistance.  That should tell the story.

Max Gain Systems has vacuum relays.  His prices are about as good as anyone.  A few years ago Kilovac was selling relays discounted to hams but that program has expired.  They seem to have a ham or two there.

73 de Norm W1ITT

[K6JEK]

https://www.qsl.net/k7em/henry_amplifier/Kilovac_HC-1_Relay.pdf

On this link, scroll down to the Coil Data box and see the coil resistance.  That should tell the story.

Max Gain Systems has vacuum relays.  His prices are about as good as anyone.  A few years ago Kilovac was selling relays discounted to hams but that program has expired.  They seem to have a ham or two there.

73 de Norm W1ITT

Thanks. I should have spotted that. And the answer is E) none of the above, 50 ohms. The spec for 12V is 80 +/- 10%. Most curious. It's probably 9V for use in 6 transistor portable radios.

So I measured them. One had a pick-up voltage of only 4.2V and a drop out of 2 V. The other had a pickup voltage of 6V and a drop out of 2V. They are marked the same and have nearly identical coil resistance. They aren't new.

Maybe I really will run them at 9V.

[DMOD]

Check the coil resistance. Most 12V relays have from 75 to 90 ohms coil resistance unless they were specially made.


Phil - AC0OB

[KD6VXI]

https://www.qsl.net/k7em/henry_amplifier/Kilovac_HC-1_Relay.pdf

On this link, scroll down to the Coil Data box and see the coil resistance.  That should tell the story.

Max Gain Systems has vacuum relays.  His prices are about as good as anyone.  A few years ago Kilovac was selling relays discounted to hams but that program has expired.  They seem to have a ham or two there.

73 de Norm W1ITT

They stopped selling to hams at a discount because the fed government made them.  Same thing with tower mfg.

The fed government said that they could no longer offer a government and a civilian price on identical items.  Thus towers and a whole plethora of other items went up to the consumer.

--Shane
KD6VXI

[Jim/WA2MER]

The fed government said that they could no longer offer a government and a civilian price on identical items.  Thus towers and a whole plethora of other items went up to the consumer.

I guess that means that the people who give the feds the money to buy the stuff in the first place can't buy it for the price we're buying at through the government. Yeah, seems fair to me.

[VE7RF]

https://www.qsl.net/k7em/henry_amplifier/Kilovac_HC-1_Relay.pdf

On this link, scroll down to the Coil Data box and see the coil resistance.  That should tell the story.

Max Gain Systems has vacuum relays.  His prices are about as good as anyone.  A few years ago Kilovac was selling relays discounted to hams but that program has expired.  They seem to have a ham or two there.

73 de Norm W1ITT

They stopped selling to hams at a discount because the fed government made them.  Same thing with tower mfg.

The fed government said that they could no longer offer a government and a civilian price on identical items.  Thus towers and a whole plethora of other items went up to the consumer.

--Shane
KD6VXI

##  The  'ham' version of the  gigavac vac relays  was the same as the  commercial version,  but  with de-rated  specs  for both  voltage and current  at
 dc /  60 hz...and also rf freqs.     I talked to the eng at  gigavac..and indeed the 2 x versions are identical.   The ham version had watered  down specs as the loophole.   A GH-1   is identical to a GH-1 ham.   

Jim  VE7RF