[BC] AM transmitter lightning sensitivity issue

[Ron Youvan]

>  From what I am gathering from other sources, this "storm sensitivity" 
> appears to be a characteristic of this particular transmitter.  But I 
> wanted to throw this out there to see if others have experienced a 
 > similar problem, what they may have done to help minimize
 > or solve it or offer suggestions as to what else I should consider.

  I put in a 1 kW TV transmitter (operating off of one phase 208 Volts)
on the air in Florida, as soon as lightning season began a problem
was obvious.
   The beam power tetrode experienced a screen grid overload every time
lightning touched the ground within 25 or more miles from the site.
   You could stand outside, 10 feet from the front door and see the
stroke way up in the next county and hear the contactors cycle.
   A trouble shooter came to the site from the MFG and he couldn't
figure out why it was tripping off.
   "No one ever heard of that problem!"

   I mentioned this problem to the head corporate engineer whom was
the very "Mr. Mark Durenberger" * of this list's fame, he said:
"Oh, just exchange the primary AC leads, that will take care of
that problem."  I asked him how that is related, he said:
"I don't know."
   As he suggested, I reversed the two wires at the power box breaker
and that cured the problem.  I still don't understand that problem/cure.
(except that the screen grid protection included a SCR that fired on
a fault)
  * a gentleman and scholar as is obvious from his every post here
-- 
    Ron  KA4INM - Watch out for the full moon,
                  freaky things can happen!