tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582324753928900006.post5760946542603154984..comments2014-04-05T08:19:17.536-07:00Comments on TardHaus Projects: Ground LoopsSamCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07381969208576048638noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582324753928900006.post-33698975385774096672010-03-09T16:26:07.712-08:002010-03-09T16:26:07.712-08:00I blew up my Elecraft K2 with a nasty ground loop ...I blew up my Elecraft K2 with a nasty ground loop on Field Day a couple of years ago. I had connected the radio to a 12VDC battery. I had also connected a DC-DC converter to the battery to power my laptop at 18VDC. Then I connected the radio to the computer for voice keying, and POP! The magic smoke came out. Apparently the DC-DC converter output had a floating ground. The computer was unscathed but some of the ground traces on the K2 were fried, along with it's CPU. Fortunately it's a K2 so I was able to fix it with a new CPU from Elecraft and some bus wire.<br /><br />The moral of the story is that opto-isolation is a good thing.N1YWBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06177063769610847304noreply@blogger.com