Icom ICA5 over voltage

[ZULU1]

I always share experiences (bad and good) when they arise, up early to make up some power supplies..

I had a call last night to loan a radio, ICA5 "error message CL NG" this means its been spiked with over voltage. Some are software repairable others are unrepairable. This is about the 6th we have had in now.

The ICA 5 (23) is discontinued now, spares and batteries are getting scarce, as a result it becomes imperative to run them from the planes supply. However they don't like surges and any spike over 15 volts and the radio is damaged.

They really are not bad radios, just a real shame to trash them for the sake of fitting a simple regulator in series with the power supply.

What can be even worse is a cross country and the radio will get nailed on starting, then no comms.

So if you own one of these radios; you fly without a regulated power supply, and you may say "its been fine for two years" (as this one was). It can happen any time..

Best device is a LM350 (3 amps) or LM338 (5 amps), they draw about 1,1 amps I find the LM317 ( the most common regulator available) is a bit light for it. All available in a TO220 package.
We set them to 11,5 volts.


eish Zulu1