Power splitters and combiners are often used in building up higher power amps from smaller amplifier modules. In the picture above, the goal is to get 2000W total from two 1000W amps combined. The combiner is a properly terminated hybrid, Wilkinson, or other type suited for the task. What is the output power when (not if) one of the 1000W modules fails, but the other one keeps running at 1000W?

1000W

750W

500W

0W

Answer:500W

Bonus question!

If your answer above was not 1000W, where does the lost power go? The lost power is the power difference between the 1000W input to one side of the combiner and your answer.

Into the output of the dead module

Into the resistor in the combiner

Reflected back into the functioning module

Answer:Into the resistor in the combiner