What's up everyone. Just picked up a new Penn fathom 40 star drag and loaded it up with 80 lb j braid. I used a spring tensioner to put the line on nice and solid. I noticed afterwards when testing drag that I couldn't achieve 15 lb of drag even when cinched down all the way.
My question is: could I have potentially burned out my drag washers with too much tension on the drag when putting on the line? Rookie move...
Try letting your drags cools down and retest.
any chance that you have braid that is slipping on the spool?
15# at the top of a full spool is PLENTY. It increases significantly as line comes off the reel.
As you lose line to the fish it will be 25# or more close to the end of the spool.
Other than the reality of having to jam a thumb in the spool to break off as needed or stop a fish from structure that 15# is all most can handle.