Actuator Recommendations

[StarScan]

After getting my 10' fiberglass Prodelin in arc and moving the actuator to the eastern side I found out it doesn't have the guts to pull the dish back past 111W. The actuator is a 24"JGS and I'm only getting 16" out of it. When I go past 111W I have to go outside and help it. What would be a good actuator?

 

[mmewrench]

A fiberglass dish is quite heavy, and a ballscrew actuator is recommended for that load. I think the only manufacturer that offers a ballscrew actuator is venture.

 

[FaT Air]

It's either that or a counterbalance. #14

 

[Lone Gunman]

If you're only using 16" of stroke on a 24" mover then I'd try moving the actuator mount point out a couple of inches. The further you get away from the pivot point center line of the polar mount the easier it will be to move it and it will use more of the stroke as well meaning better accuracy.

 

[beavs2112]

A Von-weise, Venture or Thomson Saginaw ball-screw actuator should work fine. They are expensive new but often an old dish will have one on it. I got my Von-weise with my dish for free.

 

[gabshere]

A Von-weise, Venture or Thomson Saginaw ball-screw actuator should work fine. They are expensive new but often an old dish will have one on it. I got my Von-weise with my dish for free.

i agree von weise sell them on their website ,, seen a thompson saginaw on ebay (NOS)

 

[Bowhunters]

Not all the BUD movers are made equal that is for sure, if yours looks old it probably needs some lube inside on the threads. It may be dried out and rusted.

StarScan - If you do a Google Search on ( How to rebuild a Linear Actuator ) you will see quite a few hits, one of those links (can't remember which) had some good photo's and instructions on how to break one down and do a decent rebuild.

A new Heavy Duty actuator will cost around $200 - 300 dollars.

Some places sell a rubber boot that fits over the extending end of the actuator that keeps rain water and melting snow from getting inside the actuator (well worth the money) IMO as it keeps the water from washing away grease off the threads.

 

[StarScan]

I'll try making a counter balance. I can start welding something up tomorrow.

 

[FaT Air]

You know, we'll want to see pictures.

 

[StarScan]

I'll take pictures as I go. How much weight should I need?

 

[FaT Air]

Hard to estimate. I'd take the actuator off, let the dish down to one side, and add weight til it get's 'light' when manually pushing it up off the end. A longer arm would require less weight than a short arm.

 

[Lone Gunman]

Never mind! Brain fart!

 

[Titanium]

What are you using for a controller? The G/V-boxes might not provide adequate power for lifting a large and heavy dish. The counter weight should help.

 

[StarScan]

I'm using a vbox 7, I'm planning on getting the asc1 later on but its a bit pricey.

 

[Titanium]

Try a temporary 12Vdc car battery connection to the actuator motor terminals with a heavy gauge wire and see if it lifts. Might help you figure out if the motor has enough lifting capacity or if it is the Vbox struggling.

 

[Johnnyfeedback]

my vonwise have been giving me problems lately
Ended up buying a 24 inch actuator off of ebay for $49 New with free shipping.
Hooked it up to my 10 foot satellite dish and it worked well.
But after hooking it up I felt it will not last LONG term(had words on it made in china}
But bought a Venture 24 inch for $140 and its like day and night over the made in china actuator.
Best to buy a Venture and leave the cheaper ones alone,,,,,,I will use my Made in China Ebay actuator as a spare
if ever needed.......Jt

 

[wen]

Buy a Heavy Duty Ball Screw Actuator

I can attest to the fact that the Made in China Ebay actuator is a short lived spare (They use only 1.5 inch tubes and advertise as heavy duty). Mine lasted only until the first good breeze folded it over. Hunted up my old 24 inch Thomson
Saginaw Ball Screw Actuator which uses a heavy duty 2 inch tube and it has been running every since! It is a ball screw actuator instead of an acme screw and can lift twice the antenna for the same electrical current.

The clamp is one of the major problems for this or any other actuator used on a heavy antenna. I could not clamp the 1.5 inch tube with the furnished clamp and I tried rubber liner as well as hose clamps to keep it from sliding, but ultimately it was the actuator sliding in the clamp that allowed it to extend until the antenna could flop over and destroy the actuator.

The 2 inch Ball Screw actuators are build heavy enough that this same slippage would not have bent the actuator and the Sagninaw (Michigan) people knew to include a heavy duty clamp that could hold the tremendous force this actuator is capable of pushing.


Good Luck.

 

[StarScan]

I was wrong, the farthest I can get with a 50/50 chance of having to help it is on 121W. I had a plan in mind to fabricate a counter balance which would be a piece of angle iron with 4 1/2 to 5' pole welded to it for the weights. It would bolt to the top rung but there's a few problems, the pole would hit the actuator and it will hit the main pivot bolt in the polar mount. Any ideas?

 

[FaT Air]

A weight lifted off the ground as the dish is at, or near, an extreme. Would be attached to the side of the dish that is highest when at that extreme. Hope that made sense. I kinda don't like that option as it's attached to the dish so there's a chance of deformation. Maybe a heavier weight, but to that side of the dish framework????

 

[StarScan]

I have an idea of what your saying. I have a hunk of steel around 100lbs I'll hang on the framework on the side of the actuator.