Vbox7 zapped (@#$% lightning!)

[. Raine]

LM7812: 15.4V
LM7805: 1.4V

The input for the 7812 looks right, but the input for the 7805 isn't right. Loosing the 5V supply would knock out the display and all, I'd remove the 7805 from the circuit board and then see if you have a better input voltage with the 7805 out of the circuit, probably 9-15V. Most likely the same input as the 7812, 15V. If you do, the 7805 needs to be replaced and you may be lucky.

If the input voltage for the 7805 is still low after you remove the 7805, then you'll need to trace back and find out where it's losing it at. But first, remove the 7805 from the circuit and see if your input voltage comes back up. You can check the 7805 out of circuit with your meter too, it should read as a diode pretty much, from either outside leg to the ground. If it reads shorted from either of those legs to the ground pin, it's bad.

Probably the same deal with the 7812 too, seeing as how the output is only 2.26 volts. Pull them both out of circuit and see if your input voltages look right then. If not, then something between the transformer and the regulators is messed up, you have the 15VAC supply from the trans, so it would be something in between, if it's not the regulators pulling it down. I'd guess it's only the regulators, seeing as how the input of the 7812 looks right, but it may have also gone beyond them.
.
You have lightning like we have here! We've had it spark on our window screens, a ball of lightning blow out of a old phone receptacle and fly down to a wall plug, nasty stuff. When you feel that charge in the air, watch out!

Another thing to check, is anything in the circuit, especially the regulators, really hot to the touch?

 

[N6BY]

...
If the input voltage for the 7805 is still low after you remove the 7805, then you'll need to trace back and find out where it's losing it at. But first, remove the 7805 from the circuit and see if your input voltage comes back up. You can check the 7805 out of circuit with your meter too, it should read as a diode pretty much, from either outside leg to the ground. If it reads shorted from either of those legs to the ground pin, it's bad....

Exactly. The input to the 7805 should be at least 7 volts. Its either shorted or not getting a high enough input voltage.

 

[FTA4PA]

The input for the 7812 looks right, but the input for the 7805 isn't right. Loosing the 5V supply would knock out the display and all, I'd remove the 7805 from the circuit board and then see if you have a better input voltage with the 7805 out of the circuit, probably 9-15V. Most likely the same input as the 7812, 15V. If you do, the 7805 needs to be replaced and you may be lucky.

If the input voltage for the 7805 is still low after you remove the 7805, then you'll need to trace back and find out where it's losing it at. But first, remove the 7805 from the circuit and see if your input voltage comes back up. You can check the 7805 out of circuit with your meter too, it should read as a diode pretty much, from either outside leg to the ground. If it reads shorted from either of those legs to the ground pin, it's bad.

Probably the same deal with the 7812 too, seeing as how the output is only 2.26 volts. Pull then both out of circuit and see if your input voltages look right then. If not, then something between the transformer and the regulators is messed up, you have the 15VAC supply from the trans, so it would be something in between, if it's not the regulators pulling it down. I'd guess it's only the regulators, seeing as how the input of the 7812 looks right, but it may have also gone beyond them.
.
You have lightning like we have here! We've had it spark on our window screens, a ball of lightning blow out of a old phone receptacle and fly down to a wall plug, nasty stuff. When you feel that charge in the air, watch out!

Another thing to check, is anything in the circuit, especially the regulators, really hot to the touch?

Ok, I will remove the regulators and test the voltages again. Now that you mention it the regulators are very hot. I know they can run pretty warm but these are hot. Hopefully I get lucky and that's all it is. Definitely been bad here for lightning the past few summers. This strike that took out the Vbox7 wasn't as bad as the one that hit in 2014 though - you could feel the hair stand up on your arms with that one and we lost a satellite receiver, two lnbs, the antenna pre-amp and a computer. Fun times!

 

[. Raine]

Ok, I will remove the regulators and test the voltages again. Now that you mention it the regulators are very hot. I know they can run pretty warm but these are hot. Hopefully I get lucky and that's all it is. Definitely been bad here for lightning the past few summers. This strike that took out the Vbox7 wasn't as bad as the one that hit in 2014 though - you could feel the hair stand up on your arms with that one and we lost a satellite receiver, two lnbs, the antenna pre-amp and a computer. Fun times!

Very hot sounds like one or both regulators are shorted, probably that 7805. You might be lucky!

 

[FTA4PA]

Well, I had hoped to pull out the regulators and do some testing this afternoon but got side-tracked by the other damage I found. My daughter tried to use the kids computer to check her email and couldn't connect to the server. After looking things over I found that lightning had apparently zapped the NIC on the motherboard. Luckily I had a spare network card I was able to drop in to get it fixed pretty quickly. Then I figured I'd go to the bedroom for a minute and hook up the FreeSat V7 receiver I just received from Amazon to give it a try. When I connected everything and turned it on to scan I couldn't get a signal. The dish is stationary and already pointed at 99w so I knew what the problem was - the c band lnbf had been zapped as well! This is the C2PLL (dual output) I had won in a contest Titanium had. I did determine that the second port was unaffected since it wasn't connected yet so I can still use it as a single output lnbf. It just keeps getting better! Maybe I'll get back to the Vbox7 tomorrow...

 

[iBoston]

Well, I had hoped to pull out the regulators and do some testing this afternoon but got side-tracked by the other damage I found. My daughter tried to use the kids computer to check her email and couldn't connect to the server. After looking things over I found that lightning had apparently zapped the NIC on the motherboard. Luckily I had a spare network card I was able to drop in to get it fixed pretty quickly. Then I figured I'd go to the bedroom for a minute and hook up the FreeSat V7 receiver I just received from Amazon to give it a try. When I connected everything and turned it on to scan I couldn't get a signal. The dish is stationary and already pointed at 99w so I knew what the problem was - the c band lnbf had been zapped as well! This is the C2PLL (dual output) I had won in a contest Titanium had. I did determine that the second port was unaffected since it wasn't connected yet so I can still use it as a single output lnbf. It just keeps getting better! Maybe I'll get back to the Vbox7 tomorrow...

Sorry my friend. I have installed Voltage Regulators for everything that's worth anything in the house. I have experienced much damage in the past.

 

[fred555]

Well, I had hoped to pull out the regulators and do some testing this afternoon but got side-tracked by the other damage I found. My daughter tried to use the kids computer to check her email and couldn't connect to the server. After looking things over I found that lightning had apparently zapped the NIC on the motherboard. Luckily I had a spare network card I was able to drop in to get it fixed pretty quickly. Then I figured I'd go to the bedroom for a minute and hook up the FreeSat V7 receiver I just received from Amazon to give it a try. When I connected everything and turned it on to scan I couldn't get a signal. The dish is stationary and already pointed at 99w so I knew what the problem was - the c band lnbf had been zapped as well! This is the C2PLL (dual output) I had won in a contest Titanium had. I did determine that the second port was unaffected since it wasn't connected yet so I can still use it as a single output lnbf. It just keeps getting better! Maybe I'll get back to the Vbox7 tomorrow...

Sorry to hear about your damage. I had a storm roll through a few weeks ago.

Damage List:

4 Zinwell SAM multiswitches
4 Chieta Diseqc switches
3 Titanium C2WPLL - I also had one where one output still worked
1 SL2PLL Geosat Pro KU
1 DSS922 Circular lnbf
1 Amiko Mini HD SE - had to break out may last spare mini HD SE.

The lightning hit the opposite side of the house from the dishes and multiswitch box.
Have a huge OTA antenna 30 feet in the air in between the strike and the dishes.
The OTA Converter box even lit up during the strike, but my entire OTA system, preamps, amps, and all TVs are good to go.

I have a brand new in the box Vbox if you can't fix yours or find one for sale.
You can have it if you need it.

 

[FTA4PA]

Sorry my friend. I have installed Voltage Regulators for everything that's worth anything in the house. I have experienced much damage in the past.

Thanks! Sorry to hear you've had damages as well. I may have to look into some extra protection. Kicking myself as it may not have happened if I'd kept better track of storms in the area and got everything disconnected as I usually do.

 

[KE4EST]

Maybe that is the extent of the damage and you don't find more.

 

[FTA4PA]

Sorry to hear about your damage. I had a storm roll through a few weeks ago.

Damage List:

4 Zinwell SAM multiswitches
4 Chieta Diseqc switches
3 Titanium C2WPLL - I also had one where one output still worked
1 SL2PLL Geosat Pro KU
1 DSS922 Circular lnbf
1 Amiko Mini HD SE - had to break out may last spare mini HD SE.

The lightning hit the opposite side of the house from the dishes and multiswitch box.
Have a huge OTA antenna 30 feet in the air in between the strike and the dishes.
The OTA Converter box even lit up during the strike, but my entire OTA system, preamps, amps, and all TVs are good to go.

I have a brand new in the box Vbox if you can't fix yours or find one for sale.
You can have it if you need it.

Sorry to hear about your recent losses - definitely worse than mine. I really appreciate the offer of the Vbox but I did find my spare - just have to swap out those spring terminals for screw terminals and hook it up.

 

[FTA4PA]

Maybe that is the extent of the damage and you don't find more.

I hope so - wish me luck!

 

[. Raine]

I've never taken apart my C2WPLL, but seeing as how one side still works on yours, the lightning may have just blown the trace off where the F connector is soldered. A lot of stuff with F connectors, tuners, etc, have a squiggly trace on the circuit board right there at the solder point and it blows off before anything else gets whacked. Jump across it with a strand of wire and good to go, usually, when it's that.

I too, hope you have nothing else damaged! Always a downer when you think you assessed all the damage and then, nope, there's more!

 

[FTA4PA]

I've never taken apart my C2WPLL, but seeing as how one side still works on yours, the lightning may have just blown the trace off where the F connector is soldered. A lot of stuff with F connectors, tuners, etc, have a squiggly trace on the circuit board right there at the solder point and it blows off before anything else gets whacked. Jump across it with a strand of wire and good to go, usually, when it's that.

I too, hope you have nothing else damaged! Always a downer when you think you assessed all the damage and then, nope, there's more!

Thanks for the well wishes! And I may just give that a try - definitely worth a shot!

 

[KE4EST]

Pictures!!

 

[FTA4PA]

Pictures!!

Will do!

 

[Lone Gunman]

Well, I see it's not just me. A couple of months back I got hit pretty good also. Lightning took out the DMX741s C and Ku side of the LNBF and one of the two coax cables in that ribbon cable is now open somewhere on my Unimesh system. That same strike got the composite output on my shop Micro HD receiver along with the last Vbox X that I had that worked. Along with that I also lost the Ku side of another DMX 741s all on the Winegard system???

The Raydx system, which is still mounted on my open car trailer came through with no damage at all?? Go figure??

I totaled up the cost of the damage on the other two systems and it was about $1,300 worth in that one shot. Since then I've been unplugging EVERYTHING, ie, wall plugs and coax as some of the damage must have come up the neutral on the power strips, which were OFF.

What's really odd tough is that Unimesh system mount has NEVER, EVER had any damage before this one and there's been a dish on that post now for 16 years. I've still got ONE good coax in that ribbon cable and NO idea where it's burnt on the other one. I just know it's open somewhere that I can't see. There's about 30 feet of that one underground and about another 60 ft across the attic in my shop.

Luckily I had enough spares go get everything fixed except the burnt coax but I've got to buy some stuff to replace those other parts I used. That Micro HD does still have a working HDMI port so that's in use with that one now.

All this is the reason I was looking at some new style cable connectors and also looking for another dish controller. I've got 3 fried Vbox X controllers in a pile on my work bench now and no skills to know how to fix them since that can't be done with a wrench and sockets, etc. Yup, sad to say but the Lone Gunman can't solder and doesn't have much in the way of electronics background. Journeyman Industrial Maintenance Machinists don't usually have those skills but I could build another race car though.

In the final analysis though I'm pretty sure that lightning is a fickle biatch! At least it didn't get my 24" HD TV again, like it did TWICE before.

 

[FTA4PA]

Well, I see it's not just me. A couple of months back I got hit pretty good also. Lightning took out the DMX741s C and Ku side of the LNBF and one of the two coax cables in that ribbon cable is now open somewhere on my Unimesh system. That same strike got the composite output on my shop Micro HD receiver along with the last Vbox X that I had that worked. Along with that I also lost the Ku side of another DMX 741s all on the Winegard system???

The Raydx system, which is still mounted on my open car trailer came through with no damage at all?? Go figure??

I totaled up the cost of the damage on the other two systems and it was about $1,300 worth in that one shot. Since then I've been unplugging EVERYTHING, ie, wall plugs and coax as some of the damage must have come up the neutral on the power strips, which were OFF.

What's really odd tough is that Unimesh system mount has NEVER, EVER had any damage before this one and there's been a dish on that post now for 16 years. I've still got ONE good coax in that ribbon cable and NO idea where it's burnt on the other one. I just know it's open somewhere that I can't see. There's about 30 feet of that one underground and about another 60 ft across the attic in my shop.

Luckily I had enough spares go get everything fixed except the burnt coax but I've got to buy some stuff to replace those other parts I used. That Micro HD does still have a working HDMI port so that's in use with that one now.

All this is the reason I was looking at some new style cable connectors and also looking for another dish controller. I've got 3 fried Vbox X controllers in a pile on my work bench now and no skills to know how to fix them since that can't be done with a wrench and sockets, etc. Yup, sad to say but the Lone Gunman can't solder and doesn't have much in the way of electronics background. Journeyman Industrial Maintenance Machinists don't usually have those skills but I could build another race car though.

In the final analysis though I'm pretty sure that lightning is a fickle biatch! At least it didn't get my 24" HD TV again, like it did TWICE before.

Sorry to hear about your lost equipment Lone Gunman. Lightning can be so unpredictable as to where it travels and what it takes out along the way. Like you, I will be diligent at trying to disconnect things when storms are in the area. Best of luck and be safe!

 

[primestar31]

I haven't deliberately grounded ANYTHING in 40 years, including antennas on 50ft towers, and I've had lightning strikes go off on tree's within 100 feet, and I've never lost any equipment to a strike... Oh, I also don't unplug stuff during storms.

All I know, is lightning rods are grounded very well... lol

 

[Magic Static]

We properly ground our stuff so it works correctly, not for protection from lightning. That is a whole different scenario.

 

[fred555]

I also forgot to mention the strike tripped many arc-fault breakers in my panel.