34 switch probs

[kelton5020]

Hey, i have a customer thats went through 2 34 switches. One 30 mins after the initial install, then the replacement about 5 days after it was installed. I've never seen or had this happen before. If anyone has any idea what could cause these 34 switch to break this often, it would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Smith P.]

Tell what is damaged there and I will give an idea why.

 

[BlueRivets]

I just lost a new 34!

I had replaced a 64 about 48 hours previously.

I had DP dual lnbs connected on separate (tree blockage) dishes (110 & 119).

Receivers are a 622 and 2 508s.

I think I lost the lnbs as well. I had one other DP dual I was going to install at 61.5 but hadn't gotten to it. The legacy 61.5 was NOT connected.

No lightning, no power issues, no other equipment damaged.

Is it possible there is a bad batch of 34s?

 

[kelton5020]

There wasn't anything else broken, just the 34. Everything else is fine. They just have been going bad at one residence. Any ideas? I have to go back there tomarrow at 8 am if anyone could help me before then. thanks.

 

[Mike500]

I would suspect that high voltage is frying the DP34's even though both of the previous posters state that the electrical systems into which the receivers are plugged into are normal.

The chassis of the receiver is grounded to the coax, the dp34, and to the neutral wire in the house electrical system.

If a condition known to electrical engineers as a floating ground exists, voltages as high as 135 volts AC or more can feed to the DP34. This can occur intermitantly and only when certain other appliances are turned on in the house; those especially connected to the circuits using the companion couductor of the full 220 VAC circuit.

If you are not a qualified experienced electrician, one needs to check the electrical system for such a condition as a floating ground.

 

[Smith P.]

Right point.

 

[KE4EST]

All I have to say is strange!?!?!?

 

[Smith P.]

I would say with 99% it could be fixed, but a cost for s/h and labor will go over eBay price for working switch.

 

[rcdallas]

Hey, i have a customer thats went through 2 34 switches. One 30 mins after the initial install, then the replacement about 5 days after it was installed. I've never seen or had this happen before. If anyone has any idea what could cause these 34 switch to break this often, it would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Assuming power issue.......

Typical household voltage on a multimeter shows about 118 volts. Make sure the recievers are not on a circuit in which a surge from a motor that would typically dim lights for a second such as a garbage disposal/refrigerator, etc.

You can check the output voltage of the recievers themselves, +18 volts or so.

You can also check the outlets to see if you have a hot ground, that'll cause some funky things to happen. I've been on a trouble calls and seen some strange things happen with a hot ground, rare but it does in fact happen.

Keep in mind there is a minute possibility the utility company could be having problems with a nearby transformer, really the only real way to test this if it's intermittent is by utilitizing a meter with logging capabilities.

Also verify coax runs and make sure they are all intact, and not rubbing bare wire with another power source.

As stated before, make sure you know what your doing if you go this route.

 

[BlueRivets]

No more calls, we have a winner!!!!!!

I would suspect that high voltage is frying the DP34's even though both of the previous posters state that the electrical systems into which the receivers are plugged into are normal.

The chassis of the receiver is grounded to the coax, the dp34, and to the neutral wire in the house electrical system.

If a condition known to electrical engineers as a floating ground exists, voltages as high as 135 volts AC or more can feed to the DP34. This can occur intermitantly and only when certain other appliances are turned on in the house; those especially connected to the circuits using the companion couductor of the full 220 VAC circuit.

If you are not a qualified experienced electrician, one needs to check the electrical system for such a condition as a floating ground.

I did some testing and discovered that although the outlet the receiver was plugged into was fine, there was an adjacent outlet with an open ground and an intermittent neutral into which I had a power amp plugged. All this equipment was interconnected via various rca cables. I strongly suspect I managed to apply 120v ac to the 34, even if at a very low current level.

To compound things, I had rigged the DP stuff in a huge hurry (football game coming on, you know) and had bypassed the legacy ground block with 3Ghz barrel connectors.

Lesson learned and thanks for the tip.