Actuator lock up?

[skynyrd]

It is around 14 degrees here, and I noticed that when I tried to move my dish with the 4DTV reciever, the actuatuator count on my reciever doesn't change, but I can hear my dish moving. When I try to re-setup a satellite, when I try to move the satellite east and west, it gives me the message "Physical limits of dish have been met".

I never had a problem with it before. The 922 is the new piece in the setup (had an analog box before). Could it be possible that the cold weather locked up the sensor portion of the actuator?

 

[Lak7]

Can you see it moving?

 

[sergei]

Have you gone into setup and set your dish E & W limits, sounds like you may not have them set. Also doubt check the cables from the actuator

 

[skynyrd]

Can you see it moving?

Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't... I first noticed it when I was trying to changed to another mapped satellite, and it seemed like it didn't want to hit it.. i had to move it manually.. now it seems like its not hitting any of them.. I didn't stay out there too long, but it seemed like it moved more than it normally does everytime i pushed the button to move it.

 

[Lak7]

If it moves, you should get a Pulse Count.
If the receiver doesn't "feel" the Pulse Counts, it should give you the message you got, and the Dish should not move.
As Sergi said, double check connections on back of receiver and at Motor.

 

[turbosat]

the grease is frozen!

Sounds like the grease in the actuator is freezing, had that happen before but not often. Little moisture gets inside the tube and when it gets that cold it will partially freeze up and stall the motor. Lucky if it don't happen to mine tonite since it's supposed to get close to 11degrees here-coldest in about 6yrs!

 

[tvropro]

I just had to replace my actuator this winter killed it after 19 years. Here's what you can do to troubleshoot. If you have a volt meter put the thing on about a 50 volt scale and measure the voltage on M1 & M2 (approx 24-36 vdc) terminals when you tell it to change satellites. If it reads a voltage and stops the receiver is putting out voltage. Then to see if its a sensor problem or in the counting circuit disconnect the pulse wire from behind the receiver and place a jumper on the ground terminal. Start tapping the pulse terminal to simulate the reed switch counting while you do it tell the dish to move manually. If the numbers move on the screen the counter is good in the receiver. Then you need to look at the actuator itself.

I was getting the same message and problems you were getting and I traced to the brushes worn bad in the motor. I replaced the actuator last Friday and all is well it's -25 below here and moving fine.

Your actuator could:
1) Have a bad connection.
2) Have a bad sensor.
3) Be frozen from water in it.
4) The motor could be in bad shape and the cold has killed it. (like mine)
5) Could have something causing it to bind or slip (gear, acme nut etc)

If its old it may be better to order a new one then fix the old one for a spare like I still have to do when I replace my brushes.

 

[skynyrd]

Sounds like the grease in the actuator is freezing, had that happen before but not often. Little moisture gets inside the tube and when it gets that cold it will partially freeze up and stall the motor. Lucky if it don't happen to mine tonite since it's supposed to get close to 11degrees here-coldest in about 6yrs!

That's what I was thinking... I know the guy who I got the dish from said it was a new actuator, but it had been sittin for 10 years.. so plenty of time for that.. everything worked fine yesterday with the sunlight hitting it...

I am able to move the dish if I keep holding down the button.. eventually It will get to where it needs to be.. It probably doesn't help that I have speaker wire for the pulse and motor control... lol I've been meaning to replace that, but I haven't yet..

 

[tvropro]

That's what I was thinking... I know the guy who I got the dish from said it was a new actuator, but it had been sittin for 10 years.. so plenty of time for that.. everything worked fine yesterday with the sunlight hitting it...

I am able to move the dish if I keep holding down the button.. eventually It will get to where it needs to be.. It probably doesn't help that I have speaker wire for the pulse and motor control... lol I've been meaning to replace that, but I haven't yet..

If its laboring its better to put it on one satellite and leave it till it warms up, don't force it. Mine would work and not work, then it kept getting worse till it finally stopped for good.

I didn't want to believe the actuator was the problem but it finally told me different.

You can read more here (lots of good input):

http://www.satelliteguys.us/c-band-satellite-discussion/159734-actuator-questions.html

 

[skynyrd]

If its laboring its better to put it on one satellite and leave it till it warms up, don't force it. Mine would work and not work, then it kept getting worse till it finally stopped for good.

I didn't want to believe the actuator was the problem but it finally told me different.

You can read more here (lots of good input):

http://www.satelliteguys.us/c-band-satellite-discussion/159734-actuator-questions.html

K I'll leave it alone tonight.. (on W5 now.. guess i'll stay there till tommrow at least).. Your thread did have some good info.. I'm probably going to be on the lookout for some old dishes that are damaged, that are good for parts (like actuators).. doesn't hurt to have more than one around.

weather.com says it is going to get down to 3 degrees tonight.. that's pretty cold for Tennessee.. We only have a couple of these super cold weeks a year.. so hopefully it'll pass... I don't see how you northerners take it

I was really getting concerned that mabye my 922 was screwed up.. I really didn't like that idea, seeing as though I just got it and all.. but I do plan on getting some good wireing and doing the install correctly this spring/summer.

 

[tvropro]

My plans are with my old actuator is to get some brushes clean and lube it up and put it on the side. It's good to have a spare everything. I have 2 spare LNB's and 3 new servos and a feedhorn so I have the outside electronics covered for the most part.

Good luck with the actuator. I feel your pain after just going through it. It's no fun to see the icons check move and when it stops snow on the screen, gives you a bad feeling in your stomach.

 

[zaxxon]

Mine will freeze up at anything below 32%. I bought a new one but will wait until it warms up to mess with it.

The one I am using now is only abou 12 years old. I guess nothing last forever.

 

[skynyrd]

I checked out my 4DTV unit... i measured the voltage it was putting out when I clicked the up and doen to change the pulse position. I got a reading of voltage reading somewhere averaging in the 20's, then 0. I then went into my limits, and tapped pulse and gnd.. the reciever read my "Simulated" pulse switches, and i set the limits low and high from 2000 to 6000 i believe... just to test. Then I hooked up my dish, and the same thing happened... the reciever would move the dish a little, and I would hear the reciever "Click".. then nothing.

I hooked up my analog box, and told it to move to the satellite, and it worked flawlessly.. so I know its not the actuator... thinking that it may be the 4DTV box.. I noticed this starting when I tried to go to G5 on the 4DTV with the same settings the previous owner had... it told me it was out of limits, and then I started having problems on my other sats... could it be something out of whack with those? all appear to be in the 5000 range.

 

[skynyrd]

That was it..

One of those old stored sats that the Previous Owner had must have messed things up.. I reset all sats, and limits, and everything is working fine now. Gotta remember that next time I have that problem.. Glad its wasn't the actuator or a hardware problem with the 4DTV

 

[tvropro]

4DTV's can get quite flaky every so often. I had to use the adjust all satellite function when I was setting up my new actuator so the limits would reset right. I try every which way before having to do a master clear/reset. Thats a bummer.