Actuator not stoping on exact stored sat

[stanleyjohn]

Im using a qarl 3624 actuator with a v box and have noticed at times that when going to a stored p number the actuator will stop just short or long where it should stop!If i move the dish a degree or two then go back to my stored no. that was off it will be ok.Guess what im trying to say is sometimes the actuator wont stop where it should.Is this a fairly common thing to happen once in a while or is it a problem that will get worse in time? Note! this actuator is only a few months used.

 

[turbosat]

Several things might cause that, I have an old superjack that does that same thing, used with an analog c/ku receiver. Could be old, dirty or faulty sensor, or sensor wires. If its a long cable run, I ran into problems because I used too-small guage wires to carry the current 125', lol. Took awhile to figure that one out. Sometimes slack inthe hardware can cause the same thing, be sure your bolts that hold the motor on are tightened enough not to wiggle.

 

[Blindowl1234]

Mine does the same as yours does. I've had the same problem since I got it about a year ago. On the gbox it sometimes seems to run a degree or two past the stored setting. Usually doesn't affect things unless its a weaker signal. I'd check and make sure everything is good and tight. In my case I just accepted that this is a quirk of my setup lol...Hey I figured it moves and its a lot better than getting outside and having to manually move the dish....Blind

 

[FaT Air]

Same here, I have to go to sats in a particular direction. Eastern sats, except for the last one, approach from the east, and western sats, except the last one. approach from the west. I reprogrammed, doing the above. Now, if I go from one side of the arc, to the other, it's just go 1 sat past where I want to go, then to the sat I want. I figure, as in/out actuator play increases with wear, it wont be as noticeable, if I always approach a sat from the same direction.

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

Im using a qarl 3624 actuator with a v box and have noticed at times that when going to a stored p number the actuator will stop just short or long where it should stop!If i move the dish a degree or two then go back to my stored no. that was off it will be ok.Guess what im trying to say is sometimes the actuator wont stop where it should.Is this a fairly common thing to happen once in a while or is it a problem that will get worse in time? Note! this actuator is only a few months used.

Yes. This is a common problem with the Vbox. I just bought a Vbox-X and it does the same thing. There are Vboxes for larger antennas but I don't know if they're any more accurate than the Vbox-X. I'm looking into pricing on a Vbox6000 which is suppose to be used with 3 meter to 5 meter antennas.

 

[tvro]

I found when dish is moving out or arm is extending it is more accurate as all the slack is out of dish from weight of dish but when retracting the arm on the east side where the weight of the dish is not on it you are pulling it back, it may stop a few counts out to fix this go one Sat past where you want then move back to where you were going this takes slack out of dish and arm. Works for me.

 

[stanleyjohn]

Thanks for the replies!It seems to be a fairly common problem and if it dosnt get any worse i can live with what i got.

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

Thanks for the replies!It seems to be a fairly common problem and if it dosnt get any worse i can live with what i got.

I don't consider this acceptable performance. There's got to be something better. If it is an actuator issue then I need to spend more money for an actuator that is truly capable of Ku, hence C, band accuracy. Maybe a Thomas-Saginaw overcomes this issue?

 

[turbosat]

Yep, the thompson-saginaw would probably take care of it, if you can still find them. Last I saw were about double the price of an old crappy superjack. But like everything else, you get what ya pay for.

 

[Blindowl1234]

I agree it's not really acceptable but at the price I paid for mine I can live with the results for now. ...Blind

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

FYI - the Vbox6000 is about $80.

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

Yep, the thompson-saginaw would probably take care of it, if you can still find them. Last I saw were about double the price of an old crappy superjack. But like everything else, you get what ya pay for.

Thomson Saginaw Satellite Antenna Actuators

 

[turbosat]

WOW 435bucks!
Plus you have to order something else for another 50. I didn't see where it mentioned lifetime warranty, lol.

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

WOW 435bucks!
Plus you have to order something else for another 50. I didn't see where it mentioned lifetime warranty, lol.

I think I'd try the Vbox 6000 for $80 first just in case it's not the actuator.

 

[stanleyjohn]

I think I'd try the Vbox 6000 for $80 first just in case it's not the actuator.

Let us know if thats the solution!After all i have spent on both my FTA set ups!It would be a very hard sell to my wife on a $450+ actuator.

 

[greenguy]

i use to use a 4DTV receiver to move my dish and i had the same problem, even tried it with my 2 Von Weise Jacks. . .

i changed to a VBox-X and reprogram the sat locations and it stops on point!

10' mesh with Von Weise 24" Jack. . .

waitin to see how the VBox-X holds up to my 12' mesh and the Thomson Saginaw

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

i use to use a 4DTV receiver to move my dish and i had the same problem, even tried it with my 2 Von Weise Jacks. . .

i changed to a VBox-X and reprogram the sat locations and it stops on point!

10' mesh with Von Weise 24" Jack. . .

waitin to see how the VBox-X holds up to my 12' mesh and the Thomson Saginaw

I sure would like to read about your results. I haven't got around to ordering the Vbox6000 yet. There was one website that sold a lot of controllers that are Made in China.