Actuator Recommendations

[Bowhunters]

Venture Dish Mover

If you do decide to buy a new mover ( Primefocusantenna dot com ) has probably the cheapest Ventures I've seen anywhere.

24" Venture for $150 - 2" tube and 1000 lb lifting capacity.

I've got the 36" Venture on my 10ft dish and I love it, that rubber boot is a nice touch as it helps to keep rain water and snow melt from running inside the screw assy and helps it last a lot more years. I live in the central US so the 36" gets me to the East and West coasts but if you live East or West a 24" might be good enough.

 

[FaT Air]

Now, it would be lying on the ground 'most of the time' and lifted into the air only when the dish is far enough 'over' to be potentially problematic. So a cable to it from the top of the square frame holding the dish.

 

[StarScan]

Sounds pretty easy. If I don't have time tomorrow I will be able to get it Sunday. I'll post back with results and pictures.

 

[wen]

Actually a Venture Ball Screw Ma818-B24 is on Ricks Satellite for $229. That will lift 1000 pounds if you use a heavy duty clamp from Venture. The heavy duty clamp comes with some models but you can look it up here: http://www.venturemfgco.com/admin/uploadfiles/image/file/800-850 Technical Data 1-14.pdf

 

[FaT Air]

Posted 03-20-2014 11:15 PM

Sounds pretty easy. If I don't have time tomorrow I will be able to get it Sunday. I'll post back with results and pictures.

Any results?

 

[StarScan]

Posted 03-20-2014 11:15 PMAny results?

Cant find the 100 lb weight but cinder blocks seem to help a bit. I'll post pix tomorrow when its light out.

 

[RT-Cat]

I would suggest a cement block. They weigh more and much easier to find than a cinder block.

 

[FaT Air]

Correct terminology is a CMU* available here. (One of many sources) *See Nomenclature
Look at that, I learned something new today. (or re-learned, as I may have forgotten, I do that [more often than I'd like to admit]) LOL, But I like 'whatever works, cheaper the better'. Free is best.

 

[StarScan]

Sorry it took so long but heres a pic. I can get it to 123W without any problems now, need a few more blocks so It will come back from 125W. Thats the end of the actuator. I'm going to run some fence posts through the blocks so with wind won't blow them against the pole.

 

[FaT Air]

Red Green :up

 

[waylew]

Red Green :up

Not til he gets some duct tape on it

 

[truckracer]

36" heavy duty mover


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[StarScan]

I've been trying to go farther west. I got a few more inches out of the actuator and I upped the weight to 240 lbs. I can barely pull it back east from 125W with that much weight. I want to keep adding weights but how much weight is too much?

 

[FaT Air]

Instead of more weight, extend the 'arm'. Right now you're weight is only like a foot from the pivot. Moving it out another foot doubles the 'effective' weight.
Another question: have you checked the current draw of the actuator motor. Especially around your southern satellites. It's sounding like the actuator is 'weak' requiring that much 'help'.

 

[StarScan]

Instead of more weight, extend the 'arm'. Right now you're weight is only like a foot from the pivot. Moving it out another foot doubles the 'effective' weight.
Another question: have you checked the current draw of the actuator motor. Especially around your southern satellites. It's sounding like the actuator is 'weak' requiring that much 'help'.

The actuator is extremly weak, I have another one but its missing the back cover. I'll post pix of it. I have not checked the draw yet. Part of the problem could be that my wiring is cobbled (2 splices in actuator cable and 3 in sensor cable). Splices will be gone once I get my new cable in the mail.

 

[StarScan]

Made an arm last night. I'm getting two more bricks next time I'm at Lowes. I'm tracking 40.5 - 127, I'm thinking about moving the actuator where it tracks 53 - 139.

 

[FaT Air]

Not bad for a worn out actuator motor.
Might want to pick up a can of Kroil or PBBlaster to clean/lube the rod end of the actuator. Looks like it may be close to 'locking up' Then after a few applications and it's loosened up a coat of some aerosol grease. I also coat the tube itself with it. Couple times a year. Lubes the seal so it keeps water out.