OTHER Acuator info-Need Help-Replacing an old Maspro

[mwdxer1]

Back 30 years ago I installed my old Maspro receiver. Well it died. The switch is bad and it will not come on most of the time. and of course no parts are around for it. I knew this may happen in the future. I was in my late 30s at the time and I am now nearing 70. I bought two used satellite receivers years ago. One is a Uniden Supra and the other is a GI 550i. Both have been sitting on the shelf for years and are probably from the 90s. It looks like I will need to replace the old Maspro with one of those. Any idea which one would work better to move the Dish and change polarity? I do not remember what set up I had on the old Maspro, a Reed Switch, or what. Too many years ago. I believe it has the magnetic wheel, as I replaced it with a different one so it would be better for KU. Any suggestions? The VC2s may even still be in them. They are both behind some stuff. Thanks for any help.

 

[phlatwound]

I am still using a Toshiba 1820 installed in 1993 to move one of my BUDs and it works great. Have seen and remember the Unidens and GIs but never owned one.

Do you have remotes for both/either? That might help you make you choice.

Lots of the old IRDs got took out by the batteries going bad in those VC2 boards and leaking into the receiver.

I'm no electronics tech but maybe a switch from something else could be adapted to get your Maspro functional again?

 

[mwdxer1]

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, the switch is an odd one. I took the front plate off to look. It is not easy to get to either. It looks like the switch is a complicated thing attached to a separate circuit board. I figure both of the spare receivers, the Uniden & the GI work okay and I believe I do have remotes for both. I just wonder if the receivers would work with the acuator? I know years later, some receivers would work with several different types. But it has been so long since I knew the stuff. I know I will have to realign the arc with a different receiver, but there isn't much I can do.

 

[phlatwound]

I think most of the old receivers would work with reed switch/magnet wheel setups.

If you could post a pic of your actuator/sensor setup at the dish and the back sides of your receivers I'm sure one of the old BUD installers here could steer you in the right direction.

 

[mwdxer1]

In digging around today I found my old manual for the Maspro. It says the actuator has to have a pulse type sensor. The potentometer type is not compatible. The hole the receiver is in is pretty dark, but the terminal says 7v Pulse Shield on the back of the Maspro. So what I need to know is the Uniden Supra or the GI 550i will work with the pulse type sensor?
Thanks.

 

[mwdxer1]

I checked the connections on the back of the Uniden Supra and it looks like the same connections the Maspro has. I have never fired up either receiver, the GI 550i or the Supra, so I have no idea what I am in for. . But both worked when they were taken out of service. Which receiver is better, or does it matter? I am only using it to move the Dish and switch the polarity. No analog left these days, so I will have some fun trying to find all of the birds again.

 

[Brct203]

I checked the connections on the back of the Uniden Supra and it looks like the same connections the Maspro has. I have never fired up either receiver, the GI 550i or the Supra, so I have no idea what I am in for. . But both worked when they were taken out of service. Which receiver is better, or does it matter? I am only using it to move the Dish and switch the polarity. No analog left these days, so I will have some fun trying to find all of the birds again.

can you see how many wires connect the actuator to the Maspro? Typicaly it should have 2 thin wires (pulse sensor) and 3 larger wires (12-16 AWG) for the motor, plus maybe a bare shield wire.

As for the old receivers, I don't know them but I can tell you that a well known (and reliable) website sells Uniden Supra as obsolete receivers that are great at moving dishes and polarotors. So i would say it's probably a good unit to use in your case. But the GI might be just as good, I don't know. It could come down to trying both and using the one that you like best.

 

[waylew]

Which receiver is better, or does it matter?

First get them out where you can work on them.If the VCII modules are still in them,remove and check that the batteries didn't leak,in any case send them to the recycle.Plug the receivers in and see if they power up,check to see if the remotes work.
If every thing checks out then it's just a case of deciding which one is easier to program and operate,for you.Either one should do what you want equally well.

 

[mwdxer1]

Thanks for the advice. I see the Uniden does not have the VC2 cage in it, so that is good. Okay, as far as the actuator
sensor connections go, the Maspro uses the pulse type, and the connections are labelled +7v, Pulse, Shield..
The Uniden Supra has ground, +12v, Shield, & Shield return. The GI 550i no VC2 cage either, The person that used it before me, has just a + & - where the sensor connections go, two wires. It looks like 24v for the motor and just the + & -. I wonder if my old actuator will work on either? How would I wire it? I presume the motor on the actuator will work on either receiver. Any thoughts?

 

[waylew]

Is it possible to go out to the actuator and take the motor cover off and take a picture?,so we can see just what you have there.
If it just has a reed switch you wouldn't need the 7volt,maybe it uses a HALL effect transistor?
I've got a couple of Unidens and a 450i flying around here somewhere,maybe later I can dig them out and see what's what.It's been years since I've used them so I don't remember just what the hook ups are on the back.

 

[mwdxer1]

Is it possible to go out to the actuator and take the motor cover off and take a picture?,so we can see just what you have there.
If it just has a reed switch you wouldn't need the 7volt,maybe it uses a HALL effect transistor?
I've got a couple of Unidens and a 450i flying around here somewhere,maybe later I can dig them out and see what's what.It's been years since I've used them so I don't remember just what the hook ups are on the back.

I could, but it would not be a good idea this weekend as it is raining. I'll have to wait until the weather improves. I know it used to have the wheel, as I replaced it after I added KU, so I would have more counts.

 

[waylew]

When you get a chance.I don't mind a rainy day but,seems like it's been raining here for the last 3 weeks,and cold.

 

[mwdxer1]

I do remember the actuator out there is a Thomson Saginaw. I buy the best I can find because of our wind on the Northern Oregon Coast. This arm is made to handle up to a 12 foot dish and mine is only 8.5 feet, but heavy, solid fiberglas . I do not believe I specified as certain type of switch. They just sent me a replacement at the time. Seems to me I may have a used spare motor somewhere. I believe the actuator is the one with one bolt that connects to the arm, if I remember correctly.

 

[mwdxer1]

I do remember the actuator out there is a Thomson Saginaw. I buy the best I can find because of our wind on the Northern Oregon Coast. This arm is made to handle up to a 12 foot dish and mine is only 8.5 feet, but heavy, solid fiberglas . I do not believe I specified as certain type of switch. They just sent me a replacement at the time. Seems to me I may have a used spare motor somewhere. I believe the actuator is the one with one bolt that connects to the arm, if I remember correctly. I found my extra motor, but it is different. Never needed to use it, but in taking the cover off the back, I find a white piece of plastic covering the electronics under it, connected by screws. and the terminal with the R/B Motor wires as well as three small wires, Red, Green, & Black. No wheel in this one. Also a Saginaw motor. If one motor would work better than the other, I can easily switch them out, as they both have the single bolt. When the weather improves I can take a photo of both.
The manual for the Maspro states only the Pulse type sensor will work. Are there more than one Pulse type? It has been so long ago, I just cannot remember. Thank you again for the help.

 

[mwdxer1]

Doing some research and looking at photos. I think the motor out at the dish is optical pulse, as it has the wheel. The spare motor I have looks like a Reed Switch type. If that is the case, I am wondering if the Uniden Supra will look with the Optical or do I need to switch the motor to the other with a Reed Switch? In the Uniden Supra manual, they show the connections on the motor and it is a Reed switch. But the book doesn't state if the receiver will work off other types.
But it doesn't say it wont either . The Maspro says a Pulse type is needed. Is a Reed Switch a pulse type?

 

[mwdxer1]

The Uniden Supra book says the receiver will work on optical, reed switch, or Hall Effect. But the voltage on the back on the Maspro says 7V, yet the Supra says 12v. Is that an issue?
The labeling is a bit different on the Supra too.
Maspro: Motor wires/ then 7v/Pulse/Shield
Uniden: Motor Wires/ then Ground/12v/Sensor/Ground

I presume the Red wire (7v, would go to the 12v terminal on the Uniden, is the pulse the same as sensor? What about the shield, a Ground? Thanks.

 

[waylew]

Okay,this is the Uniden I have,not a Supra but should be the same.
The actuator uses the top row of terminals,for the optical use the 12v-SEN-GND,if you switch the motor on the arm to the reed switch then you just use SEN and GND.The motor wires use M1 and M2,if the motor goes in the wrong direction just swap M1/M2.
The bottom row of terminals is for the polarotor,use the GND-PULSE-6v.
You are of course going to have to reset the receiver,reset limits and reprogram sats ect.
The terminals on the 550i should be more or less the same.
If you can't get the optical to work I would just switch to the reed sensor motor,you can test that on the bench to make sure it works before installing it on the arm.

 

[waylew]

I presume the Red wire (7v, would go to the 12v terminal on the Uniden, is the pulse the same as sensor? What about the shield, a Ground? Thanks.

I would say yes.

 

[mwdxer1]

Thank you! Yes, the connection terminal on the Supra is the same as yours. Is there a memory battery in the Supra I need to be concerned about? I know some receivers used them. I think the Maspro has some capacitor that protects the memory if the power was off. On the Supra, if there is one, what kind of battery is used and can I purchase one? I will pass along my results. Yes, thanks for reminding me to re-set the receiver. I see I can change the satellite name too. I was wondering about that.

 

[Trust]

I think the + 12 v connector is for the use of a 12 V switch , use to set on or of in the setup menu .
Better start with the +6 V for the optical sensor .