Are SuperJack Actuators Worth $200.00?

[jsattv]

Since my current used Von Weise Actuator will only move my 12 Footer Mesh Dish with a battery Charger and NOT with my old Uniden 9900 Rx or my V Box III - it has 5 wires instead of the 4 required, (someone told me it is an old optical actuator), I have a chance to pick up a almost newSuperjack ZARL 3024+ Actuator for $200.00 from a local distributor. Is that a good price? And does anyone know if it will run or is within specs for my 12 ft Mesh Dish? Think the distributor said it is a 24 inch unit with 900 pound capacity. Any replies would be very much appreciated.

 

[Anole]

opinion:

No, I don't think so.

I just did a quick search , and found it for $170 new from RPS Satellite.
Whether or not it is the best model for you, I cannot say, as I didn't get the deep into researching what those letters mean.
There is another model HARL to your ZARL, and I just didn't to the homework.

The more counts per inch the motor has, the finer you can position the dish.
Not a big deal for C-band, but for Ku, it's a lot more critical.
The ZARL is 32 counts per inch, which is well better than 24, and short of 48, so middle ground.

There are two kinds of jacks, the cheap with the acme nut (ajax?), and the expensive which are called recirculating ball.
Learn the difference, and decide if the fancy one is what you want or not.

I would look harder at getting the existing motor to work.
It's probably not spectacular in counts per inch.
Might be convertable from optical to magnetic...?
Can't offer you any advice, though.
Hopefully, one of the old timers here will know about it.

And lastly, I'd see what I could find for $80.
Maybe you just can't get anything decent for that price, but I'd darned sure find out!
I've seen 18" jacks for well under $50, but not on a regular basis (new).

edit: wow, HARL 24" for $69 at Sadoun!
I see more shopping in your future!

 

[gabshere]

i've had both the light HARL 3618 ( 36 being the voltage and 18 being the shaft length)
and a Heavy duty QARL 3618

both function well but you could tell the QARL moves my small dish (7 1/2 ft) with ease and slightly faster than the HARL

now i know they have a 24 volt version a 30 volt version and a 36 volt version so i worry about getting ones marked 24 or 30 but several sites list a 36 volt moter even when the motor is identified as a 3024 .... so before you buy be sure to ask.

another thing to look for is the pulse counts
Jaeger makes SuperJack Actuators and the heavy duty version is listed at 32 pulse the standard (light duty) is listed at 48 pulse ( i suspect these are listed backwards but i have no way of knowing or checking)

I asked our sponser here Sadoun to check on the actuators he sells and he has them listed on his website the QARL =48 pulse and the HARL = 36 pulse counts.


so before you buy ask questions

was the von weise from the 7 1/2 ft dish different from the one on your 12 ft dish ?

 

[jsattv]

No, I don't think so.

I just did a quick search , and found it for $170 new from RPS Satellite.
Whether or not it is the best model for you, I cannot say, as I didn't get the deep into researching what those letters mean.
There is another model HARL to your ZARL, and I just didn't to the homework.

The more counts per inch the motor has, the finer you can position the dish.
Not a big deal for C-band, but for Ku, it's a lot more critical.
The ZARL is 32 counts per inch, which is well better than 24, and short of 48, so middle ground.

There are two kinds of jacks, the cheap with the acme nut (ajax?), and the expensive which are called recirculating ball.
Learn the difference, and decide if the fancy one is what you want or not.

I would look harder at getting the existing motor to work.
It's probably not spectacular in counts per inch.
Might be convertable from optical to magnetic...?
Can't offer you any advice, though.
Hopefully, one of the old timers here will know about it.

And lastly, I'd see what I could find for $80.
Maybe you just can't get anything decent for that price, but I'd darned sure find out!
I've seen 18" jacks for well under $50, but not on a regular basis (new).

edit: wow, HARL 24" for $69 at Sadoun!
I see more shopping in your future!

Thanks Anole, I agree that $200.00 is a steep price to pay for an Actuator. Well here's the Deal: I have 3 Actuators none of which work properly.

1) The one on my 12 Footer - the Von Weise runs with +12VDC Battery Charger, but already stuck once already in Feb. It won't work with my old Uniden 9900 Receiver or My VBox III Controller. See Pic #1.

2) The Actuator from the scrapped house where the Strip Mall is now being built, it's an old Von Weise and was running with the Battery Charger before, but now will NOT run for some reason!! But it is a 4 wire unit so it would likely work with my V Box III, see pics 2 and 3.

3) The Actuator that came with the 7.6 Ft Unimesh Dish I recently picked up. See pics #4, and 5. It's some kind of Fasco / Von Wiese type Actuator. But when I tried to Power it with the Battery Charger the unit does not move the shaft ...... the whole thing moves in a circle so it seems to be stuck!!

My best bet would likely be (if I don't buy a New Actuator) - to try to somehow convert the working Von Weise Actuator on the 12 Footer right now from a 5 wire Optical Sensor unit to a 4 wire unit - maybe somehow with parts from the other 2 non working Actuators. Does anyone know is this type of retrofit can be done to get one working Actuator?? Any replies would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jsattv]

i've had both the light HARL 3618 ( 36 being the voltage and 18 being the shaft length)
and a Heavy duty QARL 3618

both function well but you could tell the QARL moves my small dish (7 1/2 ft) with ease and slightly faster than the HARL

now i know they have a 24 volt version a 30 volt version and a 36 volt version so i worry about getting ones marked 24 or 30 but several sites list a 36 volt moter even when the motor is identified as a 3024 .... so before you buy be sure to ask.

another thing to look for is the pulse counts
Jaeger makes SuperJack Actuators and the heavy duty version is listed at 32 pulse the standard (light duty) is listed at 48 pulse ( i suspect these are listed backwards but i have no way of knowing or checking)

I asked our sponser here Sadoun to check on the actuators he sells and he has them listed on his website the QARL =48 pulse and the HARL = 36 pulse counts.


so before you buy ask questions

was the von weise from the 7 1/2 ft dish different from the one on your 12 ft dish ?

Thanks for the great info George. The Actuator from the 7.6 Ft Unimesh was a 36 Volt Fasco / Von Weise, (see the closeup pictures of it in my previous post) but it didn't seem to be working when I connected up the 12 VDC Battery Charger to it ... instead it moved in a circle, - BUT it does have a type of Circular Bushing on it that Anole mentioned, so am I testing it correctly? That is can this type of Actuator be tested on a Bench OR does it have to be mounted on a Dish to see if it works??

 

[gabshere]

the way mine worked , unless something held the end that connected to the dish it would turn in a circle. so it would need to be mounted or held to extend the arm.

 

[gabshere]

notice that screw that holds the motor onto the actuator arm if you loosen it, it will allow access to the arm & screw shaft which is connected with a shear pin if you remove the shear pin it will allow you to disassemble the whole shaft. you should be able to swap the motors between units.

 

[jsattv]

notice that screw that holds the motor onto the actuator arm if you loosen it, it will allow access to the arm & screw shaft which is connected with a shear pin if you remove the shear pin it will allow you to disassemble the whole shaft. you should be able to swap the motors between units.

George thanks for the info. So maybe the 7.6 Ft Dish Actuator - if it turns in a circle when I put power to it on the Bench with the 12 VDC Battery Charger is okay?? I wonder if I should try to swap motors with my current Actuator in Pic # 1 above, or just try to clean up with steel wool and jig a loo lubricant and reuse the 7.6 Ft Dish Actuator in Pictures 4 & 5 on my 12 Footer?? It is a 36V unit and I believe it has similar specs to my mounted Von Weise Actuator on the Dish, so would it handle the 12 Footer? Any comments would be appreciated.

 

[gabshere]

i think i would just try the 7 1/2 ft actuator on the 12 ft dish
you can knock off some of the rust but its basically cosmetic unless it obstructs the shaft from returning inside the main shaft. the acme screw is what would need lubricant/grease and the little bushing that rides on the screw. but i've always lightly oiled the shaft and i'm sure it only attracts dust. mine had no seal at the arm end just a dust cover/boot to cover the end.

if it is a 24 inch actuator then your in business

 

[trinity13]

Have you taken the 5 wire actuator apart?
It could be a 10 turn pot. (not an optical).
Also, the shaft will come off of the motor assy. (screws at the base hold it in place), so you could just replace the shaft if the motor is still in good working condition.

 

[truckracer]

I have a 36" venture jacks on both my dishes. I paid around 150.00 for each. 36 pulses per inch. work good for ku tracking. Both mine are rated 36V. my receiver however puts out 24v.
I would imagine that by the time the 24V gets to the dish (200 ft) it has dropped a few volts also.

No problems at all. Works great.

 

[jsattv]

i think i would just try the 7 1/2 ft actuator on the 12 ft dish
you can knock off some of the rust but its basically cosmetic unless it obstructs the shaft from returning inside the main shaft. the acme screw is what would need lubricant/grease and the little bushing that rides on the screw. but i've always lightly oiled the shaft and i'm sure it only attracts dust. mine had no seal at the arm end just a dust cover/boot to cover the end.

if it is a 24 inch actuator then your in business

Thanks a lot for the replies Gabshere, Trinity and Truckracer, I'll clean up the 7.6 Ft Dish Actuator and give it a try. Beautiful sunny 75 degree weather finally up here today and scheduled for tomorrow, so some garden planting is also on my agenda for the next couple of days.