Asc1 Not Moving West

[JFOK]

Hi All,

Well here we go just in time for the winter months and my dish mover is acting up.
Last night after watching NBC on 105w I went to move the dish to 107w and i got the dreaded motor error message. After checking the connections at the asc1 itself, I went out and checked the connections at the dish. Took the
cover off the actuator box and found all connections tight and the inside dry.
I tried reversing the white and red wires to see if that might move the dish west, but it still moved east.
The number count changes as the dish moves east. I tried a global reset and still no change.
I need some suggestions. The actuator
(Venture 24" Maxie acme screw actuator) is only 4 years old and the cold weather is just around the corner.
Thanks in advance.

John

 

[Titanium]

Swap the M1 and M2 wires then see if the West button works and the dish drives to the East or if the West button continues to cause the error message.

 

[arlo]

Yup it's getting cold out. There is a good post here of ideas of what I found out that helps. Short of taking the actuator apart and doing a refurb. Check that the motor gearset and motor armature bearings are properly lubed. I don't know your skill set but it could be just that.
If you could find a way to couple a DeWalt to the actuator drive shaft, decoupling it from the dish and running it in and out at a good speed may redistribute the grease. Try wiping a light coat on the extending tube when you do it. Lucas low temperature red grease or some low temp moly grease is good.
It's not too involved to carefully drill the outer tube for a Zerk fitting and threading it in shallow then pumping in low temp grease while it's extended then running it in and out. That's short of a teardown and re grease.
Last winter mine worked down to -20. Slow, but it worked good on a 12' fiberglass dish.

 

[JFOK]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for checking in.
I switched the m1 and m2 wires and the result was that it didnt move either way.
With the wiring in its proper location, it does make a slight clicking sound when I try to move it west...then the error sign pops up.

John

 

[JFOK]

Arlo,

I dont think its a lube problem because prior to this issue, it moved across the arc smoothly and quietly..no squeals or groans.
I appreciate the suggestion and just may take you up on it if I can fix this before it gets colder.

John

 

[primestar31]

Take a car battery out there with another set of wires, and hook it directly to the actuator motor terminals. IF the actuator itself is ok, it'll work, though slower.

I have a couple old 12v UPS batteries hooked in series (for 24v) that have been removed from an older UPS, that I charge up with a car battery charger to do this test. They still hold enough charge for an occasional test when needed.

IF the motor works fine both ways with the battery test, you'll have to check what else is causing this.

 

[arlo]

Did you remove the motor and check for proper operation and smooth actuator shaft movement?

 

[JFOK]

Hi Arlo,

Didn't have a chance to try the battery test as rain is at my doorstep and its getting dark sooner now with the changeover from DST.
So I take a car battery and hook it to the actuator terminals ? Which side gets the positive and which the negative ?
Can you tell I haven't done this before ?
I’m hoping I don't have to replace the entire actuator as its not that old.

John

 

[primestar31]

Hi Arlo,

Didn't have a chance to try the battery test as rain is at my doorstep and its getting dark sooner now with the changeover from DST.
So I take a car battery and hook it to the actuator terminals ? Which side gets the positive and which the negative ?
Can you tell I haven't done this before ?
I’m hoping I don't have to replace the entire actuator as its not that old.

John

It doesn't matter which one is PLUS and which one is MINUS. It'll either go in or out, and reversing the wires will go opposite. That is, IF the motor is actually fine.

 

[arlo]

That's how your ASC-1 extends or retracts the actuator arm. By reversing polarity (+/- , -/+) on the motor power input terminals.
So either way you hook up wires, the gearbox will turn one way or the other.
And is why I asked if you had checked if the actuator drive input shaft turns without binding. And if the motor turns on its own well.

If you do go Primestar's route just beware that you will lose your satellite references and will have to find and store the positions all over. The ASC-1 counter shuts off when the dish is parked.

I actually think my way is better because unbolting the motor and using a phone app to move the dish or just the motor will let you return it to where it was in the first place. I use the 'droid app Dreambox Signal Meter.

And while the motor is off when turning the actuator shaft you can count the turns while feeling for stiffness in the motion.
The return it back to where it was and peak signal while checking the motor coupling for alignment.

You mention that the actuator is not that old. Even with a boot, moisture has a way of fouling the light coat of grease on the extender tube. Man, I've had a few of these things apart. By far the grease fitting trick is the easiest thing to get them moving slick again.

 

[JFOK]

primestar31 and Arlo,

Thanks for your input.
My question is...if I hook up the positive and negative wires from the car battery terminals to the same dish motor terminal, wont that cause a spark show ? Do I just hook up one terminal wire to the dish motor terminal ?
BTW...Ive already lost all my satellite settings when I did a global reset.

John

 

[primestar31]

primestar31 and Arlo,

Thanks for your input.
My question is...if I hook up the positive and negative wires from the car battery terminals to the same dish motor terminal, wont that cause a spark show ? Do I just hook up one terminal wire to the dish motor terminal ?
BTW...Ive already lost all my satellite settings when I did a global reset.

John

You don't hook them to the same single motor terminal, at the same time. Just hook the Plus to one motor wire, and the negative to the other motor wire. If that works and the motor goes for instance EAST, reverse the wires and the motor will then go WEST.

 

[JFOK]

primestar31,

Thats what I thought, just wanted to confirm it with either you or arlo.
Will be a few days before I can do this.
Thanks again.

John

 

[arlo]

My dad used to wrap a heat tape around the actuator arm and run an extension cord to the dish in the winter.

 

[JFOK]

Guys,

I imagine I should disconnect the wires leading to the asc1 before doing this correct ?

John

 

[arlo]

Guys,

I imagine I should disconnect the wires leading to the asc1 before doing this correct ?

John

Of Course!!!

 

[JFOK]

Hi all,

My only worry, aside from this dish not moving west, is that I may end up moving it away from preferred satellites as I try the battery test, then end up with nothing to view all winter long.

John

 

[arlo]

Hi all,

My only worry, aside from this dish not moving west, is that I may end up moving it away from preferred satellites as I try the battery test, then end up with nothing to view all winter long.

John

Believe me. Just unbolt the motor from the actuator. Use your ASC-1 to run it. No battery needed. Then return the motor (counts on the screen) to where it was.
And use some vice grips or whatever to clamp down on the durned actuator shaft. COUNT THE TURNS. Turn it several turns one way and the other and return it exactly where it was when you started. See if it's stiff or binds.
It could even be you have a flaky reed switch in the motor (I use a hall sensor).
And if you're afraid of losing any sat positions. Write the counts difference on the screen from let's say 125W-127W.
Subtract. Let's say, 20 counts difference from those 2 sats is 2 degrees, so 10 counts is 1 degree.
Things may be different at the upper arc. Probably a few less counts, like 18 for 2 degrees.
And since you probably have 6 pulse per revolution magnet in the motor, one shaft revolution is 6 counts on the asc-1.
The phone app will let you peak the dish signal at the dish with the vice grip method.
Hey man. I came from the days when we didn't have them-there fancy motors and turning the dish was more like cranking up the boat trailer with little Sharpie marks on a degree wheel to go by. I'm a smartass, but a wise ass smartass too. Cold sucks.

 

[JFOK]

arlo,

Like I said earlier, I tried the global reset with the asc1 and that wiped all my satellite locations, so Im not worried about satellite counts.
I’ll try the non battery method if you think that will work best. Not to knock primestar31’s idea, but your method would be easier to accomplish than hauling the battery out of my old t bird.
Thanks again..

John

 

[Titanium]

If the M1 and M2 wires were swapped and this results in no motor movement, this does not sound like an ASC1 hardware issue. Be sure the 115/230Vac switch position is correct.

I would check the motor, reed switch and distribution for defect.
.