Birdview reed sensor kit

[Larry1]

As a test to make sure it is counting accurately (not missing any counts), you could mark one magnet, move the motor a lot of steps in one direction and then move it back in the opposite direction the exact number of steps it was moved and see if it still lines up to the magnet you marked. If it is missing any counts, then the sensor would have to be adjusted. When installed with the dish, it will move slower, as it will have a load on the motor.
Looks like a good job.

 

[linuxman]

Hi Larry,

I did the exact test you described above and it worked perfectly. But for those who might manufacture one, that is a great test for adjusting the wheel/switch.

Thanks!

 

[Larry1]

Great job, the pictures are invaluable for anyone else trying the same project.

 

[linuxman]

Had a minor set-back with my home-brew sensor kit.

The cylinder shaped switch pictured above wasn't counting correctly in both directions especially from say 74W to say 91W, a longer run so to speak. Seemed to work fine from one satellite to the next. I think when the motor got up to full speed, it started losing counts. Tried adjustment of the gap last evening to no avail. It may be that the VBox II picks up on the counts a little differently than the analog box I was using to test it with.

After lunch today, I got on the roof in 35 degree weather with a nice 10 - 15 mph wind and snow showers and replaced the cylinder switch with the spare flat switch I had here. It is working perfectly at the moment and I hope it continues like it is.

I'll have to secure it a little better tomorrow. Supposed to be in the 50s then. Right now it is being held in place by double sided tape.

Somehow I get the feeling I need to order a new switch.

Other than that, I think my project was a success.

 

[linuxman]

Before I forget to post this, I want to put the number off the side of my reed sensor switch that came in the kit I got from Skyvision last year.

Hopefully we can find one just like it.

The number is 20A-221-H2.

If someone finds this on the net, let me know and I'll order one or three.

 

[linuxman]

I wanted to update this thread with pictures of the old-style reed-sensor conversion kit that was put on my 3rd Birdview dish by a professional installer.

As you can see, it is much different than the Skyvision version, and it only has 8 magnets in the wheel. I don't know if it will give me enough pulses or not. Even with a GBox V3000, it would only be 16 actual counts per revolution.

But I also wanted Bryan to see this to get an idea of how to mount on the other end of the shaft.

Here are the pics.

 

[gabshere]

Fred
if you added another sensor or two (and i thought you found sensors somewhere cheap) to this magnet wheel would it get you what you want. i've yet to add another sensor to my superjack actuator but thought ithis falls into the same area. guess they would have to be offset in timing to where no sensor counted at the same time.

 

[linuxman]

Fred
if you added another sensor or two (and i thought you found sensors somewhere cheap) to this magnet wheel would it get you what you want. i've yet to add another sensor to my superjack actuator but thought ithis falls into the same area. guess they would have to be offset in timing to where no sensor counted at the same time.

Hey George.

No, I didn't find anywhere that I could buy exactly what is shown in the picture. I scarfed one off another actuator here, but that might be a good idea to maybe mount another one on the back side off-set to this one to get it to use 16 magnets for 16 pulese.

Then maybe the GBox would count that as 32.