Diagnosing a stuck motor

[DiscoLoveGrapes]

My motor was acting funny for the last few days -- randomly moving around the full arc before finally settling down on the right satellite. This morning it took a really, really long time finding the right spot. I finally restarted the box and it settled down.

Tonight it's just not moving at all. It's stuck on AMC21 (not a bad place to be stuck for a few days). I get a fine signal but nothing else. I replaced a few cables, since that's been a culprit before when I got a signal but no motor, but even pushing the little buttons on the motor isn't moving it.


Any theories? I have a SG2100 if it matters. There's a bit more cable buried in the walls, so I'd like to avoid replacing those if at all possible.

 

[stogie5150]

My first thing would do is bring the receiver and TV out to the dish with a short length of coax and hook it up there....that will tell you if its your cable run or not...

After that, I'd reset the whole thing, reload a new satellite list into the receiver, reset the motor, and begin again like its brand new, and see what happens.

 

[DiscoLoveGrapes]

Thanks for suggestions - I thought about bringing a short length of cable out there -- even in the cold Minnesota winter

I just reset the box three days ago to resolve another issue (The Fortec Ultra goes haywire if it tries to read a 4:2:2 signal or a choppy signal for too long), but I can do it again. Since even pushing the buttons on the motor isn't helping, I'm trying to remember if the motor itself had a reset button or not.

I don't know if this is relevant, but I just slaved a Coolsat 8100HD to it -- and have set zero satellite coordinates to it. I tried at first, but the two kept fighting each other. I might disconnect it to find out if there's a culprit there...

 

[stogie5150]

Thanks for suggestions - I thought about bringing a short length of cable out there -- even in the cold Minnesota winter

I just reset the box three days ago to resolve another issue (The Fortec Ultra goes haywire if it tries to read a 4:2:2 signal or a choppy signal for too long), but I can do it again. Since even pushing the buttons on the motor isn't helping, I'm trying to remember if the motor itself had a reset button or not.

I don't know if this is relevant, but I just slaved a Coolsat 8100HD to it -- and have set zero satellite coordinates to it. I tried at first, but the two kept fighting each other. I might disconnect it to find out if there's a culprit there...

One of our fellow Fortec users might have to chime in here, I am not sure how it works with a motor, but I had my Diamond and one of my Coolsats fighting for motor control...once I shut off the Diamond's motor control the Coolsat took over and everything is fine...but like I said, you'd have to ask one of the guys that use a Fortec....

As far as resetting the motor, there should be a hole underneath the light on the motor (if you have an old style motor) that you push with a stiff wire to reset the motor. I suggest running the motor if you can to your TS satellite before you reset it though...