Finally Motorized!

[Larobpra]

After much study here, and experimenting with a couple different homemade mounts to lighten the 90CM ChannelMaster dish, and trying (in vain!) to motorize the 90CM Fortec Star dish the other day, I succeeded this morning in getting the CM dish motorized with the SG2100 motor!
I have found all the sats I already had programmed in to the MercuryII (72, 74, 83, 89, 97, 101, 123) and then just to see if I could, found WhiteSprings at 129. I will be seeing what others I can get and get some pics of my mount later today.
Thanks to all here who have posted their setups and tips!

 

[Wescopc]

Nothing like the success of a difficult challenge, Congratulations!!
Bob

 

[ratio]

Was it easy to find White Springs TV? I had it before and now I'm having difficulty finding it again. I know I'm in the ball park but no luck.

 

[Larobpra]

Was it easy to find White Springs TV? I had it before and now I'm having difficulty finding it again. I know I'm in the ball park but no luck.

I entered the TP into the receiver and found it with no problem. Seems to be a fairly strong signal here. I was never able to get the dish low enough before with the fixed pole mount so it is new to me.

 

[Mr Tony]

congrats! its sweet to see and hear the motor move across the arc

 

[eurosport]

Good deal, Larobpra!
One day I'd like to motorize one of my Primestars, but I think they're too heavy. Also, a motor drawing all that current out of a coax signal in jack, on a receiver scares me!
(How many amps can those things push anyway?)

 

[FTABman0]

After much study here, and experimenting with a couple different homemade mounts to lighten the 90CM ChannelMaster dish, and trying (in vain!) to motorize the 90CM Fortec Star dish the other day, I succeeded this morning in getting the CM dish motorized with the SG2100 motor!
I have found all the sats I already had programmed in to the MercuryII (72, 74, 83, 89, 97, 101, 123) and then just to see if I could, found WhiteSprings at 129. I will be seeing what others I can get and get some pics of my mount later today.
Thanks to all here who have posted their setups and tips!

Great to hear Larobpra!

Sounds like an completed accomplishment! All is great when you get hand made stuff to work for your experiment! Nothing like it!!

Be waiting for the pictures!!

K E V I N

 

[turbosat]

Euro I used to think the same things until I tried it. The primestar I motorized doesn't really weigh that much without the heavy mount. I used a .90m channel master primestar, but I weighed the 1m model also, seems like there was only about 3lbs difference in the two (minus the mounts). I did buy the DG380 motor, but I believe an ordinary SG2100 type would handle one of these CM dishes. You can fashion your own lightweight bracket out of simple materials. Far as the current draw, I haven't found any problem with moving the dish with this motor on any rec I've tried so far (Traxis 3500, Icon 550, Mercury2, and old ol goofed up Buzz receiver). Look back a page or two and find my thread with pics.
Here's the link, post31 has the pic:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/170861-motor-setup-questions-2.html

 

[eurosport]

Thanks for the info, turbosat! I was thinking of trying it with a 1.0m P* dish. I think a 1.2 would be pushing it a bit weight wise.

 

[turbosat]

Don't have a 1.2 to test, but it seems like the 1m channel master composite dish was 25lbs and the .90m was 23, that's with all the lnb/support arms and lnb attached. The thick metal pole mount is what adds the heft to those dishes.

 

[Larobpra]

Here are some pics. As you can see I borrowed heavily from others ideas.

Thanks guys!


Now I have a question.

Moved the Merc II from the kitchen to the living room. It is another 50' run of RG6 further than the kitchen hookup. I can only get the motor to change position now on horizontal TPs. Is it because of the longer run? I haven't tried switching it back to the kitchen to see if it makes a difference yet.

 

[turbosat]

How'd you get the extra 50? Barrel connector in the line? Could be that you're dropping voltage thru that.....how much cable overall to the dish from kitchen?

 

[Larobpra]

How'd you get the extra 50? Barrel connector in the line? Could be that you're dropping voltage thru that.....how much cable overall to the dish from kitchen?

Actually there are 2 barrel connectors between the dish and the living room, and the same two when hooked to the kitchen line, but the kitchen line is only 5-6' long as opposed to the 50' to the LR. I probably should upgrade to compression connectors as well. Had a compression tool kit in my hand today at Lowe's but the wife said "not today".

 

[SatPhreak]

You do lose a little though every barrel connection, but not a lot. It cold be due the extra length of cable. I can't remember off hand but I think Horizontal sends 18 volts and vertical is 13V. Any connector, and the longer the line distance does cause voltage drops. This could be why the motor will only move with a H channel selected. A V channel will send out 13V from the receiver, but may only be 11V when it gets to the motor which may not be enough power to get the motor to move.

 

[turbosat]

Those compression fittings will help quite a bit, I didn't believe there was that much difference in them and the old 'crimp' style, until I tried it. BTW got mine at lowes too, there's a simple one for about 20bucks and it works very well, but when you can, buy that kit for about 35-40bucks that has the coax stripper and some other stuff in it, the coax cutter is very handy.