Hot wire C-band Actuator for help in removing?

[delta_charlie]

Hi all, got a big project for this weekend. Going to try and remove a 10 footer that is way up in the air. The thought just came to mind that the upper sections of the dish are going to be a stretch with the dish in it's current west position. It sure would help if I could try and get the actuator to move to the east after I have removed the lower section. It has been a real long time since I played around with a BUD but I seem to remember a wad of smaller wires that were used to control the actuator. Might there be a way to hotwire a couple of these and just get the motor to move to the east. Not looking for anything more then to spin the motor if it still works.

So my questions are is it a DC motor? Voltage ? Any type of clutch or lock that I might have to disable.

Worst case I will have to unbolt the actuator to move the dish but I sure would like to try and move the motor first.

Pictures and lot's more info on what I'm trying to take down is at:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/c-band-satellite-discussion/150793-bud-me-very-tough-extraction.html

Sure would make things safer if I could move the motor.

Thanks, DC

 

[mshaffer]

I think most actuators are 24v.. I've used a 9 volt battery to turn mine, but a 12v car battery is faster. I'm not sure if it's bad for it, but it still works 4 years later.

 

[huertaaj]

I turned my SuperJack 30 volt actuator with a 12 volt automotive battery charger a couple of days ago. Just connect the + and - lead from the charger to the actuator motor inputs. Reverse the polarity to turn the other way. I had to do this to get my actuator adjusted on the pole without being connected to the receiver in the house.

 

[delta_charlie]

Hi huertaaj and mshaffer, thanks for the quick replies.

24 volts and DC is what I wanted to hear. I will take two marine batteries to the site and hook them up in series. I will be leaving the batteries on the ground and running some scrap wire up to the motor and try to spin it.

Sure hope it works!

I also plan to take a look at the elevation adjustment and see if there is any way I can point the dish straight up. If so I should be able to loosen the mounting bolts that lock it onto the pipe mount and then spin the dish to work on each remaining section. This would make it a snap to take it apart and would sure help with the safety comfort level.

Thanks, DC

 

[huertaaj]

I think 12 volts should do it, you don't need two batteries. With 12 volts it will just go a little slower than 24 volts.

 

[mshaffer]

Yea, be careful not to overdo it, i'm not 100% sure of the voltage

 

[somery]

also mark any changes to elevation that you make, so that it'll go back to the way it was easier. try not to change declination at all, as this won't help you, but make it harder to retune. if you cut the pole at the bottom, leave a 1/8 on the side you want the pipe to go down at, and this 1/8 sliver will work like a hinge. be careful and expect that sliver could break at anytime, causing a bad bind and shift at either end.

 

[delta_charlie]

Hi all, it worked! Because of the 50 feet of wire (voltage drop) required to leave the batteries on the ground I decided to give the two batteries in series (24 volts) a try. After we had removed the lower half of the dish I hooked up the motor and what a thrill to see the actuator start to move. It had been many years since the dish had been used.

Ran it just about to the end of travel to the east then loosened the bolts that locked the base on to the mast so we could spin the dish around and safely reach the rest of the dish.

Check out the picture here:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/c-band-...266-high-tricky-removal-done.html#post1550660

BTW - as it turned out I did not have to do anything to the elevation. Just moved it east and spun it on the mast got it done.
Thanks, DC