Max. Linear actuator degrees travel

[elzipa]

What is the maximum uninterrupted travel degrees that we can cover with a Linear actuator? I have a clear understanding that it depends of the size of the actuator and may be the diameter of the mount as well.
I am planning on installing a 36 inches actuator as soon as snow goes in spring time but, I just wanted to hear your comments from experience and may be check travel distances for different actuator sizes for benefit of new installers.

 

[tdti1]

24" is fine for me.

 

[elzipa]

24" is fine for me.

How many degrees arch coverage you get with a 24"?

 

[caddata]

What is the maximum uninterrupted travel degrees that we can cover with a Linear actuator? I have a clear understanding that it depends of the size of the actuator and may be the diameter of the mount as well.
I am planning on installing a 36 inches actuator as soon as snow goes in spring time but, I just wanted to hear your comments from experience and may be check travel distances for different actuator sizes for benefit of new installers.

Your question sounds simple but it's really complex. Simply stated, any length jack can give horizon to horizon dish rotation........if. If the dish is light weight and the geometry is correct. Long jacks are usually for heavy dishes. Attachment points are engineered to give lots of mechanical advantage (a long distance between attachment points).

A smaller, light weight, dish can use a short jack with less mechanical advantage (a short distance between attachment points).

Putting a longer jack on the dish may very well give you less rotation, if the geometry is wrong. With the jack retracted, the dish may not be looking as far east or west (depending if you are east or west of the great river here in the U.S.). It will, however go further in the opposite direction than the shorter, original jack.

You may have to modify your polar mount to take full advantage of a longer jack by relocating the attachment points.

Hope I didn't confuse you with my reply.

Harold

 

[Lak7]

I get from 50west to 139west with a 24" on a 10' Unimesh.

 

[tdti1]

How many degrees arch coverage you get with a 24"?

I can get from 139 to around 30, my buddy has the same motor as mine he gets down to I think 20, I have things in the way so can't really say.

 

[14karat]

I get 55W to 137W. 10' mesh with 24" HTS.

 

[dem0nlord]

It totally depends on the diameter of the polar mount. My 10' Unimesh with a 24" would just barely do 37.5 - 139W with a couple of clicks left over on each side. I tried to do the same thing you are wanting to do, first I got a 36" Thomson-Saginaw.These suck, as they are really large so it wouldn't shorten up as much, giving me even less range to the East, plus they don't have limit switches, so it is easy to bend things. Finally I got a 36" Venture, and this does what I need it to do, it will go over past 148 and I think down to about 30 although I can't seem to get anything E of 37.5, possibly due to trees, or maybe I need to align the dish a bit better. I'm probably using around 30" of the travel, so I've had thoughts about extending the attachment point to the dish outward a bit to slow it down and gain counts.

 

[elzipa]

Thanks dem0nlord, I need abot 115 to 120 degrees range so I will try a 36" that I got from next doors friens. I am up far north and do not need 180 degrees range so I do not need a horizon to horizon mount that may be worth having at equatorial zones. I will let you know in the spring time when I set it up...snow just started falling a lot and it seems a long wait for me, but I will survive