Microyal H2H motor problem

[DapOrp]

Hello again,

I'm having an issue with my Microyal H2H motor. I've had it up and running for quite some time but then yesterday I tried to go to a channel on a satellite east of where it was sitting and it would not move to it. I tried another channel on a satellite west of where it was currently at and it moved to it, but then it wouldn't go back to the one it was on previous to that. Puzzled I climb up on the roof and tried to manually drive it back east and it would not move. I could manually drive it further west, but then it would not go back east at all. I took the motor down and brought it inside for further testing to see that it will go all the way to the west hardware limit, but then not come back. All it seems to be doing is making one click then flashing it's orange light. The manual seems to indicate that this is either that it's at it's hardware limit for moving in that direction (which is incorrect) or it's an over-current warning?

Has anyone ever run into this problem before and know of a way to correct it? I've tried hitting the reset button numerous times but it does not return the ability to move east.

Is it dead?

Any help is appreciated.
Thanks!

(note, the testing I did was with no dish mounted to it, so it is not being weighed down by anything)

-DapOrp

 

[Mr Tony]

did you try and power the receiver off with the switch on the back and turn back on? I've tried that before and it usually fixes the hiccups

 

[DapOrp]

yeah the receiver has been completely unplugged and plugged back in and no change.

 

[gabshere]

i've been fighting problems with my motor for a couple of days
check the connections several of mine ( and i did it) had parts of the foil touching the coax
don't know how i did that. too the receiver out to the motor to find that problem. now works great at the motor but back inside low signal and motor gets green light but won't move or only sometimes move ... so theres still a bad cable somewhere .....

may not be your problem but if the foil or mesh shielding touch the coax wire it will give you weird problems

 

[DapOrp]

K. I dunno if this is gonna help or not, but I took the motor apart, and inside I find this little board on the back of the motor itself. I ran power manually to the main motor contacts in both polarities and the motor spun both times. I can physically feel no resistance from the motor itself.

So I got out the ohm tester and started testing these orange things. C7 caught my eye immediately as it looks like it overheated or something. All blistery.

The ohm tester gives a valid return on C6, but C13 and C7 show 100% resistance.

So this gives me a place to start, but the problem is, I do not know what C13 and C7 are. I do not know if they are resistors or something else??

 

[Anole]

The brown things in your picture, with colored stripes, are resistors.
Inductors come in similar packages, but if it says R-something beside them, they are resistors.
The one I see is a resistor, even though I don't see a R- designator beside it.
Brown, Black, Red, Gold = 1 0 & two zeroes @ 5% tollerance.
So, 1000 ohms

The C-things are capacitors. You read them thus:
1 0 4 = 1 0 and four zeros = 1 0 0 0 0 0

There isn't anything I can think of that would over heat a capacitor like that, so the rough surface is probably just a quirk of manufacturing.
Yea, C7 looks like crap, but it's probably okay.
You could replace it if you want.

The solder on the lower lead of C13 doesn't look very good.
It could be reheated and reflowed.
What you have there, is called a "cold solder joint".
Compare it to the smooth, flowing joints at the other connections.

Would it have anything to do with your problem? I don't know off hand.

 

[DapOrp]

Problem identified!

It appears to be the relays on the logic board. I blindly just started hitting them with my multimeter probe (more out of frustration than anything) and then suddenly when I told it to drive east, the motor reversed and went!

After discussing this with someone else they said "Oh, overcurrent" which is exactly what the manual said it's blinking orange light meant!

So now i'm wondering if my beating them has resolved the problem or if this is going to happen again? I cannot seem to find a suitable matching 3A relay locally, but did find a 10A relay locally. I could order the replacement I suppose, but would a replacement of a 10 amp relay destroy it or help it?

(not an electronics major obviously)

 

[DapOrp]

Btw here's a picture of it.

"Who would have thought this little piece of junk could be such a big problem"

 

[Anole]

Well, IF in fact one of the relays has crapped out ...
And IF you can get a proper replacement * ...
Then, you'd need to be able to properly remove the old one without damaging the board ...
And, you'd need to be able to solder in the new part without damage to the board or relay.

Compare the cost of the following solutions:
- buy a new replacement board
- buy a new motor
Both ideas are good solutions, which should get you going.

Then, what is the price of a couple of relays, the angst of installing them, and not being sure if they'll work?
If good relays are $3 each and you know how to solder, go for it.
But be willling to face board replacement or motor replacement as an alternative.


* replacement relay would need to meet the following specs:
- have same physical size to fit the motor
- have same pin layout on the bottom to fit the board
- have same voltage rating to work in the motor
- have same resistance or coil current, so as to not blow up the board

 

[DapOrp]

K. Thanks for the help. I've contacted Microyal and they do have the ability to just send me a replacement board for it. It's only like $20 + shipping, so I think I'll go ahead and plan on doing that.

Thanks again for all the help, and if anyone else ever runs into this problem where it moves one way and then not back again, open it up and smack the crap out of the relays for a nice temp fix.

 

[Anole]

I'd say $20 + shipping is dirt-cheap!
Most of the guys selling 2100 boards want quite a bit more, if memory serves me right.

Relay contacts can get sticky, and not open(release) when they are supposed to.
That could lead to failure.
Why? Well, a number of reasons are possible, including using too small a relay in the first place.
Or, insufficient transient suppression, I suppose.
But, no point in assigning blame. There are also a handful of other reasons, too.

Just glad to hear you've identified the problem, and have a fix! - :up