Mini Bud Project

[Swamp_Rat]

I finally broke down and ordered the Geosat Pro 1.2 from Satellite AV the other day. Is there and way to boost the voltage to the DG380 besides going to a vertical transponder? I have a 1m Winegard now and when it goes to the outside of the arc it really struggles coming back up, especially if the wind is blowing. I am concerned that when I get over to the 130's or further west it will not have the guts to bring it back up.
Any ideas???

 

[Anole]

yes:

Someone recently posted a trick to mod a motor to give it independent power.
I think it was Pendragon, and in the last few month (2009).
In fact, here's the thread:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/fta-shack/174799-naughty-mods-i-dg-380-separate-drive-power.html

 

[turbosat]

The vertical tps? I guess I have been confused, since I got my 380 Im always picking an H transponder to move with, lol. I bet it'll go even faster now that you cleared that up! Thanks..

 

[Swamp_Rat]

That's what I was looking for.

Thanks Anole!

 

[Swamp_Rat]

Thanks Turbo. I thought it was V. That should help a bit too.
I have been know to be a bit dyslexic at times!

 

[turbosat]

rat, I forget which is which, I'll go outside and look at my 1 dish with the 3x4 switch and see which one is 18V , lol. I don't read dyslexic, but I think my brain is sometimes!

edit: 13V for vertical, 18 for H , guess I was right....but I can't keep it in my head long..

 

[Swamp_Rat]

Sounds familiar, thanks for looking!

 

[Mr Tony]

H is 18 volts and I do that when I need to go form SBS6 (H2) over to G18
select a horizontal transponder channel

 

[Anole]

two memory tricks:

The two memory tricks I've picked up regarding FTA, are:

H = High voltage. So, V = 13v, & H = 18v

The other was mapping Right / Left circular to Vertical / Horizontal
RV ... as in a Recreational Vehicle... that's all you need to know.
R = V, & L = H

So, R = V = 13v, & L = H = 18 volts, but I only remember it as the two pieces above.

 

[Anole]

other motor mods:

There was a motor mod for the SG2100.
It was posted on another satellite forum (which cannot be linked to, due to their content).
This was a number of years ago, and it wasn't quite as clever as Pendagon's approach.
... plus Pen's applies directly to your motor.

The other mod used the two coax connectors as originally intended, and added two additional power wires for the motor.
That author recommended a laptop power supply, which puts out around 20 or 22 volts, at several amps, and should do a fine job, intermittently running a dish motor.

If anyone with a 2100 wants to look it up, I know it's been mentioned here on this forum more than once.
I just can't recall the keyword (the name of the guy who did it) to search on.

About a year ago, Satcom1 did a discussion on using a 1uh choke inside his motor to limit the loading on the LNB signal as it passes through.
That's worthwhile reading for anyone who's really interested in motor mods.

 

[Swamp_Rat]

Anole,
Do you know where the laptop supply mod was?

Thanks for all the help guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Anole]

I guess I was mistaken as to which forum I'd read about the mod.

. . .
There -is- a mod on the MyTheatre forum to add a separate 18..20 volt supply (surplus laptop supply is good) to the motor, that way it's got its own power supply and runs fast all the time.

PS: the mod was to the 2100 motor. The laptop supply is good as-is. They typically put out about 20 volts at several amps.

 

[Swamp_Rat]

Where are they hooking up the power?

 

[Anole]

It's been several years since I looked at that documentation.
As I recall, they opened the 2100 motor, cut some traces to isolate the motor voltage where it goes into the relays, and used additional wires to connect the laptop power to the motor.

Pendragon's mod is much cleaner.
He uses one coax connector and a T or whatever he describes, to get the diseqc commands to the motor.
Then, he used the other coax connector -only- to bring in power.
Since he has the exact motor you have, I really recommend following his method, as posted here on the forum.

 

[Swamp_Rat]

Thanks Anole, I'll give it a shot and let you know how it works>

Marty