New 24" Actuator

[pacificrim]

I just got a new 24" Windynation actuator from Amazon today. First off I thought I was buying a cheap QARL type Chinese motor, but in fact got what looks very much like a Venture 24" clone. It seems super solid - so far - so good. It doesn't look like the picture in the Amazon ad. It is painted gun metal grey, instead of black with stars and stripes like all of the Motek versions and knockoffs of knockoffs.

My Venture 24" was only 4 or 5 years old but had a bit of a slack issue and finally the sensor gave out. No disrespect to Venture, I originally ordered the cheap 18" Venture and when I tore up 2 of them in quick succession, they kindly sent me the 24". I was thinking of ordering another 24" Venture or the Ball screw version, but shipping + exchange rate had me looking around for a better deal. Hello Amazon. $200 Cdn delivered.

I should have taken a picture but was too busy getting it on the dish with less than an hour of daylight when I got home with it.

Even the move count was identical to the Venture. I moved it to my due south and reset the ASC1 to 0000 and then started moving it to my old sats and they were all there.

Tomorrow it'll be blowing 100 kph, so we'll see how if handles the "Windynation" of my front yard.

 

[JFOK]

pacificrim,

How did that company come up with the name, “Windynation ?”
Inspite of its goofy name, hope it proves to be a durable actuator for you.

John

 

[FTA4PA]

I just got a new 24" Windynation actuator from Amazon today. First off I thought I was buying a cheap QARL type Chinese motor, but in fact got what looks very much like a Venture 24" clone. It seems super solid - so far - so good. It doesn't look like the picture in the Amazon ad. It is painted gun metal grey, instead of black with stars and stripes like all of the Motek versions and knockoffs of knockoffs.

My Venture 24" was only 4 or 5 years old but had a bit of a slack issue and finally the sensor gave out. No disrespect to Venture, I originally ordered the cheap 18" Venture and when I tore up 2 of them in quick succession, they kindly sent me the 24". I was thinking of ordering another 24" Venture or the Ball screw version, but shipping + exchange rate had me looking around for a better deal. Hello Amazon. $200 Cdn delivered.

I should have taken a picture but was too busy getting it on the dish with less than an hour of daylight when I got home with it.

Even the move count was identical to the Venture. I moved it to my due south and reset the ASC1 to 0000 and then started moving it to my old sats and they were all there.

Tomorrow it'll be blowing 100 kph, so we'll see how if handles the "Windynation" of my front yard.

Good luck with it. Keep us posted.

 

[stogie5150]

pacificrim,

How did that company come up with the name, “Windynation ?”
Inspite of its goofy name, hope it proves to be a durable actuator for you.

John

From what I have been able to discern... "windynation" is an alternative energy supply retailer. I've read that 'our' actuators and sometimes dish mounts are used with banks of solar panels to 'follow the sun' with the actuator as the day goes by.

I saw that actuator on big amazon too and was wondering what it was and could it hold up...guess we will know...

 

[ZetaMale]

I just got a new 24" Windynation actuator from Amazon today. First off I thought I was buying a cheap QARL type Chinese motor, but in fact got what looks very much like a Venture 24" clone. It seems super solid - so far - so good. It doesn't look like the picture in the Amazon ad. It is painted gun metal grey, instead of black with stars and stripes like all of the Motek versions and knockoffs of knockoffs.

My Venture 24" was only 4 or 5 years old but had a bit of a slack issue and finally the sensor gave out. No disrespect to Venture, I originally ordered the cheap 18" Venture and when I tore up 2 of them in quick succession, they kindly sent me the 24". I was thinking of ordering another 24" Venture or the Ball screw version, but shipping + exchange rate had me looking around for a better deal. Hello Amazon. $200 Cdn delivered.

I should have taken a picture but was too busy getting it on the dish with less than an hour of daylight when I got home with it.

Even the move count was identical to the Venture. I moved it to my due south and reset the ASC1 to 0000 and then started moving it to my old sats and they were all there.

Tomorrow it'll be blowing 100 kph, so we'll see how if handles the "Windynation" of my front yard.

I'll have to consider looking at those. My last 24 inch Venture actuator cost just under $400 with shipping. I've been considering getting a 36 inch actuator to get more view of the arc. But, I wanted to point out that my Venture actuators have better pointing accuracy after converting from a reed sensor to a hall sensor. Both the 4 pole and 8 pole Halls work very well.

 

[norman881]

I'll have to consider looking at those. My last 24 inch Venture actuator cost just under $400 with shipping. I've been considering getting a 36 inch actuator to get more view of the arc. But, I wanted to point out that my Venture actuators have better pointing accuracy after converting from a reed sensor to a hall sensor. Both the 4 pole and 8 pole Halls work very well.

I bought my 36 inch ball screw directly from Venture in 2015 for $227.38 shipping included.

 

[Titanium]

Good to hear that your system is tracking again. Always wonder how problems get resolved.

 

[pacificrim]

Good to hear that your system is tracking again. Always wonder how problems get resolved.

Thanks for your help with the diagnosis, Brian!

 

[arlo]

I've had my last chinactuator. Seriously. I'm still gritting my teeth at Tek for his dropped conversations in emails.
If it weren't for the fact that I ordered a new motor/gearbox for my 2" O.D. 36" QARL and got one with a 1-3/4" bore.
I would have slapped it on and run it. But the bore was small and I had to tear it all down to stick in in a Bridgeport to open it up. Of course Tek assured me it was my fault. 2" is 2". Not 1-3/4". The QARL was a little over 2 years old.
So. Cheap? Absolutely. OK gearing with as little grease as possible. None on the pivot shafts. The motor?
That came off too and good thing. Brush wire terminals loose and flopping. Like 1/4 turn loose with coarse thread self tappers. Absolutely no grease on the armature bushings. Back together and working. Fingers crossed for the winter at least.
What's that they say about a dog that won't hunt? Here tekkie tekkie. Time for a walk in the woods, ole' buddy.

 

[clucas]

I looked at the windynation website and see they are in Ventura, California. They offer actuators up to 30”.
One interesting thing is when I looked at the product manual section and chose “linear actuator” they have an HD Actuator Manual (LIN-ACHD Series) which looks exactly like our dish actuator and there is a 36” model. Two things, the reed sensor is optional and there is no pricing that I can find.

 

[pacificrim]

So far so good. It's been super windy and gusty since I put it up 3 days ago and is doing its windynation duties, I guess. I think it is faster than my old one, too.

 

[pacificrim]

I looked at the windynation website and see they are in Ventura, California. They offer actuators up to 30”.
One interesting thing is when I looked at the product manual section and chose “linear actuator” they have an HD Actuator Manual (LIN-ACHD Series) which looks exactly like our dish actuator and there is a 36” model. Two things, the reed sensor is optional and there is no pricing that I can find.

I don't see this model on their website. Maybe this model is only sold on Amazon?
Mine came with the sensor.

 

[ZetaMale]

So far so good. It's been super windy and gusty since I put it up 3 days ago and is doing its windynation duties, I guess. I think it is faster than my old one, too.

If it's one of those 24V models then it will run faster with 36 V hitting it.

 

[pacificrim]

If it's one of those 24V models then it will run faster with 36 V hitting it.

That makes sense. Just to see, I moved it from 103 to 133 and I barely made it to the front door fast enough to see it move

 

[pacificrim]

Here are some pictures of it.

 

[AZ47]

I have two solar arrays of six panels each using the LIN-ACHD-24 on each array and controlled with a solar tracker. These are supposed to be water tight but some how water gets in and shorts out the board. I am in the high desert of Northern Nevada where we get very little rain but quite a bit of snow. Another issue that has come up several times is the rubber gasket between the circuit board plate and the gears. Over time it gets loose or soft and the gears get clogged with the rubber jamming the gears and burning out the armature and or brushes. It is basically a strong solid actuator but it does have some design flaws. Another problem is that the company has not been helpful in getting parts so I had to buy another actuator. When it failed I used parts from the old one.

 

[primestar31]

These are supposed to be water tight but some how water gets in and shorts out the board.

Could this just be due to condensate? Maybe you need to find a way to vent them a little bit?

 

[sgs]

Hey Pacificrim, do you have a link to that actuator by chance?

sgs

 

[pacificrim]

Sorry, just saw this.
I got mine from Amazon Canada but they don't list it anymore. I ended up trading it away when I restored a 30+ year old 24" Venture which was a twin to my Venture. I liked having a spare twin.
I still have the small actuator from Windy Nation that I use for elevation. I love it. It's been through a lot of wind and bad weather and makes it super easy to make minor adjustments.