GEOSATpro No motor control

[Fizbi]

Been away for a long time and jumping back in now that I have a problem.

I have a GeoSatPro MicroHD that's been working for years and it drives a motor for my ku dish.
Now, the motor just sits there. I can go outside and push a button and the motor slews one way or the other so I know the motor works. I'm just not sure if the receiver is the problem or not. I'm scanning and watching channels as always.

Not sure how to troubleshoot this and looking for suggestions before I start pulling stuff apart. Right now, if I want to move dish, I need to go outside and drive the motor using push buttons. Not a very fun way to lock onto a bird.

It's either a new motor control board or the receiver or both. I have an ancient receiver somewhere. I may try and hook that up to see if it can drive the motor.

 

[KE4EST]

Check your coax and and connections. These can be weak points if they get corroded, water ingress, etc.
This would limit current to the motor.
If you have another receiver, sure give it a try.
Also check your voltage coming out of your receiver. Make sure they look good.
If you happen to have anther power supply(wall wart) that puts out 12V and at least 2amps with the proper polarity try that also.

 

[Magic Static]

Can you switch the control protocol between USALS and DiSEqC 1.2? Can you drive the motor to the zero position and push the reset switch?

 

[Fizbi]

Check your coax and and connections. These can be weak points if they get corroded, water ingress, etc.
This would limit current to the motor.
If you have another receiver, sure give it a try.
Also check your voltage coming out of your receiver. Make sure they look good.
If you happen to have anther power supply(wall wart) that puts out 12V and at least 2amps with the proper polarity try that also.

Do you happen to know if there is a fuse in the GeoSat for the motor power?

 

[KE4EST]

Do you happen to know if there is a fuse in the GeoSat for the motor power?

No, there is not.

 

[Fizbi]

Can you switch the control protocol between USALS and DiSEqC 1.2? Can you drive the motor to the zero position and push the reset switch?

I can do all the above. It's dark now so I will trouble shoot tomorrow. Will look for my other receiver.

 

[Fizbi]

I found my old CoolSat 5000 and cleaned the cobwebs off it. Hooked it up and went into the setup.
Using the motor control I was able to move the dish EAST/WEST with the buttons on the remote.

So, it looks line my MicroHD has bit the dust. I'll open it up and see if I have any solder fractures in the circuit board.
If not, then time to go shopping.

Shopping is always more fun than troubleshooting.

 

[Fizbi]

Yup...it's toast. Time to go shopping.

 

[Titanium]

Check for proper 13/18Vdc voltage (+/-10%) on the microHD LNB port. If the voltage is correct at the port, also check at the motor.

Check to see if the motor will respond to DiSEqC1.2/USALS if a horizontal transponder is preselected on the current and the "GoTo" satellites.

If you have a scope, check for DiSEqC/22KHz signal prior to tuner insertion (ic chip generates) and also at the LNB port. Might have had a failed SMT component at the insertion of it is observed prior to insertion point. Expect to see 22KHz/DiSEqC amplitude around .6v.

 

[Fizbi]

TI,
I cracked it open and looked inside. I didn't see any fried/smoked SMD parts.
How can there be 13/18 Vdc when the wall wart is 12Vdc? Is there a converter?
Anyway, tried both DiSEqC1.2/USALS, no go.

It can't be completly fried. I can go outside and drive the motor by pushing the slew button, so it's getting power from SAT box. Just before failure, i did notice that it would travel to some saved locations and would work intermittently. Now it's down hard. I did reload the latest S/W and did a complete reset. The only other clue is that a message pops up saying "out of range error".
When I connected the CoolSat to the cable, the dish behaves and works with DiSEqC1.2/USALS.

I have a scope, but no documentation and/or parts. However, I can still use the box till I find a replacement. I just have Mrs. Fizbi watch the Q-meter and que me via cell phone when it peaks out. It's a family hobby.

I'm shopping for a new SAT box real quick like as the snows are quickly upon us and I'm not going outside to bump the dish to land on another bird.
Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Titanium]

STBs have voltage step-up to provide Vertical 13Vdc and Horizontal 18Vdc. If you haven't verified the voltages at the microHD LNB port or at the LNBF, you should do so. If the power supply or regulator is failing, the motor move commands may only work if the STB is on a horizontal transponder (18Vdc).

Intermittent operation may point to the low voltage on vertical transponders. Still am suggesting to test...

Out of range error is likely due to a longitude or latitude setting is incorrect in the USALS mode or a satellite is selected that is beyond the USALS calculation range.

 

[Fizbi]

Ti,
Now I understand what you are saying. I will check the voltage tomorrow. Thanks.

 

[a33]

I once had an issue with motor commands not being executed, that was 'caused' by the combination of receiver and cable.

I had a long cable, of not all too good quality.
With one receiver: no problems; with another receiver: only some commands of the motor control menu were executed, other commands weren't.
I was puzzled by the symptoms, and after testing, changing the receiver worked, but also using another (better/shorter) cable.
In the end I used the other receiver, though, as that was the easiest solution for me.

Just for information.

greetz,
A33

 

[Fizbi]

Voltage at box:
H = 18.7 vdc
V = 14.3 vdc

Voltage at motor:
H = 18.6 vdc
V = 14.2 vdc

The SAT position was reset to zero, so I reprogrammed it to 106.58W 42.67N, probably was lost when resetting the box.
That stopped the error message that was not there before.
I went back thru all my settings, as if a new install, reset motor zero.

Tested both USALS and DESQ, still no motor positioning.
Tried bumping motor using step adjust on remote, no motion.

I have no switches installed. Straight run of RG6 to motor. No damage to cable that I can see.
I can still move the motor when using motor push button. Press and hold to travel west, double press to move east.

 

[Titanium]

Did you try using the receiver to move the dish in DiSEqC 1.2 mode while a horizontal transponder was selected?

Should be easy to trace with the scope set to 22KHz range and probe the 22KHz/DiSEqC signal path from the LNB port back through the tuner to the IC.

If no 22KHz/DiSEqC signals, likely a failed a smt component at the tuner insertion point inside the microHD.

Maybe it's new receiver time?

 

[Fizbi]

Did you try using the receiver to move the dish in DiSEqC 1.2 mode while a horizontal transponder was selected?

Should be easy to trace with the scope set to 22KHz range and probe the 22KHz/DiSEqC signal path from the LNB port back through the tuner to the IC.

If no 22KHz/DiSEqC signals, likely a failed a smt component at the tuner insertion point inside the microHD.

Maybe it's new receiver time?

I would agree on the new receiver. Even if I do see a loss of 22KHz, there's not much I can do about it. I can go back in and carefully look at all the SMD compnents hoping to see a problem, I'm still very limited in repair options.

Now here's the rub. The receiver is tuning and scanning just fine. I could purchase a new SAT box, or spring for a new
ASC1 DiSEqC 1.2 Satellite Dish Actuator Positioner and just add that to the current receiver. Then, I could fine position that motor.
I'm always tweaking the motor for best signal anyway.
I think I see a new SAT box in my future.

Right now, I reinstalled my CoolSat 5000 so I can continue satellite surfing.

Decisions, decisions...

Thanks for all the help.