Wire gauge for Ajak?

[Greg Mueller]

I've got it measured out and adding extra for screw ups I figure I will need something less that 250' to get from in the house to the Ajak. (probably more like 225').

I suspect there are various gauge wires for voltage loss and distance. At least that's the way it used to be.
Someone want to suggest a make/model of wire?

Thanks

 

[primestar31]

I've got it measured out and adding extra for screw ups I figure I will need something less that 250' to get from in the house to the Ajak. (probably more like 225').

I suspect there are various gauge wires for voltage loss and distance. At least that's the way it used to be.
Someone want to suggest a make/model of wire?

Thanks

250', (that's an EXTREME distance to push DC voltage!) 36VDC at around 5~amps. If you used 10 gauge copper wire, you'd have a 2.5volt voltage drop. Still usable.

I would NOT go less than 10 gauge for this distance... Though 12 gauge (easier to get) would probably still work, and it's not as if you'll have your dish constantly twirling like a RADAR dish.

 

[Greg Mueller]

Not to doubt you or anything but the pdf install guide says 24-36v at 2.5a ?

 

[Titanium]

The smaller the gauge, the higher the resistance, the lower the voltage, the slower the motor....

 

[primestar31]

Not to doubt you or anything but the pdf install guide says 24-36v at 2.5a ?

Well, just to put it in perspective, the old analog receivers that powered these were typically rated at 36vdc, and 5 amps, years later they changed to 24vdc. Your Ajak was brand NEW back then. Now it's quite old, and maybe tired due to wear, and stiff grease. That means it could possibly draw even more current to move your dish (especially in any cold temps), and/or the wire could heat up too much.

At that distance, I'd plan on pushing as close to the full 36vdc at 5amps as you can. With voltage drop for a smaller wire size, you'll get around 30vdc and 4amps.

In any case, I highly recommend you do not use any wire smaller than 12 gauge.

 

[Greg Mueller]

Think 12 ga solid will be ok?
When I got the mount I rebuilt it and put bronze bearings in and stuff. So it should be in good shape. I hope

 

[primestar31]

Think 12 ga solid will be ok?
When I got the mount I rebuilt it and put bronze bearings in and stuff. So it should be in good shape. I hope

12 gauge solid should work well enough. If not, it's a handy gauge wire to have around for other uses,,so you can't lose. If you are going to trench it, don't cover the trench back up before running it for a while.

 

[Titanium]

I would suggest stranded, or at least transition to stranded near the mount where it will flex with motor movement.

 

[Greg Mueller]

What gauge for the other wires then?

 

[Magic Static]

What gauge for the other wires then?

For the sensor you need shielded wire 18 gauge stranded or heavier. Look for "security cable" at Home depot or lowes type store

 

[Titanium]

If you are running a servo motor for a feedhorn like the Corotor, also use same shielded type wire as Magic Static recommended for the sensor cable. If using LNBFs, no need for the additional servo shielded cable bundle.

 

[primestar31]

Greg, also run a couple SPARE Rg-6 coax cables at the same time. It's much easier to do it then. You never know when you could have one go bad, or you decide to reconfigure things, maybe add another lnb or something and need an extra or two coax's...

 

[Greg Mueller]

I have one new 500' spool of RG6 Quad. So that's 2 runs.
I just found a 500' spool of 12ga stranded on ebay for ridiculously cheap. That's the 2 runs for the motor.
Still looking for the 250' of 18ga security cable.

I won't be using a co-rotor gizmo. Got a dual LNB holder for the dish.

It's getting crowded in the 1-1/2" conduit. (It's already in the crawlspace wall). Might have to get a can of that "snot".

 

[Brct203]

about the 12Ga stranded, make sure it's not copper-clad aluminium, as is very often the case for cables like speaker wires. Those have a much higher resistance, so a much higher voltage drop.

 

[Greg Mueller]

This was it

 

[Brct203]

This was it

That looks fine, that's not copper clad aluminum

 

[Greg Mueller]

Is it as important that the 18/4 shielded be non CCA?

 

[primestar31]

Is it as important that the 18/4 shielded be none CCA?

YES.

"CCA" stands for "copper-clad ALUMINUM". So "NON CCA" means NOT copper-clad aluminum. You want pure copper wire for this distance.

 

[Greg Mueller]

Sometimes I'm not a good speller.
Pure copper is harder to find

 

[primestar31]

Sometimes I'm not a good speller.
Pure copper is harder to find

You could always get a much larger gauge to compensate, if it's copper-clad aluminum. But at the distance you are running, I highly recommend pure copper.