HH Motor In Cold Winter

[Christopher Cromwell]

Now that winter has set in, and this being my first winter with FTA, a new question surfaces about my Moteck SG 2100 motor. I'm afraid to use the motor at all when the temperature gets down in the 30's or colder. I try to park the dish at the satellite that has my favorite channel, like NHK World when it's that cold outside. I have seen the YouTube videos from people way up north with broken or stripped out motors because they were used in the extreme cold winter months. Do I have anything to worry about? Here in Kentucky it does get down in the 20's-30's with 6" of snow at times; and it has been known to get way down to 0 or colder for several weeks at a time in January. I was reassured from the Satellite Shop that the motor I bought from them last spring has a metal gear in it, but wanted to make sure I don't break or bind it up when it's too cold out. Would be nice if the motor had a built in heater that came on automatically. :-D Am I ok to use it in the cold, or best to wait for a warmer day in the 40's to switch satellites? What are your experiences? Thanks for your input. Otherwise the motor still works great!

 

[KE4EST]

I don't have that particular one, but my STAB works just fine in cold weather. Going into 3 winters now.

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

I don't have that particular one, but my STAB works just fine in cold weather. Going into 3 winters now.

Thanks Michael! I have noticed the new Amiko A3 reciever does turn the motor much quicker than the Manhattan did.

 

[Blindowl1234]

I think the SG2100 has the plastic gear as I've went through my fair share in 6 plus years lol. Here in southwest Ohio it gets plenty cold and I've got the SG9120 with a metal gear and at 15 to 20 degrees or so I leave it on one sat.
I've had all my previous SG motors freeze up around zero degrees and not move at all.

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

I think the SG2100 has the plastic gear as I've went through my fair share in 6 plus years lol. Here in southwest Ohio it gets plenty cold and I've got the SG9120 with a metal gear and at 15 to 20 degrees or so I leave it on one sat.
I've had all my previous SG motors freeze up around zero degrees and not move at all.

I was hoping for $90 the Moteck DMTSG2100 motor has a metal gear in it; I bought it on 5/29/14. The motors with the plastic gear inside go for $50-60, so I stayed away from those. It seems like it does have the metal gear in it, I figure the plastic gear would have broke or stripped out long by this time with the hot summer we had. I don't want to take it all apart to find out for sure.

 

[SatPhreak]

My Stab HH90 has gone through seven winters of temps down to -40, and its still going strong. It does have metal gears in it though.

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

I think the SG2100 has the plastic gear as I've went through my fair share in 6 plus years lol. Here in southwest Ohio it gets plenty cold and I've got the SG9120 with a metal gear and at 15 to 20 degrees or so I leave it on one sat.
I've had all my previous SG motors freeze up around zero degrees and not move at all.

Oh great!! :-( I just got this off the Moteck website: I would guess this is updated,
Model: SG2100 Gear: Plastic
:-( :-( :-(
Nothing like getting lied to from an unorganized online store just to make a quick buck! (Sigh...) Looks like I will be looking for another motor pretty soon. If any of you know of a good metal geared motor and reputable site I can buy it from, could you please continue to let me know? I have tried hard to stay away from the plastic geared motors best I could.

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

My Stab HH90 has gone through seven winters of temps down to -40, and its still going strong. It does have metal gears in it though.

Where did you get yours at Sat?

 

[SatPhreak]

I bought it at a local store in 2007.

 

[Titanium]

Nylon gears only become an issue at extreme low temperatures when the material becomes brittle. Otherwise, the nylon gears are much quieter and usually have less backlash. Metal on metal gears tend to bind easier and require more frequent backlash adjustment.

The metal on metal gear hype took off as a marketing tool by a distributor who is no longer in business and was ultimately known for cheap products and questionable marketing claims. While metal on metal gears sounds great, there are problems with this design. While the metal on metal gears have great longevity, the expansion contraction will cause them to be more prone to binding in temperature extremes.

In a moderate climate, where the temperature may drop below 0 degrees Fahrenheit a few times a year and using a 90-100cm standard dish assembly, I personally would recommend a motor with nylon gears. In extreme locations where the temperature stays in the negative for weeks/months or I am mounting an oversized dish assembly I would select metal and jacket the housing with a heating element.

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

Nylon gears only become an issue at extreme low temperatures when the material becomes brittle. Otherwise, the nylon gears are much quieter and usually have less backlash. Metal on metal gears tend to bind easier and require more frequent backlash adjustment.

The metal on metal gear hype took off as a marketing tool by a distributor who is no longer in business and was ultimately known for cheap products and questionable marketing claims. While metal on metal gears sounds great, there are problems with this design. While the metal on metal gears have great longevity, the expansion contraction will cause them to be more prone to binding in temperature extremes.

In a moderate climate, where the temperature may drop below 0 degrees Fahrenheit a few times a year and using a 90-100cm standard dish assembly, I personally would recommend a motor with nylon gears. In extreme locations where the temperature stays in the negative for weeks/months or I am mounting an oversized dish assembly I would select metal and jacket the housing with a heating element.

:-O Oohh!! I had no idea about the backlash thing, didn't think that would happen. I guess like you said neither one is perfect, but hopefully my motor won't break anytime soon as long as I don't use it when it's too cold out. I got my motor from thesatelliteshop website. They sold me a 4 port switch that died within months and then they sold me a motor that I would not have bought if they were truthful with me from the get go. I didn't get the communication or tracking numbers for my orders unless I begged for it, so not real keen on going back there anytime soon. Sadly with FTA my trusted resources are limited. Maybe next summer I will get a better motor, if this one dies on me by then.

 

[Titanium]

I have several daily use nylon gear motors that are running strong. One is 11 and the other is 9 years old. They have been used during years of 100+ days and sub zero nights. Open them up every 2 or 3 years and lightly touch-up the lithium grease on the gears. Never have parked them during the heat or cold. I could see babying them during sub zero Fahrenheit extremes, but not it your type of weather.

Doubt you will be replacing yours for many years!

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

I have several daily use nylon gear motors that are running strong. One is 11 and the other is 9 years old. They have been used during years of 100+ Summer days and sub zero nights. Open them up every 2 or 3 years and lightly touch-up the lithium grease on the gears.

Doubt you will be replacing yours for many years!

Really??! Awesome! Well Ok, I will just continue to keep my fingers crossed. I'm afraid to take mine apart, may never work again afterwords.

 

[Blindowl1234]

I agree with Brian and there's good and bad with both depending upon climate. I found my old SG2100's didn't work for me with USALS and went to the 9120 after a previous SG2100 died. Honestly I think I have two SG2100's in the garage as parts units. I never looked to see what happened to them but they died in winter lol. I do keep the ice and snow off my SG9120 as much as possible. Brian might know more than I do on this but there were a lot of distributors selling the SG2100 at one time. I remember some were of poor quality. This was maybe 4-5 years ago. There were a lot of backlash issues if I remember right? I had one that was D.O.A lol

 

[Titanium]

Wasting you energy worrying about "what ifs" and "maybe could bes". Hard to work hand tools with crossed fingers...

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

I agree with Brian and there's good and bad with both depending upon climate. I found my old SG2100's didn't work for me with USALS and went to the 9120 after a previous SG2100 died. Honestly I think I have two SG2100's in the garage as parts units. I never looked to see what happened to them but they died in winter lol. I do keep the ice and snow off my SG9120 as much as possible. Brian might know more than I do on this but there were a lot of distributors selling the SG2100 at one time. I remember some were of poor quality. This was maybe 4-5 years ago. There were a lot of backlash issues if I remember right? I had one that was D.O.A lol

Yeah, I know Brian has been in the satellite industry since the 80's, so I know I can rely on his teachings. All I knew was the plastic gear motors broke easy and often; so go with metal. I don't really want to buy a new motor, I would much rather stay with what I have, as long as it continues to work well. Like Brian says, if I only use it above freezing, it will last me 12 years. I was supposedly told that my motor was fresh off the assembly line when I bought it, so maybe there have been some improvements with the plastics they use hopefully.

 

[Mr Tony]

I used the same SG2100 motor here in Minnesota for 8 winters...and it survived just fine moving in the bitter cold (where in January minus 20 is common and minus 30 is not uncommon)
(so cold that you actually THOUGHT a little bit first if it was worth going out and working on the dish farm)

 

[Mr Tony]

I'm afraid to use the motor at all when the temperature gets down in the 30's or colder.

I'm sorry but I laughed when I read that. If I did that the motor wouldnt move for 6+ months

 

[Mr Tony]

This was one of the few times I didnt move the dish (for obvious reasons)
(and not due to the snow on the motor either)

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

I'm sorry but I laughed when I read that. If I did that the motor wouldnt move for 6+ months

I understand, don't worry, lol. Brian had his fun with me too about not being able to use tools with crossed fingers. Thank you though for your helpful answer, you would be the best person to ask since you know best how the plastic motor performs in that kind of cold for so long. Your answer as well as answers from everyone else helps me to relax and not get too worked up about it. I'm starting to realize that maybe my purchase wasn't all that bad of one, and if it does go out sooner or later, I will just get another, nature of FTA; nothing lasts forever.