Actuator Test?

[esteveW]

I started the wiring of my 10' BUD (mesh) this afternoon. Haven't run the flat cable to the house yet but did run the RG6, servo control and actuator wires down from the antenna, to the base. I plan to put a weather tight connection box and lightening arrestor at the base of the mounting post.

After completing the wiring to actuator motor. I figured I would try putting some power to the motor and move the dish to due south. I hadn't put power to it before but someone had suggested I could just use a 12 volt battery. I knew the motor normally operates on something around 32volts.

Well, nothing happened. I could see some minor sparking as I touched the wires to the battery terminals. I also tried reversing them to see if it would go in the other direction. Still nothing, not even a noise from the motor housing.


What should I try now? I'm still a few days away from hooking it to the STB. Is this an indication of a problem with the motor? When I picked up the dish, several months ago, the fellow told me he had been using it until a few months earlier.

The actuator is a Von Weise, 24" (I think).

Any advise or comment would be appreciated.

Steve

 

[voomvoom]

You did use the 2 heavy wires (the thick ones) didn't you?

 

[esteveW]

Yep!. Sure of that.

Just a thought. How fast should the actuator move?? If I'm just using 12 volts, maybe the movement or motor was moving so slow I just couldn't notice it for the few seconds I had the wires touching the battery terminals. Maybe 10 seconds at a time.

Steve

 

[Lak7]

You will see it move with 12 volts.
If it is a used Arm, give the motor a slight tap, loosen any corrosion, then try again.

 

[esteveW]

It looks like I do have some kinda problem with the actuator. I hooked up my 170' of flat ribbon cable and ran it thru the patio door. Hooked it up to the STBs.

Every time I hit the East or West button I get an Error on the box display. It was dark outside by the time I got everything hooked up, so I couldn't actual observe the dish.

I'll do further investigations tomorrow.

Hoping for the best, maybe just a stuck motor/gear box.

Steve

 

[tvropro]

Definitely a problem in the motor or the gear train. Try to remove the motor and see if it runs freely.

 

[esteveW]

Actuator Test/Trouble shooting??

It turns out that the actuator is actually moving when I push the East/West keys. However! I get an Error message each time "No Return Pulse, Check Wiring or Actuator".

All the wire connections checkout, visually. I opened the back of the Von Weise actuator and verified the terminal connections were correct and solid. I also put a marker on the magnet wheel and it is rotating when ever I move the positioner. I also verified that the mechanical limit switch cams and micro switches are positioned and hooked up.

I'm presently limited on what I can check now since it is rain Cats and Dogs. I want to check for the pulse at the micro switch terminal but I am working along so I guess my next move will be to put a meter in the (inside) wiring connections and see if I see a pulse at any point along the way.

I did attempt to do the E. and W. limit settings. Followed the manual procedure (ingnoring the error messages) and completed that, FWIW. Since I have no pulse, there realy wasn't any thing to set in memory. Just wanted to see if I could follow the procedure and move the dish all the way to E. and then W.. Rainy-Day nonsense.!!

I am relieved that I have now verified that the actuator drive is working ok and the mechanical portion of both limit devices seem to be working fine.

Getting close But just not quite there yet.

Steve

 

[esteveW]

Actuator Test/Trouble shooting??

Got it. I pulled the STB out to check for a pulse signal from the actuator. Found a wiring error on the signal leads..

Had to reset the mechanical limit switch for the West limit and now it moves great.

Steve