Asc1 Not Moving West

[arlo]

arlo,

Like I said earlier, I tried the global reset with the asc1 and that wiped all my satellite locations, so Im not worried about satellite counts.
I’ll try the non battery method if you think that will work best. Not to knock primestar31’s idea, but your method would be easier to accomplish than hauling the battery out of my old t bird.
Thanks again..

John

I'm not knocking his method one bit. That's how I setup my fabricated high resolution hall trigger in mine. Oscilloscope and the Kubota and Harley batteries in series. But if your actuator is stiff like I suspect, the lower torque from the 12 V, high amp battery may do more damage than you suspect if it's stalled. If the motor is el bueno, unhooked it should spin like the dickens with the ASC-1 at the helm. You had to bring up the boat jack, didn't you?! Playboy on Satcom 4 at 2am and -20 out with a flashlight, turning a crank! Only those that know, know.

 

[JFOK]

Hi all,

I was wondering if it might help if I gave the actuator tube a few gentle taps with a hammer in several places. Not.hard enough to dent, but strong enough to let it know Im here. I’m thinking if it is binded up, a few taps might free it.
Any thoughts, or is this a futile gesture ?

John

 

[arlo]

Hi all,

I was wondering if it might help if I gave the actuator tube a few gentle taps with a hammer in several places. Not.hard enough to dent, but strong enough to let it know Im here. I’m thinking if it is binded up, a few taps might free it.
Any thoughts, or is this a futile gesture ?

John

Anything is possible. It needs lubricated while operated in and out to distribute it. Tapping may just give you the satisfaction that you at least tried something. If you had an RV with a slide out the service center would just swap it out. Picture the inside of yours and realize a few taps may get you nowhere. Ready for step 2?

https://www.venturemfgco.com/uploadfiles/image/file/850seriesball.pdf

 

[JFOK]

Arlo,

I appreciate you helping me with this.
Im at work right now, but was just thinking between classes and the tapping idea came up. Guess you feel thats not helpful so will pass on it.
Does step 2 involve removing the motor ?
If so, is there anything I have to watch for when removing the motor?

John

 

[arlo]

Arlo,

I appreciate you helping me with this.
Im at work right now, but was just thinking between classes and the tapping idea came up. Guess you feel thats not helpful so will pass on it.
Does step 2 involve removing the motor ?
If so, is there anything I have to watch for when removing the motor?

John

There is a slight possibility that you may be able to see a little weep hole for moisture in the end of the actuator tube close to where the motor mounts. You could retract the arm and spray white lithium lube in generously using the straw to get it deep inside the screw and nut. Then turn the driven shaft to exercise and work the grease around. Extend it further a few inches at a time and keep spraying the lube inside. Over and over. But right now we haven't even established if your motor is operable or the actuator is stiff and binding up. You are the one who will have to let us know on that part.
In my area there are enough tinkerers who would jump at the task for a few beers and a pizza.
Yes. It would be better if the end that your dish is bolted to were pointing towards the ground for obvious reasons.
Do those things and get back to us please.

Yes. You have to remove the motor. Is the motor screwed up or is the actuator itself stiff and binding?

Edit:
" If so, is there anything I have to watch for when removing the motor? "
No. It's a simple slot and pin coupling or close to it. Designed to be removed easily for manual operation.
"then end up with nothing to view all winter long"
That is where manually turning the actuator will come in to play.

 

[JFOK]

Arlo,

Not sure what you mean by this statement....
“ Yes. It would be better if the end that your dish is bolted to were pointing towards the ground for obvious reasons.”

John

 

[Titanium]

With all wires (except the AC power) disconnected from the ASC1, use a fast reacting digital or an analog VOM with the probes on the M1 and M2 ASC1 terminals.

1. Do you see a momentary 28 - 36Vdc reading (before the error message is displayed) when the ASC1 front panel East button is depressed?

2. Do you see a momentary 28 - 36Vdc reading (before the error message is displayed) when the ASC1 front panel West button is depressed?

 

[JFOK]

Brian,

I don't own a digital vom.
Can you recommend one that wont break the bank ?

John

 

[JFOK]

Arlo,

I won’t be getting to this today,
Its 40 degrees outside now with 40mph winds. Not conducive to dish work.
Thanks again for your assistance.
I will follow your steps later this week when it gets warmer....50’s.
Back in the day I had a dish crank option with my Radio Shack dish. Kinda wish I had it now for issues like this.

John

 

[Titanium]

Sorry, I haven't purchased a VOM in years and typically use a scope.

Buy an analog VOM if you cannot find a fast reading digital. Many inexpensive digital meters take a while to take a reading and may miss short duration events. Often a digital meter may react quicker if set to a fixed range instead of selecting auto.

 

[primestar31]

Don't get "analysis paralysis".

Pick one of the suggestions given, and try it. IMO, by far the simplest test for somebody without test equipment is to hook a 12 volt battery directly to the actuator motor, as I've stated.

If it works, there's nothing wrong with that part

 

[N6BY]

...
I don't own a digital vom.
Can you recommend one that wont break the bank ?

You can get one at Home Depot or Lowes for around $20.

And, of course, the test Brian suggested in post #27 would be done indoors. It will narrow down the source of the problem.

 

[zack]

Brian, he swapped the sensor wires, not the M1& M2 wires! Reread his his first post!

JFOK, if the ASC1 is able to read counts in one direction, it can do so in the other direction!

In other words, the sensor can be hooked up red to white or red to red or white to white, it is always going to read the same thing!

Your dish still went east and and the count was good! That means that all your wiring is good!

Two wires to the motor (reversible) and two wires to the sensor that does not matter what way the motor is going?

And it will not go West?

Command or programming error, or something to do with the DISQET commands out of our Linkboxs?

I am on my 2nt ASC1 , mine had a problem with going East, however!

Brian, you said to start a new post if my problem came back ,I bought me one more when I found you were dropping them.

It has started doing the same thing as the first one!

Titanium ASC 1 gone bad after 1 month in use

 

[JFOK]

Zack,

I’m going to test the actuator motor first,
by unhooking it from the “arm” and pressing the east-west buttons on the asc1. If the motor tests out well...I hope... then I’ll try turning the actuator “arm” with vice grips. If it moves okay then I may consider a possible issue with the asc1.
However when I try to move west I do get a slight click from the asc1 before getting the error message. So maybe its getting the command but something out at the dish (actuator arm ??) Is preventing movement.
I will try reversing the m1 and m2 wires again at the asc1. I will also try reversing the sensor wires, if you think that might show something.
BTW... I initially reversed the wires out at the dish and it still moved east. I later reversed the wires at the asc1 and it didn't move either way.
Thanks for responding to my issue.

John

 

[arlo]

Yeah. If the ASC-1 doesn't see a pulse almost immediately from the trigger switch it will error out right now.
At 6 pulses per shaft revolution, a balky actuator will pop one up right now. Possible it's a bad reed switch, but running the motor off of the arm will tell you quick. At any rate you will want to establish your lower limit switch adjustment to kick in with the actuator extended out several turns from completely retracted. Or you will stall the motor if your lower soft limit is not set right.

 

[JFOK]

Hi all,

Tomorrows weather looks more promising for dish work...mid 50’s.
I’ll let you know how it goes and again, thanks for all the great input.

John

 

[Titanium]

Brian, he swapped the sensor wires, not the M1& M2 wires! Reread his his first post!

Zack wire color means little any more as most hobbyists are no longer using ribbon cable or have wired the distribution wiring color code to their own preference. M1 / M2 defines which terminals to swap. This is why I haven't suggested what wires to swap in my testing suggestions. If swapping the M1 / M2 wires resulted in the East front panel button press moving the dish West and counting, then one could rule out an ASC1 East drive circuit defect.

If you are having a problem with your equipment and wish to trouble shoot...
START A NEW THREAD.

 

[JFOK]

Hi all,

Just an FYI...
I reversed the m1 and m2 wires in back of the asc1 and when I pressed west, it still moved east.
First time I did this it didn't move either way.

John

 

[arlo]

Please remove the motor and bring it inside. Hook it up to the mover and test it. Use any scrap wire that will fit in the terminals.

 

[Brct203]

Hi all,

Just an FYI...
I reversed the m1 and m2 wires in back of the asc1 and when I pressed west, it still moved east.
First time I did this it didn't move either way.

John

and if you press East, does it move west?

My guess is that this result shows that the circuits in the ASC-1 are good (after reversing the wires, pressing West was able to move the dish - to the East as expected since the wires were swapped)

if it's not moving West when pressing East, that would likely indicate a problem with the actuator. I doubt it would be the motor itself, since it can spin in one direction, it's not burnt. My suspicion would be on a stripped gear that is still able to catch the other gear in on direction but skips in the other direction.

I second Arlo's advice, bring the motor in, hook it up and test. Or bring the Asc-1 to the dish, and do a temporary wiring there. push the buttons and listen to the actuator