Dead VBOX

[StarScan]

I bought a VBOX 6 about 4 years ago and I finally got around to installing it a few months ago. The motor I'm using with it is a JGS on a 10' fiberglass dish with a Amiko Nano. I had no problems with it until a few nights ago. I was moving from 101W to 97W it decided to quit in the middle of movement. I tried unplugging it and plugging it back in and still nothing. Any advice or is it dead?

 

[Magic Static]

Look for a blown fuse inside. If it has any overload protection. The VBox 7 has one but the VBox X does not.

 

[Lak7]

You should be getting an "E2" error - VBox is not "feeling" the arm move - Bad connection to, or just bad, Motor or Sensor.

 

[Lone Gunman]

Look for a blown fuse inside. If it has any overload protection. The VBox 7 has one but the VBox X does not.

Just an FYI for ya on this. One of the Vbox X movers I have has something like a fused link in the outer layer of the windings of the transformer. If you peel off the outer layer of tape you can see/replace it although mine still didn't work after I did that. It did have power to the board afterwards though but I guess it was fried.

 

[StarScan]

I didn't see any overload protections or fuses. When I plug it in i get nothing, I used to get a decimal on the screen. I think the transformer is fried, I'll try peeling back the tape and look for a fused link.

 

[KE4EST]

IIRC the vbox 6 has the fusible link.

 

[radio]

You should be getting an "E2" error - VBox is not "feeling" the arm move - Bad connection to, or just bad, Motor or Sensor.

Do you think cold weather could cause this on a Horizon to Horizon mount that seldom gets used for moving? I have a rotary encoder driving the v-box info, and the box
will E2, but after a few tries it GOES! I'm thinking either the H-H gear's grease turned to ROCK and gets in the way or...there's water in a hypothetically sealed encoder.
Thought maybe it was the disecq, too because it "delayed" moving toward the last in warm weather with NO errors. (but was not as quick as I've seen it....)
Thoughts welcomed. Luckily I don't move the C-band dish much....have enough dishes dedicated that I seldom move it.

 

[StarScan]

While I was taking the tape off the transformer it looks like it got a little hot. Earlier that day the dish was so full of snow I had to help the dish turn by pushing it, Maybe i didn't sweep out enough snow.

 

[migold]

I would connect a car battery charger to your H-H motor and see what the current draw is. If it is more than 2 or 3 amps, you have a problem in the H-H motor or the dish or gears are binding. IF it draws less that 2 amps and moves slowly, the H-H is good, and the V Box is suspect. Your transformer layer insulation could get this discolored from overheating due to excess load current, and may or may not be bad at this point. If the wire coating insulation can be scrapped off with a fingernail, then it has been ruined and the transformer is no good. Your wire coating that is exposed in the photo, looks normal, but may be degraded more under the layer insulation.

 

[Lone Gunman]

While I was taking the tape off the transformer it looks like it got a little hot. Earlier that day the dish was so full of snow I had to help the dish turn by pushing it, Maybe i didn't sweep out enough snow.

Did you find a fused link under that insulating tape?

Do the relays look burnt?

I'm with migold, you need to check the amp draw on that motor and yes, snow, especially a wet one will add a considerable amount of weight to that dish. That may be what caused the problem. When it snows here I generally don't try to move the dishes until I clean the snow off.

 

[. Raine]

A little late, but if you have a meter you could've checked, [still could] the transformer before pulling it all apart. The two wires supplying power to the transformer are your primary wires and if the pico fuse internally is blown it will read open on the primary wires.
Be gentle replacing the pico fuse, the wires attaching to them are very delicate sometimes.

From your picture, the windings in your transformer don't look bad.

 

[Lone Gunman]

"Pico fuse"? Ok, so it has a name. Never heard that before. Thanks.

FYI, I didn't replace mine because I didn't have one but instead just bypassed it for testing purposes on the bench. I have a spare actuator so I just connected it up in the shop to see if I could make it work. It didn't but did put power to the board and the LED display did light up. Wouldn't move the dish though. At least I did find out that the transformer wasn't shorted out inside.

 

[truckracer]

My vbox 7 always smelled like hot burning plastic.

 

[StarScan]

My vbox 7 always smelled like hot burning plastic.

My new VBOX 7 just came in the mail, thats one of the first things I noticed when getting it out of the box.

 

[Lone Gunman]

My new VBOX 7 just came in the mail, thats one of the first things I noticed when getting it out of the box.

Maybe they "burnt it in" before it left the factory!