Installed a New (OLD) Actuator

[Davage]

For months and months I've been struggling with my SuperJack (which I have started calling SuperJunk) actuator. It has been losing counts badly, and I'd cringe each time I'd have to move the dish to G1 to get the guide info, because it likely was going to stall part way down.

I was visiting my parents this past weekend, and I was telling my father about my satellite actuator woes. He took me back to his storage shed, from which he pulled out 2 Von Weise actuators. He had found them in his rural garbage dump. Both actuators were in excellent shape.

Less than 24 hours after getting back home, I hooked up my 'garbage dump' actuator, and WOW, it is awesome! It appears to be a 24 inch actuator, which will let me scan from 37.5 West to 139 West with no troubles at all. My old SuperJunk actuator is headed to the recycling depot. I have a spare Von Weise actuator in my storage shed now for parts.

Attached are pictures, just because everybody loves pictures

One picture shows the difference in size between a SuperJack and a Von Weise Actuator. The Von Weise is MUCH heavier in weight.

 

[tvropro]

Looks like a tank compared to the superjunk.

 

[dougbrown]

Now thats a Jack!

 

[skysurfer]

you could also have purchased the $30'ish DMI actuator. I know it looks very cheaply built, but it's been moving quite nicely my 9' solid for the last few months when I decided to motorize that dish. I don't think a big aluminum/mesh dish like yours would be any problem if you ever were to need another actuator. Two Von Wiese's should hold you fine

 

[PKII]

For months and months I've been struggling with my SuperJack (which I have started calling SuperJunk) actuator.

Hey that is exactly what I have (superjack). Does your positions keep changing? I have to manually keep the numbers from the mover and if I don't use it for a while the numbers change.

 

[tvropro]

Hey that is exactly what I have (superjack). Does your positions keep changing? I have to manually keep the numbers from the mover and if I don't use it for a while the numbers change.

Davage's problems were loosing counts and the motor stalling. Could be in the reed sensor, the motor itself or the arm. One would have to tear it all apart from what I know to troubleshoot. The superjack seems like a cheap arm. I had problems with a less than one year old Moteck loosing counts. I rebuilt my old Thompson Saginaw's motor and put it back, it has been dead nuts on. I guess what it all boils down to is cheap is cheap, quality is quality. The only reason my Thompson Saginaw quit was because the brushes wore out after 19 years. The Moteck failed from cheap design in less than a year.

 

[Davage]

Hey that is exactly what I have (superjack). Does your positions keep changing? I have to manually keep the numbers from the mover and if I don't use it for a while the numbers change.

My SuperJack actuator would stall for no reason, and in cold weather, it would artificially report that it was at the physical limit. It would lose counts all the time. I was continually adjusting the 4DTV receiver to compensate for the lost counts or stalled dish moves.

The Von Weise jack I've got now (which is from a garbage dump) works perfectly. I got my BUD for free, and my jack from the garbage dump That is the true meaning of recycling.

 

[tvropro]

The Von Weise jack I've got now (which is from a garbage dump) works perfectly. I got my BUD for free, and my jack from the garbage dump That is the true meaning of recycling.

One man's garbage is another man's treasure

 

[sideswiper]

that Von Weise looks pretty new great find your dad got for you i also have a 24 inch Von Weise great actuator

 

[skysurfer]

The superjack seems like a cheap arm.

I suppose it would depend how it was installed. My Superjack is still moving it's 10' fiberglass dish 12 years after installation. All I do is the annual oiling of its attachment points to the dish just to keep the arm pushing the dish without any side forces.

Proper wire for motor/sensor plus actuator installed correctly on the dish should equal years of great service.

 

[tvropro]

I had good and cheap arms. A heavy duty quality actuator is the best way to go. You are correct that you must set up the proper geometry when installing the arm. Most probably don't know that. It will add to longevity if set up right I'm sure.