Losing Sat 103 with Zinwell 6x8

[carrerascott]

I had a DirecTV setup with 2 Zinwell 6x8s, Slimline 3 dish, and all was well. We have multiple dual input DVRs so I needed 10+ lines.

Recently we lost our 103 signal and I noticed our dish pole had come lose, so I put in a new pole, and re-aimed the dish. Also put in all new cables (4) from the dish, as I discovered 1 of the cables had gone bad (no signal coming in from that cable). Replaced the LNB on the dish just to be sure as well. Now direct to a receiver I get all satellites and very strong signals.

However if I go through the Zinwell 6x8, I am losing the 103 sat signal to all TVs. I have two Zinwell 6x8s that were connected before -- I have tried both individually and get the same result -- 0 signal on 103. 99 and 101 work fine.

We did have some storm activity before the trouble started -- is it possible that both Zinwell's got fried? Perhaps the bad cable was the one that went into both Zinwells on the 103 input, and that input got fried on both?

I am assuming at this point I need to order some new Zinwell 6x8s, or a Zinwell 6x16 if I can find one.

Would you concur with my analysis?

Thanks much for any input or advice!!

 

[ebms1]

I had a DirecTV setup with 2 Zinwell 6x8s, Slimline 3 dish, and all was well. We have multiple dual input DVRs so I needed 10+ lines.

Recently we lost our 103 signal and I noticed our dish pole had come lose, so I put in a new pole, and re-aimed the dish. Also put in all new cables (4) from the dish, as I discovered 1 of the cables had gone bad (no signal coming in from that cable). Replaced the LNB on the dish just to be sure as well. Now direct to a receiver I get all satellites and very strong signals.

However if I go through the Zinwell 6x8, I am losing the 103 sat signal to all TVs. I have two Zinwell 6x8s that were connected before -- I have tried both individually and get the same result -- 0 signal on 103. 99 and 101 work fine.

We did have some storm activity before the trouble started -- is it possible that both Zinwell's got fried? Perhaps the bad cable was the one that went into both Zinwells on the 103 input, and that input got fried on both?

I am assuming at this point I need to order some new Zinwell 6x8s, or a Zinwell 6x16 if I can find one.

Would you concur with my analysis?

Thanks much for any input or advice!!

recheck alll your cables from the dish ... one might be still bad...

 

[carrerascott]

recheck alll your cables from the dish ... one might be still bad...

Checked all 4 new cables and all are getting a signal, hooked each up direct to a receiver and got all satellites fine. Before, one of the 4 cables got no signal at all. No matter what order I hook the cables into the Zinwell's, it's always the 103 that is missing.

 

[Davedirectv]

Checked all 4 new cables and all are getting a signal, hooked each up direct to a receiver and got all satellites fine. Before, one of the 4 cables got no signal at all. No matter what order I hook the cables into the Zinwell's, it's always the 103 that is missing.

I would agree with your diagnosis there. Without any other information, that's what I would go with and fix.

Good Luck and post results!

 

[ebms1]

Checked all 4 new cables and all are getting a signal, hooked each up direct to a receiver and got all satellites fine. Before, one of the 4 cables got no signal at all. No matter what order I hook the cables into the Zinwell's, it's always the 103 that is missing.

how do you have your switches wired up ... i doubt that you have 2 bad switches ... but i have seen it before....

 

[carrerascott]

I would agree with your diagnosis there. Without any other information, that's what I would go with and fix.

Good Luck and post results!

Thanks. If you have any other info you'd like, let me know and I can test it out... but the Zinwell seems to be the culprit at this point as it seems to be what consistently kills my 103 sat signal. Fortunately they are pretty cheap to buy (just bought a new pair from a seller on Amazon for $12 each).

I'll post results when they come in -- hopefully they're the culprit!

 

[carrerascott]

how do you have your switches wired up ... i doubt that you have 2 bad switches ... but i have seen it before....

Well originally I had them wired like this


4 cables from dish>4 hi freq splitters> 1 cable from each splitter to each of the Zinwells.

The cable that went bad could have been zapped in a storm, and each cable went to the splitter and then into BOTH Zinwells -- so easily both could have had that 103 input fried on both.


Today I tried both Zinwells with the 4 cables directly into the Zinwell (no splitters) and then out to the receivers, and immediately lost 103 when I did this. If I put the cables coming from the satellite directly to the receiver, no problems.

 

[ebms1]

Well originally I had them wired like this


4 cables from dish>4 hi freq splitters> 1 cable from each splitter to each of the Zinwells.

The cable that went bad could have been zapped in a storm, and each cable went to the splitter and then into BOTH Zinwells -- so easily both could have had that 103 input fried on both.


Today I tried both Zinwells with the 4 cables directly into the Zinwell (no splitters) and then out to the receivers, and immediately lost 103 when I did this. If I put the cables coming from the satellite directly to the receiver, no problems.

you did that with both zinwells ... ???????... i guess they would be bad...

 

[Davedirectv]

Ground you wires then. And your dish.

 

[carrerascott]

Ground you wires then. And your dish.

Yup all are grounded (and were as well).