GEOSATpro MicroHD won't move motor - motor IS getting power

[oldsmobile]

So, I ordered and received this: http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=brcxm-03638 Thanks for the tip, FTA4PA!

The cable that goes from the LNB port on the motor into the 8x1 switch tests good.
The cable that goes from the receiver port on the motor into the house and into the motor tests good.

I confirmed dish movement with original cabling on the Viewsat; all is good there.

I hooked up the MicroHD again and tested a V transponder on 87W, and used a big paper clamp to hold down the remote button to drive the motor. Negative. The light on the motor was solid, no blinking.
I switched to a H transponder, used a big paper clamp, and walked outside and was shocked to see the motor moving east. I ran back inside and stopped it.

MicroHD moves motor ONLY when tuned to a H transponder.

Now, I'm unsure of how to check voltage, but would I just use a pigtail piece of coax from the MicroHD to a DMM set to DC volts?

 

[oldsmobile]

Not sure if this is related...drove the motor to 87W and set it on a blind scan. I have the LNB that's on the motorized dish in position 2 on the Amiko 8x1, so the setting on the MicroHD is Diseqc 1.0 Disabled, Diseqc 1.1 2Cascades Port 2.

The only other satellite programmed in at the moment is 97W, which is on 2cascades port 5.

I just stopped the blind scan on 87W because it was picking up everything on 97W even with the settings being on two different LNBs. It has been doing a similar thing with 2cascades port 1, which is my 30W dish, at times. I figured it was a quirk, but is it something more than that?

 

[Titanium]

Now, I'm unsure of how to check voltage, but would I just use a pigtail piece of coax from the MicroHD to a DMM set to DC volts?

Yes,exactly!

I would test the voltages under load. Here is a jumper that I use to allow easy inline testing.View attachment 119629

 

[Radioguy41]

Brian that link doesn't work - says I don't have permission, but I am logged in.

 

[FTA4PA]

So, I ordered and received this: http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=brcxm-03638 Thanks for the tip, FTA4PA!

You're welcome! I received mine as well. Need to run some new coax lines down to my dishes so hoping to try it out soon!

 

[Titanium]

Strange, just a photo upload via the SatelliteGuys Apple iPhone app. I'll try again.

 

[. Raine]

Not sure if this is related...drove the motor to 87W and set it on a blind scan. I have the LNB that's on the motorized dish in position 2 on the Amiko 8x1, so the setting on the MicroHD is Diseqc 1.0 Disabled, Diseqc 1.1 2Cascades Port 2.

The only other satellite programmed in at the moment is 97W, which is on 2cascades port 5.

I just stopped the blind scan on 87W because it was picking up everything on 97W even with the settings being on two different LNBs. It has been doing a similar thing with 2cascades port 1, which is my 30W dish, at times. I figured it was a quirk, but is it something more than that?

If you blind scan 87W, the receiver shouldn't pull in the transponders from 97W too, if you're doing Single Satellite Search. On Multi Satellite Search it could.

I would temporarily bypass the switch to test it, run coax direct from the receiver to the motor, and see if the motor moves in both directions then. The quality of the coax may be a issue too, H is 18V and V is 13, if the coax has a lot of resistance to it, it could drag the 13V down too low to move the motor on V.

If you measure the resistance of the coax, one ends center pin to the other ends center pin, and shielding from one end to the other end and find a reading higher than 14 ohms or so, coax could be the issue.

 

[oldsmobile]

Made a cable like yours, Titanium, and although ohmmeter test is good, no signal registers on the Micro HD from any LNB when it's inline. Voltage test, though, is a rock solid 13.33 volts on vertical and 17.76 on horizontal.

 

[oldsmobile]

And with the Amiko switch bypassed, and running a single motorized dish and lnb setup, the Micro HD moves readily from 87 to 103 whether on horizontal or vertical transponders. This now suggests good coax, good receiver, and bad switch! Right?

 

[KennyR]

Sounds like it, do you have another switch to try ?

 

[oldsmobile]

I do not, but I see Titanium sells them. Placing order accordingly!

 

[primestar31]

You aren't swapping cables on and off that switch with the power on, correct? That will blow a switch quite easily.

 

[oldsmobile]

No, definitely not. I always pull the power cord out of the MicroHD before swapping coax. I've read that failure to cut power is a pretty surefire way to kill a switch.

 

[oldsmobile]

And a new diseqc switch solved the problem inexpensively. Thanks for all the assistance!

 

[FTA4PA]

Glad you got it fixed!

 

[turbosat]

Sounds like the one I just solved today. DG380 motor, hasn't been used a lot since I bought it several years ago. Erratic movement or no movement, scanning channels on wrong satellite, all kind of weird problems. Cable is only about 2 yrs old so I didn't give that much thought, other than a quick visual check. After two days, I decided to 'closely inspect' that cable with my fingers and specs on. Found a tiny little nick in the outer cable jacket, I bent it slightly and it almost broke in two.
Thought I had two bad receivers, haha. I had to have slightly nipped it with the weedeater a month or two ago, moisture got in and messed up the cable good. It was right near the dish where the cable comes up and the weeds and vines try to grow up it. I never look for the simple problems, an easy fix!