My latest FTA adventures :(

[iafirebuff]

Well I had some free time last night, it was nice out, so I thought I would try to point my G10 Primestar to 30w. YES! It works with a 60%+ SIGNAL! So, I run some new lines to the Invacom on my motorized system, and hook my second receiver to the 2nd set of outputs, bury the line, etc. OOPS, cut a line to the motor - no biggie, I redo the line go inside, hook up receiver - nothing. Nothing from the motorized, nothing from the primestar dish. Ok, maybe I hooked up the switch wrong. I check the tv in the bedroom - it works fine, so the Invacom on the motorized is not the probl. Mess around with it for awhile, gave up due to darkness.

THis am, I go out with the Fortec receiver, and hook directly to the motor - no power to the motor.....so, I find that the connectors will not tighten down...I fear that they are broke. I take down the motor and dish and tak the motor apart - yep, BOTH LNB abd RECEIVER connectors have broke from the circuit board. Flimsy design, but I obvisously over-tightened them. So, I re-aim my Primestar to G10, throw another lnb next to it - boom White Springs. Re run some cable and back up and running - now to decide if I leave it and gi up on a motor or get a new motor. 99% of the time we watch G10.

 

[iafirebuff]

I might add - for FYI - the Fortec Universal LNBs placed side by side work PERFECT for G10 (123w) and 129w (White Springs). They also worked great side by side for 97w and 101w. It is as easy as placing it right next to it and boom!

 

[iafirebuff]

11720 on G10 is coming in at 73-80% and White Springs at 70%. Better than I had on the motorized

 

[Mr Tony]

bummer about the motor...I havent tightened them that much but I'll be sure not to over tighten them

 

[linuxman]

That's terrible about them breaking off like that. I have read here where some others had a similar problem.

This should be a caution to all of us not to over tighten things.

I tell that to my computer clients who like to tighten down the VGA connector to the back of the computer. I usually tell them, it isn't a head bolt, it just needs to be snug.

Fred

 

[Anole]

I'd always read to tighten LNBs and switches only with the fingers - don't use any tools.
By looking at this picture, I can see why.

I wonder if the board was meant to be installed with some internal jam nuts and lock-tite or something else to make it more twist-resistant?

Sometimes, connectors are milled off on one side of their threaded portion, and stuck through a "D" shaped hole, so they can't turn.


On the other hand, I had a signal failure last week.
When I went outside to track the problem, it turned out to be a loose connector at a grounding feed-through.
Quarter turn, and I was back on the air.
I was -so- tempted to use a wrench!

 

[lumpkin666]

Same thing happened to me. Normally I get into trouble when I forget to tighten (torque) a bolt or screw/etc... Sometimes you just can't win!

 

[Anole]

heh, yea...
And how many guys have reported stripping the threads off their motor mounting bolts?
Aren't those hardened and stainless?
Did someone think they were head-bolts?

We just can't win.

 

[mastermesh]

Yep... I'm a victim of sloppily designed stuff to. My first sg2100 stopped working and had to be replaced many months ago. I don't think mine was due to overtightening of the coax. Instead I think it was due to manually hand tweaking dish too much when it was attached to motor, which somehow cause the bolt connected to motor's arm to loosen too much which caused some issues. I didn't know what the heck I was doing, and think trying to tweak to find the perfect sweet spot caused me to loosen the motor arm enough that it pulled too far when you moved motor a certain direction - which led it to hit right on when moving one way (can't remember if it was east or west) and be off a degree or two going the other way.. one day, I tried to move motor from g10r and just got a no signal message and thought my world was crushed... later, I tried some tests on it and the broken motor wouldn't even move at all and no light came on.

luckily motors don't cost much to replace. Repairing them costs almost as much as a new replacement...

I also have broken a bolt or two on dish network dishes that I played with a little before actually buying the winegard and invacom when I first started out... those bolts just ain't meant for men to handle... especially men that are getting frustrated with not getting a signal on a hot day that are getting irritated and have testosterone levels rising...

 

[voomvoom]

Bummer Larry! At least you still have G10 and IA7.... which are probably my most watched ku sats. Of course that has nothing to do with what you watch? But since you said you watch them, it's good you have them. I hate to be the one to tell you, but you are hooked, and you won't last long without a motor!

Al

 

[iafirebuff]

I watch G10 99+%. So I am good to go! I really only scanned through all the other stuff, never stopped for more than a few seconds. I think I will wait until spring to see if I miss a motor. I kinda like how my side yard looks without a dish there

 

[iafirebuff]

I am guilty of using a tool to tighten the connectors - I know better now

 

[Tron]

heh, yea...
And how many guys have reported stripping the threads off their motor mounting bolts?
Aren't those hardened and stainless?
Did someone think they were head-bolts?

We just can't win.

The SG-2100 used to ship with motor bracket U-bolts that were cast from dreadfully poor metal. It was some sort of porous metal that would strip or break from the slightest amount of wrench tightening. During a recent trip across the lake to check out Stogie5150's dish farm, however, I noticed that they are now being shipped with U-bolts cast from a superior metal.

 

[digiblur]

All of my wrench sets for some reason are missing the 7/16 wrench

You have to be careful with 'em. I usually hand tighten then barely bump it with the wrench.

 

[iafirebuff]

I now know I will admit, that it is not the motor's fault - it was my own "man handling". On a side note, I have thought about getting a new motor, and a 3ABN 36" dish and making a new set-up. But, all I watch is G10 and in the 2 weeks I have been without, I don't miss the motor. Running G10/IA7 off of the Primestar dish, I have a higher signal strength on both of these satellites, that I think I will just let it be and leave my set up the way it is. Of course, I have lots of gear just collecting dust......too bad I don't have friends, I would get them set up

 

[swampman]

I might add - for FYI - the Fortec Universal LNBs placed side by side work PERFECT for G10 (123w) and 129w (White Springs).

Hey Larry I think I may set my Primestar up that way. I'm stationary at G10. Got any pics to show your setup? Thanks.

 

[iafirebuff]

I will try to remember to take some pics tongiht. I know I had some posted on here last year...not sure where they are though