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[(((Garyd)))]

FINALLY!! Found the issue and locked in on 87W. Oddly, it was a grounding issue. The controller does not like earth grounding. I had the rods supports to the feedhorn grounded to the dish supports and post. Once I disconnected the ground, the controller would work with the LNB connected. I'm getting both C & KU on 87W. Next task will be to program it and fine tune the arch for the other satellites.

Check your power panel in your house, I bet it's not earth ground correct, I have only seen that happen when that is the case, and if you get hit by lightning, your screwed your house insurance will not cover you.

Been there, saw it happen $20,000 worth of house damage and not a dime from the insurance Co. they used that to weasel out paying, a lawyer could fix it, but that would even cost more.

 

[Titanium]

Going back a year... the dish ground needs to be bonded the the home ground. A voltage potential is traveling between your home grounding and the dish grounding and power is flowing into places that it shouldn't be. Grounding the dish without bonding to the structure grounding is causing the problem.

 

[(((Garyd)))]

Going back a year... the dish ground needs to be bonded the the home ground. A voltage potential is traveling between your home grounding and the dish grounding and power is flowing into places that it shouldn't be. Grounding the dish without bonding to the structure grounding is causing the problem.

Good luck Be careful not to get killed, never work on floating stuff, never know, it's time to call an electrician and check the service.

Both house, and dish should be tied to earth ground, With a real 8 foot rod, the small 3 foot ones are crap, it's a joke, if the dish is on the house it gets tied to same earth ground as the house is, if the rod is deep enough there will be zero difference and use a bronze connector, do it right the receiver can float, but never the dish, it's for lightning protection.
I have some of these for sale, but the good rods are 8 feet long

 

[RFPickle]

Check your power panel in your house, I bet it's not earth ground correct, I have only seen that happen when that is the case, and if you get hit by lightning, your screwed your house insurance will not cover you.

Been there, saw it happen $20,000 worth of house damage and not a dime from the insurance Co. they used that to weasel out paying, a lawyer could fix it, but that would even cost more.

I'll check to make sure it's still bonded. The ground to rod may have been compromised. I built the house 22 years ago and did the electrical work myself so I know it's correct. We have had several lightning strikes with minimal damage. Surge protection now takes care of that.

 

[RFPickle]

Going back a year... the dish ground needs to be bonded the the home ground. A voltage potential is traveling between your home grounding and the dish grounding and power is flowing into places that it shouldn't be. Grounding the dish without bonding to the structure grounding is causing the problem.

I'm betting you are right because that part has not been done. I've been mobile at the dish trying to get it dialed in. Once the dish set up is complete, I'll run an independent grounding wire along with the cables to the house point of entry. The ground rod to the house is at that location and that's where I'll bond the satellite ground along with the dual cable grounding block just before entering the house. When all that is tied in, I'll try bonding the feedhorn support rods and see what happens.

Should I also add Inline Coax Cable Surge Protector?

 

[RFPickle]

Good luck Be careful not to get killed, never work on floating stuff, never know, it's time to call an electrician and check the service.

Both house, and dish should be tied to earth ground, With a real 8 foot rod, the small 3 foot ones are crap, it's a joke, if the dish is on the house it gets tied to same earth ground as the house is, if the rod is deep enough there will be zero difference and use a bronze connector, do it right the receiver can float, but never the dish, it's for lightning protection.
I have some of these for sale, but the good rods are 8 feet long

8' rod are what I've used in both locations along with properly sized wire and correct rod clamps. Sounds like I need to connect the 2 rods as Brian recomends, which makes sense. The temporary power source to my remote location (at the dish), are 2 drop cord & a power strip connected GFIC plug.
Thanks!

 

[Titanium]

Should I also add Inline Coax Cable Surge Protector?

I have never used inline coaxial surge protectors, but some swear by them. As long as the two grounding points are bonded with the coax ground block installed at the entry point, you should be fine.

 

[(((Garyd)))]

I have never used inline coaxial surge protectors, but some swear by them. As long as the two grounding points are bonded with the coax ground block installed at the entry point, you should be fine.

I have used them, not sure but I think they work, depends how hard and were on the dish or type of dish you have.

I had people with 6 foot fixed dishes for RTPI I had so many like that, that I found some that got hit as much as 3 times by lightning, had about 2,400 those I built a protection for.
I have good size coil of # 4 solid copper wire after driving in an 8-foot grounding rod, I ran it up behind the dish, and wrapped it around near the top at the highest point and left about 10 inches straight up, never got hit an again
All those jobs where near wet ground areas, two was on a lake, most where near wetlands, or very large oak trees.

 

[Titanium]

Leaving a small coil of coax (ideally on the ground in the crawl space) between the ground block and the gear is another way to help protect gear against nearby strikes.

 

[Magic Static]

Leaving a small coil of coax (ideally on the ground in the crawl space) between the ground block and the gear is another way to help protect gear against nearby strikes.

How much of a coil does it take to become a RF choke?

 

[Titanium]

10-15 right side by side stacked coils 4-12" diameter make a very efficient 1:1 balun. Lightning protection is often 10 or so loosely laid 18" coils.

 

[a33]

Leaving a small coil of coax (ideally on the ground in the crawl space) between the ground block and the gear is another way to help protect gear against nearby strikes.

So... between receiver and groundblock? Or between dish and groundblock?
Sorry, but I don't understand what is indicated by 'gear'.

greetz,
A33

 

[Titanium]

It really doesn't matter which side of the ground block the coax lightning loops are laid.

By gear, I meant satellite receiver, controller, TV, etc.

 

[(((Garyd)))]

Leaving a small coil of coax (ideally on the ground in the crawl space) between the ground block and the gear is another way to help protect gear against nearby strikes.

Why?

 

[(((Garyd)))]

So... between receiver and groundblock? Or between dish and groundblock?
Sorry, but I don't understand what is indicated by 'gear'.

greetz,
A33

Do it right for lightning.

If you live in an area like a very large oak nearby, if you don't understand lightning learn more there's cloud to cloud strikes there's sky to ground strikes there's also ground to sky strikes too, and when I was months old I got hit by ball ligning it left me a mute until I started school, then I had to learn to speak two langues one for home, and one for school.
Don't mess with lightning does me guys every time a storm came I saw $$$ signs I only protected real good if I thought they would switch to cable but there always a good fix, that I'm very good at that game

Please answer some questions:

Where is the dish located?

The type of dish?

Is your electric service been checked by a pro?

How far is your dish from that service?

How handy are you?