Satellite positioner - movement impeded.

[David071]

Hi everybody. I cannot believe my luck - I set up and was setting satelllites in and mistakenly left a light aluminium ladder near the actuator arm as it turned. (working late in the day did not help!) Of course now the positioner will not send the actuator on the West bearings. The numbers above the 550 on the positioner work but no numbers lower. What can I do - or will I just turf it out and buy another one! Thanks everybody.

[mkhannah]

I got mine stuck on a roof once when going too far east, I couldn't send it to point to another sat, but I could move it one number at a time until it eventually freed itself. Giving the equipment a rest helped.

[David071]

Thanks Mark - I live in some sort of hope with the actuator. It was just one of things - it is just a damn learning experience. I was unlucky as the end of the actuator arm just touched the ladder. Next time I will have the ladder on the other side of the yard - well away from any movement of the actuator arm or dish. I hope other members rigging up make sure they have ladder or anything else well away from the actuator or dish. Thanks for the support!

[weirdo]

are you sure it's the actuator stopping and not the limit set in your v-box?
try resetting the v-box to see if it will move further

[David071]

Hi weirdo,
Everything appears okay with the v-box. The positioner box is sitting on about 540. The prob. is the actuator won't retract in - it only retracts out. I can manually turn it in but it won't retract in itself. As I said in an earlier post - unfortunately the ladder impeded the movement. It is a real learning curve to make sure you have everything totally clear of dish and actuator arm including any trees, shrubs, obviously. I was working late afternoon/evening as well which didn't help. (I wonder if I have stripped the gearing or something?). It is a heavy duty actuator which rubs insult into injury as far as replacement cost.! Thanks for your help.

[weirdo]

Hi weirdo,
Everything appears okay with the v-box. The positioner box is sitting on about 540. The prob. is the actuator won't retract in - it only retracts out. I can manually turn it in but it won't retract in itself. As I said in an earlier post - unfortunately the ladder impeded the movement. It is a real learning curve to make sure you have everything totally clear of dish and actuator arm including any trees, shrubs, obviously. I was working late afternoon/evening as well which didn't help. (I wonder if I have stripped the gearing or something?). It is a heavy duty actuator which rubs insult into injury as far as replacement cost.! Thanks for your help.

I myself have made the mistake of leaving the ladder next to the dish in the past, so you're not alone there David
These actuators are not that easy to break really and if the gear was stripped it probably wouldn't move at all
Sounds more like one of your wires is not connected, maybe check them
When you say you can manually retract your actuator do you mean by pressing a button on the v-box or by other means?

[David071]

Thanks Weirdo. I really can't work out why it does not retract down below 543 on the positioner. I will re-set the postioner box and see what happens. I checked all the wiring inside the actuator box and all appears okay. I have read warnings before where you can do damage to the actuator if it does not move freely turning the dish. "I was just wondering if I did any damage is there any way of repairing the damage on the actuator?" When I said manually turn the actuator I mean by hand you can wind the inner tube in and out. Thanks for your help.

[David071]

Hi everyone,
Finally found some time to reset the positioner box back to the factory settings. Thanks weirdo and mkhannah for your help and advice. Yes, as weirdo said the actuator arm was not the problem. The numbers on the postioner box got screwed up instead. Yippee...and thanks.

[tristen]

Thank you for taking the time to advise the outcome, David071.

It's a good start to the new year.