Advice Needed Fibo motor problem.

J

Julesd

Member
My Satellite Setup
VU+ Duo, SAB Unix
My Location
Liverpool UK
Season's greetings to everyone.
I have a fibo motor fitted to a Gregorian 1.2m dish.
Recently the motor stopped working properly, luckily I had another one
which I replaced it with.
Problem is, it will only move for about half a second each time I try and move east or west.
I have opened it up and soldered the joints on the 2 circuit boards hoping it was dry joints,
but still doing the same. I have it set up on the bench with a spare receiver at the moment.
Has anyone had similar problems please?
Hope you can help. Pics of motor attached.
Thanks.
Regards,
Jules.
 

Attachments

  • 3.webp
    3.webp
    33.9 KB · Views: 60
  • 2.webp
    2.webp
    24.6 KB · Views: 59
  • 1.webp
    1.webp
    22.4 KB · Views: 59
From the looks of it, the one pic showing the gear at the front (1.jpg) looks to have some sort of corrosion or scale on the left side, if water has got inside it may have messed up a limit switch, or something internal.

Have you tried to open it from that side? If not, then try just loosing the screws a bit (don't open it all the way) an see if water comes out, if so then it may be FUBAR.
 
Have you checked the receiver is currently putting out a 5V supply to the pulse circuit ?

In installing Fibo dishes a number of years ago, the installed actuator cabling from the receiver might be the four wire / caravan affair, in which case the solution used to be to run an earth from the LNB outer sheath to provide the fifth connection .
This part may be where the corrosion is, especially if the installer could not be bothered to use proper amalgamating tape on top of the proper ribbon cable.
 
Channel Hopper said:
Have you checked the receiver is currently putting out a 5V supply to the pulse circuit ?

In installing Fibo dishes a number of years ago, the installed actuator cabling from the receiver might be the four wire / caravan affair, in which case the solution used to be to run an earth from the LNB outer sheath to provide the fifth connection .
This part may be where the corrosion is, especially if the installer could not be bothered to use proper amalgamating tape on top of the proper ribbon cable.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the quick replies Guys.
I have all 5 wires connected between STB and motor:
2 motor wires, 5v, pulse and GND.
I have opened it up on the bench and it's pretty clean inside.
I will check the 5v though.
I have gone over the solder joints on the 2 PCB's but no different.
I may open it up again and check continuity on the ribbon cables.
Is it possible the optical sensors could be at fault?

Thanks.
Regards,
Jules.
 
Julesd said:
I have all 5 wires connected between STB and motor:
2 motor wires, 5v, pulse and GND.
Is it possible the optical sensors could be at fault?.
Click to expand...

Could be .... You might also get the fault you describe if the pulse and GND wires were connected the wrong way round ?
Regards.
 
It may be the optical sensor has failed. They can be replaced with a reed sensor which makes the 5v connection redundant.
 
AndyX said:
It may be the optical sensor has failed. They can be replaced with a reed sensor which makes the 5v connection redundant.
Click to expand...
AndyX said:
It may be the optical sensor has failed. They can be replaced with a reed sensor which makes the 5v connection redundant.
Click to expand...
Thanks, but can you explain or have any diagram for reed sensor please?
Regards,
Jules.
 
Julesd said:
Thanks, but can you explain or have any diagram for reed sensor please?
Regards,
Jules.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately not, however, if you look through this section there was posts from people who replaced the optical circuit. I bought a modified one myself.
 
AndyX said:
Unfortunately not, however, if you look through this section there was posts from people who replaced the optical circuit. I bought a modified one myself.
Click to expand...
Thank you.
Will let you know how I get on.
Regards,
Jules.
 
Thanks Trust.
I have checked the 2 pcb's inside and all continuity is fine.
I may try replacing the opti sensors and the NPN trans.
Surely it should work, with a bit of luck.
Regards,
Jules.
 
Since you have a duff motor not doing much, why not dismantle it and check continuity and differences , just in case you can make one good one with the working bits left over.
 
Julesd said:
Yes cheers, may do that if I get bored over the holidays!!
Click to expand...
Merry Christmas Guys,
Sorted my Fibo motor.
After checking components and continuity on the 2 PCB's, I found the Opti sensor seemed to be working.
I narrowed it down to one of the 2 BC547 NPN transistors. I only had a BC549 one, replaced it with that and
Motor is working fine again, great!!
Thanks for all your help and I hope this will help others.
All the best.
Regards,
Jules.
 
Great, now for the other motor.
 
Back
Top