Advice Needed Geotrack HV24 Actuator - Siezed Up !

[moonbase]

Hi,

I have an Geotrack HV24 actuator that is quite old and siezed up. I am wondering if it is worth the effort of trying to free it up to get back into service. It came from a Precision 2.2 metre motorised installation so I am hoping that the actuator may have been decent spec in its day?

If it is worth trying to free it up, can anyone please advise me where I start? I have tried both a v-box and an ASC-1 to see if there is any movement but no luck. There is an initial minor vibration as though it is trying to move but thats all. Having never dismantled an actuator before I am clueless where to begin.

I have attached a few pics of the actuator, any advice most appreciated.


Rgds

 

[Channel Hopper]

Start by undoing the single 13mm bolt that holds the worm drive to the gearbox and wriggle it free . Then try with the positioner again. If the gears turn then you have to unseize the drive. Not that easy.

 

[Vipersan]

CH is spot on ..
The only success I've had freeing off worm drives in actuators was by filling a long thin trough with oil and extended soak time immersing it ..
but only really works for seized worms ...not broken ones ...and they do break ..
shattered bearings usually being the cause..

I'm hoping I wont see this sort of thing for a while having recentlly installed my Venture Actuator imported from the USA ..on Christina.
rgds
VS

 

[moonbase]

CH, VS,

Thank you for the replies. I will try wriggling the worm drive free as a starter.

Rgds

 

[moonbase]

Hi,

I have finally got back to look at the siezed Geotrack actuator. As suggested by CH, I undid the bolt that secures the worm drive to the gearbox and removed the wormdrive from the gearbox. It came apart quite easily. Looking at the worm drive part, there seems to be a collar with 6 dome shaped parts on it, possibly to house ball bearings?

I tested the gearbox for movement by connecting it up to a v-box but there was no movement. The v-box is OK so I assume that there is an electrical fault somewhere preventing the gearbox rotating. I think that the actuator may have been incorrectly wired up at some point in the past. I am not sure what damage may have occurred as a result of it possibly being incorrectly wired? If it was just the reed switch blown would that prevent the gearbox rotating?

Would anyone please be able to advise me if the fault with the gearbox is repairable or is it just scrap now and beyond repair? Also, from the pictures I have attached is it possible to tell what type of actuator drive mechanism it is (acme/screwball...)?



Rgds

 

[scopus]

Hi,

I have finally got back to look at the siezed Geotrack actuator. As suggested by CH, I undid the bolt that secures the worm drive to the gearbox and removed the wormdrive from the gearbox. It came apart quite easily. Looking at the worm drive part, there seems to be a collar with 6 dome shaped parts on it, possibly to house ball bearings?

I tested the gearbox for movement by connecting it up to a v-box but there was no movement. The v-box is OK so I assume that there is an electrical fault somewhere preventing the gearbox rotating. I think that the actuator may have been incorrectly wired up at some point in the past. I am not sure what damage may have occurred as a result of it possibly being incorrectly wired? If it was just the reed switch blown would that prevent the gearbox rotating?

Would anyone please be able to advise me if the fault with the gearbox is repairable or is it just scrap now and beyond repair? Also, from the pictures I have attached is it possible to tell what type of actuator drive mechanism it is (acme/screwball...)?



Rgds

It will work without the the pulse circuit it you just use a 36v supply, the V box will be looking for pulses so if that circuit is faulty it will come up,with E 2 on the V Box display.
Have you actully taken the motor out of the housing? I had a similar problem and it was the motor brushes, the springs had rusted. It's a pig of a job though to get it back together.

 

[moonbase]

It will work without the the pulse circuit it you just use a 36v supply, the V box will be looking for pulses so if that circuit is faulty it will come up,with E 2 on the V Box display.
Have you actully taken the motor out of the housing? I had a similar problem and it was the motor brushes, the springs had rusted. It's a pig of a job though to get it back together.

Thank you for your reply.

I will see what my options are for a 36v supply. I have not removed the motor out of the housing, I thought I had better seek advice before embarking on something I have a high chance of bodging up.

Is there anyway to tell if the actuator is an acme thread or ball screw type without removing the arm from the sleeve?

Rgds

 

[nelson_b]

Hi -
A 12 volt car battery hooked up to the motor terminals is usually good enough for testing the motor ... i agree with Scopus regarding taking the motor apart ... ...
the thread will almost certainly be Acme .. i have a Geotrack TD 12 here and it is ...
is the screw turning ok within its tube ?

 

[Captain Jack]

Is there anyway to tell if the actuator is an acme thread or ball screw type without removing the arm from the sleeve?

There are three potential faults that can manifest worm drives:

1) Rusted up worm drive - this can be freed (sometimes) by putting copious amounts of grease inside the drive and driving it back and forth until it's free. As you have it apart; does the shaft move in and out when you rotate the end bit manually? It should be very easy to move it. If it doesn't move, then you'll need to try and free it up with grease. If it's really bad, I put the end bit in a vice and rotate the whole tube but if it's at this stage, it's easier to scrap it usually.

2) The gearbox is seized. I have never had this happen before but I guess some plastic gears can break, causing seizures. While you have it apart, connect the motor to the Vbox and try powering it up. Does it move at all? If the reed sensor is knackered, the motor will still turn a few rounds before Vbox realises that it's receiving no pulses and stop... but it should still move. Reed switches cost pennies and are very easy to replace.

3) Motor burned out - I have never had this happen before either but the windings in the motor can go s/c or o/c, causing the motor to fail.

If it had even been wired up incorrectly, the worst thing that can happen if that the reed switch will burn out.

Also, check connections to ensure they are no loose somewhere.

 

[moonbase]

Hi -
A 12 volt car battery hooked up to the motor terminals is usually good enough for testing the motor ... i agree with Scopus regarding taking the motor apart ... ...
the thread will almost certainly be Acme .. i have a Geotrack TD 12 here and it is ...
is the screw turning ok within its tube ?

Is it OK to hook the motor up to a car battery while the battery is still connected into the car? I dont want to remove the battery from the car as it resets all sorts of electronic gizmos in the car every time it is disconnected.

The screw is not turning in the tube, its siezed up.


Rgds

 

[moonbase]

...If the reed sensor is knackered, the motor will still turn a few rounds before Vbox realises that it's receiving no pulses and stop... but it should still move.

I got no movement of the motor at all with a v-box.


Rgds

 

[purplemarina]

you could use a 12v+ battery from a power tool for testing purposes to save messing with the car

 

[moonbase]

Update:

I connected the motor to the car battery and got no movement on the motor. It looks like a double fault, motor and siezed worm drive

Rgds

 

[Captain Jack]

Probably not worth the effort to restore it in that case.

 

[moonbase]

Probably not worth the effort to restore it in that case.

Yes, it looks that way unless its a simple fix with the motor. I could soak the sleeve and arm in a 50:50 mix of acetone and ATF for a few weeks/months and try to get it freed up but unless the motor is a quick fix its not worth the effort. Not to worry, more satellite junk to go to the tip.

Rgds

 

[nelson_b]

Is it OK to hook the motor up to a car battery while the battery is still connected into the car? I dont want to remove the battery from the car as it resets all sorts of electronic gizmos in the car every time it is disconnected.

The screw is not turning in the tube, its siezed up.


Rgds

Yes i,v used the battery on my old b.m.w. car while its still connected up without any issues ... the jack motor is only small ... you could use a small inline fuse on the connecting wire i guess for protection , just in case the motor has shorted internally and you get a strong arc ... or do as Purplemania just suggested and use a power tool battery
i,v more recently been using a 24 volt 2 amp - mains driven transformer for testing ....

if the tube is solidly siezed as well as a dud motor ... its probably not worth all the effort involved

edit ... a bit late with my reply there

 

[blademedia]

Update:

I connected the motor to the car battery and got no movement on the motor. It looks like a double fault, motor and siezed worm drive

Rgds

Its usually the communicator bar on the armature that gets dirty with being stood, take it out and clean it up with fine sandpaper also give the bushes a rub and give it another go.

 

[moonbase]

Its usually the communicator bar on the armature that gets dirty with being stood, take it out and clean it up with fine sandpaper also give the bushes a rub and give it another go.
View attachment 105255

Thx, I will see if I can get it apart and give it a clean.

 

[moonbase]

Its usually the communicator bar on the armature that gets dirty with being stood, take it out and clean it up with fine sandpaper also give the bushes a rub and give it another go.
View attachment 105255

I manged to remove the armature and will give it a clean. When I pulled it out of the sleeve, there were two spring loaded contacts that make a contact with the communicator bar, one of these popped out on its slider and it looks a tricky job to manipulate it back in there. Does the armature sleeve disconnect from the cog housing? There are two small screw heads at the bottom of the armature sleeve, if I can get the sleeve off I hope it will make it easier to get it all back together.


Thx

 

[moonbase]

Its usually the communicator bar on the armature that gets dirty with being stood, take it out and clean it up with fine sandpaper also give the bushes a rub and give it another go.
View attachment 105255

@blademedia,

Sorry for the dumb question but which parts are the bushes, are they the 2 x semi circular shaped magnetic parts that wrap around the armature?

Thx