Replacing Dead Actuator Myself?

K

kenny23

Regular Member
Hi guys,
The 12 inch Superjack (Jaeger, I think) actuator on my 1m motorised system (old Lenson Heath style dish) has packed up and so I need to get a new one fitted. The guy I had do it last time one went has moved, and it's proving a bit of a pain to find someone who can do it in reasonable time or know what they're doing, so was thinking might order an actuator and try do it myself. I'm definitely not much of a DIYer though, so have some doubts about whether I should try it - ie, whether I might screw the whole thing up more.

These probably seem stupid questions, but appreciate it if you can answer any of them or point me to some online guide for dummies that can.

My actuator, luckily I guess, has packed up on 1W - so I'm still getting reception ok of DigiTV etc. I've always preferred to run my motor off a separate positioner (4 lead cable, 36V I think) that's not connected to receiver. I store channels in receiver by sat and just move the positioner with a remote to the sat I want to view. Happy to still continue that. I know how to reprogram my positioner fine - reset east/west limits on it, manually refind sats and store them etc. That side's not a prob.

At the dish end, I'm a whole lot less sure. If I take the old actuator off, is there any risk I can move my dish off tracking the arc? Does it need someone else or something to hold it in place while I fiddle about adding a new actuator - or will the polar mount itself take care of it still staying on the arc? Any diagrams anywhere about what actually needs to be unbolted to remove old actuator and fit new one?

Before I connect the new actuator, do I have to mess about with adjusting min/max travel settings in it - or will the factory defaults generally be fine? I basically want to be able continue travelling an arc of 42E to 30W.

I remember one thing from the last time the guy replaced one, he scratched a mark on the old actuator to show where the bolt clamping it on was situated. He then put it next to the new one and put mark there in roundabout same place that he tried to line up with clamp when he fitted the new one. Is this necessary - or is it just to make roughly sure the new one will be able to travel same range of satellites as the old one? If necessary, should I also try to run out the new actuator arm to the same distance out as the old one before connecting it and bolting it up ... cos if I get it right, I'd be getting a picture on 1W still?

Finally (sorry for so many Qs) I got most conax channels on 1W fine, but it took me swapping a 0.3db lnb for a 0.1db lnb to pull in the DigiTV channels. In rain, they tend to break-up still. I was wondering if I could make some minor dish tweek at 1W to see if I could squeeze just a few more per cent signal out of it. Other sats I watch don't really have any reception probs at all. It's 1W that needs to be really really spot on. Is it easy to make minor tweaks at dish end, or should an amateur leave it well alone?

Thanks.
 
..Hi Kenny ..
Definately a job you can do for yourself ..
releasing the dish from the end of the actuator arm will not alter the tracking of the dish ..

My advice fwiw ..
If in any doubt ..take a couple of photos of the setup before you start ..
Measure the position of the actuator arm from the end of the non extending part of the actuator to where it is clamped ...so that the repacement is held in exactly the same place ..
Measure also the amount of extended actuator as it currently is..
When replacing the arm ...push a big screwdriver through the loop at the end of the arm ..and rotatate until you have the same amount of extension.
Make sure all power to the old arm is off..
unplug your positioner and or receiver..
get someone to hold the dish itself ..or find some method of securing it whilst the new arm is fitted.
A good gust of wind could get hold of the dish and swing it hard enough to do damage.
Release the old actuator ...slide it out and replace with the new one ...if reusing the old clamp..
If not then fix the new clamp to the non extending part of the actuator first ...then remove the entire old arm and clamp ...and replace with the preassemmbled new one..
Use your photos for reference.
clamp it up ...and set about swapping the wiring over ...
be careful to make sure you have identified pulse control ...and motor wiring correctly and that they are orientated correctly...or your motor may drive the dish in the wrong direction.
Once the arm is attached and wiring fully checked ...you may have to set east and west limits inside the actuators motor ...
refer to instructions that came with it ....and your receiver or positioners instructions ..
Doing it this way ...and providing you use the same length and type of actuator arm ...you will get away with not having to set up your receiver/positioner from scratch.
rgds
VS
 
The dish will already be set up to track the arc so replacement of the actuator won't disturb this as mentioned. You'll need to extract or retract the jack first to suit the travel required for both E&W. This can be judged and roughly measured by looking at the old actuator in situ. You might want to also check or adjust the limit switches so that the jack never reaches the min and max travel (possible already set). It's possible you may have to tweak the satellite storage positions on receiver/vbox.

Edit: pipped to the post :D
 
Thanks for the answer, Vipersan. :)

Well, it doesn't sound like I can do too much damage even if I mess it up. So think I'll order an actuator then and give it a go.
 
Thanks also, satelliteman. :)

Think I might also have to look in to ways to squeeze a bit more life than 3 or 4 years out of my actuators. Regular greasing or something, maybe?
 
..Go for it Kenny ..
I can't see you having too much trouble with the swap-out...and there's plenty of helpful chaps on here ..if you do.
Try and get an exact replacement if you can ...as it makes setting up ..just that bit easier.
rgds
VS
 
Yes make sure the jack can travel freely and plenty greasing up. Of course you also have to remove the old bolts/actuator first ... could prove to be difficult. Plenty Wd-40 first.
 
kenny23 said:
Thanks also, satelliteman. :)

Think I might also have to look in to ways to squeeze a bit more life than 3 or 4 years out of my actuators. Regular greasing or something, maybe?
Click to expand...

I get roughly 3-4 years out of mine ...
sadly its almost impossible to prevent water ingress ...and thats what eventually screws the drive.
Its always mechanical failure due to seizure that gets 'em in the end .
In 20 + years I've never had a motor or sensor fail ..
Moving the dish regularly seems to help.
There's nothing worse than trying to move your dish after its been stood in the same position for about 4 months ...over winter etc
rgds
VS
 
Thanks for the extra tips, guys.

Oh well, sounds as if I'm getting about a normal amount of years out of actuators then. And yep, I agree on the moving it part ... mine has packed up on 1W mainly since I hadn't moved it off there for several weeks. There's one less prob with that though - at least, I've had a sat I can open stuff on still working. The last one I had go, got to the laboured slow movement mode and decided to pack up precisely nowhere ... some sat free black hole. So a silver lining to the cloud this time at least.
 
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