Suitable upgrade recommended

[richardsth]

I've just replaced a 1.5 lightweight aluminum dish with a 1.8 Prodelin fibreglass dish and now I've just realised out that my receiver (echostar AD3600 IP) does not have the oomph to drive the heavy duty actuator that's attached. The shop that I bought it from has confirmed that the actuator does indeed work correctly when tested with a technomat V3 and the reciever works on my old echostar skinny actuator. It's time for me to replace this obsolete receiver, so are there any units out there with a combined receiver & positioner which has the power to drive this monster? Or can someone recommend a suitable replacement for the AD3600IP and I'll get a separate positioner.

Rik

 

[Channel Hopper]

The Echostar 3000/3600 series has a very good actuator drive system.

The polarmount design of many Prodelin dishes does however leave a lot to be desired straight out of the box.

I would suspect you have not modified the polarmount mechanics and motor drive motion to minimise the forces (and current) required to drive the dish.

 

[richardsth]

what is there to modify? I didn't know that I had to. It works OK with the Echostar actuator but with the heavy duty Superjack it's struggling to to drive it. The thing is that I don't see the echostar actuator lasting for long trying to drive this dish.

Rik

 

[Channel Hopper]

Almost any motor could be used to drive the dish if the mounting points are modified accordingly.

The design of the polarmount determines the total length of travel required, and the overall forced need to push and pull the reflector round. The only definites you have when designing a system is the limits of reception, and maximum travel of the worm drive. By adapting the bracketry that holds both ends of the motor to the polarmount, you can improve the tracking and reduce the strain put on the gearbox and actuator drive circuits.

 

[richardsth]

I've just realised that I must be colour blind ! The problem was that at the dish end I was using a white & yellow cable for the sensor but at the receiver end I had connected up a white & green lead instead. And you're right about the specs for the positioner, it's rated at 5 Amps. I looked around at other positioners and they were only rated at 3.