Technomate motor LED flashing orange

[H.Rule]

Hi everyone

I’m having a problem.

I’m using a Technomate TM5200 with a TM Diseqc motor – I can’t remember what actual model the motor is, but I bought it about 4 or 5 years ago along with a Technomate TM1500 receiver.

A few days ago I lost signal completely and thought that the wind had moved the motor, so I went out a couple of evenings ago for a look. I noticed that the green status LED on the bottom of the motor was flashing orange every 5 seconds. Anyone know what this means? Also, when the dish turns to the East there’s an odd sound from it – there’s the normal “whine” sound, but every few seconds there’s what sounds like a higher whine, then back to the normal sound, then a few seconds later the higher pitch again and so on, if that makes sense. Driving the dish West doesn’t generally seem to do this.

I connected up the old Technomate TM1500 to the motor, and the green LED flashes orange about every 2 seconds with it. Same sound when the dish moves.

This evening I replaced the cable from the motor to the receiver and checked the connections from motor to LNB, but there’s no change.

I’m now starting to think the motor may be on it’s way out.

Any ideas anyone?


Thanks

Harry

 

[MARK]

Sounds like it could be on its way out,as you've already mentioned you have replaced the cable and connections which i would of checked first too,the only thing i could suggest is try another receiver if possible to see if its a power fault from the receiver too the motor....

 

[H.Rule]

Sounds like it could be on its way out,as you've already mentioned you have replaced the cable and connections which i would of checked first too,the only thing i could suggest is try another receiver if possible to see if its a power fault from the receiver too the motor....

Hi Mark

I've tried it with two different receivers - the Technomate 1500 and the 5200 with pretty much the same results. I don't have another receiver to try ;-)

Thanks.

 

[Topper]

One of the main weaknesses on such a worm wheel assembly as an H-H motor is the damage caused when there is sufficient force transmitted back through the dish to the worm wheel assembly. This tends to strain and often sheer one or more teeth on the crown wheel. With the winds that have been experienced recently I am sure that unless you deliberately parked your dish to minimize the effect of the wind, it is more than likely some damage will have occurred. In any case five years is a reasonable life expectancy for such an H-H unit.

 

[H.Rule]

In any case five years is a reasonable life expectancy for such an H-H unit.

Hi Topper

Yea I was thinking the same thing when I was typing my original post - hadn't realised it had been up there so long. I just want to exhaust all possibilities before buying a new one.

Any recommendations for a replacement anyone? Obviously it'll be metal-geared motor. Any that should be avoided?

Thanks

 

[sonnetpete]

..Any recommendations for a replacement anyone?...

I've used this one for the last couple of years :

_http://www.hm-sat-shop.de/en/motoren-positionierer/clarke-tech-diseqc-motor-hh390-dg380.html

It's driving a 1.2M Laminas fibreglass dish and came through the recent very windy weather without a problem. I can't recall seeing them for sale with UK based sat retailers but the German company that the link refers to is very good and will ship to the UK.

 

[satelliteman]

The Technomate TM-2600 super should do well on your 88cm. The HH390 is branded under another name here in the UK I believe.

 

[H.Rule]

I've used this one for the last couple of years :

_http://www.hm-sat-shop.de/en/motoren-positionierer/clarke-tech-diseqc-motor-hh390-dg380.html

It's driving a 1.2M Laminas fibreglass dish and came through the recent very windy weather without a problem. I can't recall seeing them for sale with UK based sat retailers but the German company that the link refers to is very good and will ship to the UK.

It looks very like a Dark Motor....

 

[H.Rule]

The Technomate TM-2600 super should do well on your 88cm. The HH390 is branded under another name here in the UK I believe.

I forgot to update the information in my profile :-\

I'm now using a 1.2m (from memory) Gibertini aluminium dish. Maybe it's a little bit too big for my TM motor...

 

[Lazarus]

Not unless it is particularly badly exposed ----------- the saving grace for you is the aluminium construction which should mean that in anything but severe conditions the motor won't be unduly overloaded.

The usual spec. is "Up to 1.2m" and the limiting factors are dish weight (governed by whether it's steel or aluminium - big difference) and wind loading which is dependant upon size alone (for practical purposes).

 

[H.Rule]

Not unless it is particularly badly exposed ----------- the saving grace for you is the aluminium construction which should mean that in anything but severe conditions the motor won't be unduly overloaded.

The usual spec. is "Up to 1.2m" and the limiting factors are dish weight (governed by whether it's steel or aluminium - big difference) and wind loading which is dependant upon size alone (for practical purposes).

Yea, the problem is that my dish is on a 2-inch pole held by a pair of T&K's and poking up above a flat roof, so it is exposed and catches the wind. It's the only place I can put it which gets half-decent coverage of the arc.

 

[Lazarus]

Somehow, I had a feeling you had an exposed arrangement!

 

[H.Rule]

Somehow, I had a feeling you had an exposed arrangement!

Ooh err! ;-)

I have very limited options here - I do have another possiblity but I can only fit one of those stand-off bracket jobbies and I'm not sure if it would be safe, inasmuch as being able to take the weight of the motor and 1.2M aluminium dish. I'm inclined to think maybe it would as the dish is light. It would certainly be easier to access as it would mean simply walking across a flat roof to it.