Technomate TM-2600 M3 not moving.

[Red alert]

Hi all, been using this motor for nearly 2 years now. After strong winds the motor had become stuck and will not move, the led turned to solid orange, manual east/west would not work either, manual reset near the led did not work. Resetting using openvix image on Edision mio did not work also. If I press "send to 0" on receiver the light turns back to green again, but if I send command to move the motor the led turns orange. So I removed the motor from the pole, did a manual reset and the motor started moving again and east/west button works also, light never turned orange so I thought all is fine. I re-installed the motor back onto the pole and put the dish back on and problem came back. It seems like the motor does not move once I re-connect the dish. What test can I do to see if this is a motor problem or receiver/cable problem? Why does the motor only stop working when I connect the dish back to motor. I do not have a 2nd receiver to test with. Any help appreciated.

I am using Gibertini 1m dish.

 

[Trust]

Did you try with the lnb cable disconnected from the motor ?

 

[michael-elise]

Hi I had a similar problem with one of my motors once it turned out that the cable from the receiver to the motor had come loose in the f connector at the motor end and was not connecting properly. Hope this helps.

 

[Satspot]

Do you have another receiver you could hook up to the motor to rule out any issues at the receiver end. Try redoing the connection between the LNB and the motor and the motor to the receiver too. I’ve had my TM motor for years out in all weathers without any issues.

 

[Red alert]

Did you try with the lnb cable disconnected from the motor ?

The same without lnb cable connected. Could something be damaged inside the motor that it can’t take the weight of the dish?

 

[Red alert]

Did you try with the lnb cable disconnected from the motor ?

Forgot to say when I hard reset the motor it does flash orange

 

[Red alert]

Hi I had a similar problem with one of my motors once it turned out that the cable from the receiver to the motor had come loose in the f connector at the motor end and was not connecting properly. Hope this helps.

The cable works fine and checked the connection. Only moves when I take the dish off from it

 

[jeallen01]

The cable works fine and checked the connection. Only moves when I take the dish off from it

1 - When you say "The cable works fine and checked the connection", HOW did you check it and did you actually open up & check the F-connector joints because what seems "fine" with the very low currents (maybe just microAmps/milliAmps) in a DMM (multimeter) test may be relatively "high resistance" when you try to pass the 0.3 to 0.4A current that the Rx should be delivering when it tries to drive the motor and dish (taking the dish off reduces that current requirement considerably!) ?
That sort of "high resistance" can be caused by poor connections between the centre conductors, &/or the braided sheath and the outer bodies, of the F-Connectors (in which case, remake those connections!)
2 - Is the motor gearbox "too tight" because the backlash adjustment has been over-tightened?
3 - How old is the motor as the grease in the gearbox might have congealed over time? If so, clean out the old grease and replace it (a general purpose lithium-based grease works fine in my experience) &/or there is damage to the teeth on the gears which then jump/slip when heavily loaded by the motor AND dish?
4 - It's been mentioned before but have you managed to check the dish/motor combo by replacing the Rx with another (known working!) one? If replacement works then your Rx is itself faulty! Could simply be the internal connections are damaged or loose (several of us had that happen with one of the very small "fag packet" receivers - tightening &/or resoldering those connections fixed those problems)

 

[Red alert]

1 - When you say "The cable works fine and checked the connection", HOW did you check it and did you actually open up & check the F-connector joints because what seems "fine" with the very low currents (maybe just microAmps/milliAmps) in a DMM (multimeter) test may be relatively "high resistance" when you try to pass the 0.3 to 0.4A current that the Rx should be delivering when it tries to drive the motor and dish (taking the dish off reduces that current requirement considerably!) ?
That sort of "high resistance" can be caused by poor connections between the centre conductors, &/or the braided sheath and the outer bodies, of the F-Connectors (in which case, remake those connections!)
2 - Is the motor gearbox "too tight" because the backlash adjustment has been over-tightened?
3 - How old is the motor as the grease in the gearbox might have congealed over time? If so, clean out the old grease and replace it (a general purpose lithium-based grease works fine in my experience) &/or there is damage to the teeth on the gears which then jump/slip when heavily loaded by the motor AND dish?
4 - It's been mentioned before but have you managed to check the dish/motor combo by replacing the Rx with another (known working!) one? If replacement works then your Rx is itself faulty! Could simply be the internal connections are damaged or loose (several of us had that happen with one of the very small "fag packet" receivers - tightening &/or resoldering those connections fixed those problems)

Good suggestions. Long answer below and have tried to answer your points. I noticed the motor has slightly opened and 2 screws became loose. I took the motor off and tightened the screws of the motor. What I think has happened is that the dish brackets had got caught on the wire which I use to stabilise the pole. This must have happened whilst I was moving the dish in windy weather. The elevation of the motor slightly dropped hence cause the dish to get stuck when spinning. If you check my initial posts from 2 years ago you can see the setup and wires. The motor only moves if I remove the power from receiver for a couple of hours then reconnect. I can then move the dish only a couple of times before it gets stuck on the last satellite, the only thing which then works is go to 0 and dish will not move. I dont know if while the motor was slightly open in the rain, if water has gone inside or if the motor limits have stopped functioning. Is the limits within the motor mechanical or software based?

1. I have so far only checked the F connectors and cable for receiver and lnb. I have used new f connectors to the motor. Need to find the multimeter so I can check amp. The fact the motor was slightly open makes me think it’s something in the motor, rain water?

2. Do you mean when the motor is on pole or is that something within the motor. I haven’t opened the motor yet, only tightened 2 screws which became loose with wind.

3. Seems like I will need to open up the motor and check the teeth and gears, which I have tried to avoid. If I press the east/west button once the light turns orange. If I press it twice the light turns green but only moves less than a degree back to 0.

4. I might have another rx somewhere in the shed. I had Humax 5400 but that might not be much help.

Hope this is not to confusing in my reply.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Satspot]

Point 3 is most likely the cause of your problem if the casing was loose. Full strip down and exam and reassembly will probably be required. Sounds like the additional strain on the motor forced it through the casing. Hopefully none of the gearing has sheared as a result.

 

[Red alert]

Point 3 is most likely the cause of your problem if the casing was loose. Full strip down and exam and reassembly will probably be required. Sounds like the additional strain on the motor forced it through the casing. Hopefully none of the gearing has sheared as a result.

If the motor moves fine between the satellites while it can move, would that mean the gears are maybe ok? Something could be shorted within from a bit of rain water? Or now that its cold in UK maybe freezes the gears if not dry inside?

 

[Channel Hopper]

If the motor moves fine between the satellites while it can move, would that mean the gears are maybe ok? Something could be shorted within from a bit of rain water? Or now that its cold in UK maybe freezes the gears if not dry inside?

Pour some hot water over the gearbox

 

[jeallen01]

@Red alert

Ref your question as to what I meant by point No 2, I was referring to an internal adjustment within the motor whereby some form of clamping device applies pressure to the gearing in the gearbox to push that more closely onto the output shaft on which the dish is mounted. The aim is to reduce any slackness between the internal gearing and the output shaft to reduce any backlash in the shaft movement and prevent the dish overshooting when driving to a new sat - too loose and it overshoots, too tight and the motor can't move the dish at all!

I don't how it's done in your TM motor, but in the Dark Motors there is a hole in the outer casing through which you push a 6mm hex key into the end of a hex headed bolt which you tighten/loosen to adjust that backlash effect.

 

[Red alert]

@Red alert

Ref your question as to what I meant by point No 2, I was referring to an internal adjustment within the motor whereby some form of clamping device applies pressure to the gearing in the gearbox to push that more closely onto the output shaft on which the dish is mounted. The aim is to reduce any slackness between the internal gearing and the output shaft to reduce any backlash in the shaft movement and prevent the dish overshooting when driving to a new sat - too loose and it overshoots, too tight and the motor can't move the dish at all!

I don't how it's done in your TM motor, but in the Dark Motors there is a hole in the outer casing through which you push a 6mm hex key into the end of a hex headed bolt which you tighten/loosen to adjust that backlash effect.

Here is the problem. How bad is it and is it fixable….. also include photo of the gear.

@jeallen01 @Channel Hopper

 

[jeallen01]

@Red alert - can't help as I've never had that motor. OTOH @Channel Hopper almost certainly knows!

FWIW, from your photos, I would probably look for some sort of adjustment underneath the motor

 

[Trust]

Its the upper bearing , easy replaceable , I have several of them and willing to send

 

[Red alert]

Its the upper bearing , easy replaceable , I have several of them and willing to send

Thank you. That would be perfect. Please let me know postage costs.. etc. I can DM you if thats ok.

 

[jeallen01]

Its the upper bearing , easy replaceable , I have several of them and willing to send

Sounds like a "reasonable" reason for backlash occurring - OTOH, not a good design "feature"

 

[Channel Hopper]

Its the upper bearing , easy replaceable , I have several of them and willing to send

Is it one piece with the sheared main shaft ?

 

[Trust]

Is it one piece with the sheared main shaft ?

The main shaft is turning in it and it’s fit in the cover with no pressure easy to pull out .
I don’t think this failure effects a back lash and I wonder it’s the only course for the problem .
I will send the part this evening after work