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From: GREG0072 -(GREG0072) TO: ALL
Date Posted: 202001-23-4 12:22:00
Message:
Body:		 I just went to fire up my dish for the season ,and houston I have a problem. I have a 920 4dtv. I turned on my 4DTV and I was on Sat C5 and cspan was on channel 7 . I went to switch channels to Sat GO and the dish only moved a little bit and the dish postion number did not change and the next time I tried to move it it would only move in little increaments and then I got the message "dish at limits" or something to the effect for both directions.

This problem happened one time before when I started up last season and I turned off the whole house power for about 20 minutes and then the 4DTV worked fine this time I turned off the power for about 10 minutes and still the same problem. I did not leave the power off longer because I forgot how long I waited last year . This dish is at my camp.

Well does anyone have any ideas , any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks


From: Dennis -(DAGUTHRIE) TO: GREG0072
Date Posted: 202001-23-4 12:49:00
Message:
Body:		 It sounds like the actuator pulses aren't reaching the receiver. Check the wires at the back of the receiver, also the cable out at the dish. It's also possible that there is a problem inside the actuator itself.

From: MIKESEIY -(MIKESEIY) TO: GREG0072
Date Posted: 202001-23-4 12:54:00
Message:
Body:		 Probably corroded wiring on your dish actuator. Sounds like the signals from the position pulse generator are not making it inside to the receiver. Most IRD's will attempt to move the dish by sending power to the motor, and then determing the dish movement by monitoring the pulses that come back from the pulse generator which is usually a magnet wheel and reed switch assembly inside the actuator.

Suggest you open the cover where the wires go inside your actuator and locate the connections which are usually on some sort of screw terminal strip. CAREFULLY NOTE WHICH WIRE GOES WHERE! WRITE IT DOWN! Then remove each wire, cut it back a bit, strip off some insulation to get at nice shiny uncorroded copper, and re-attach it to the screw terminals. You might want to do the same at the receiver end.

If that doesn't fix the problem, next step is to check the wiring with an ohmeter to see if you have a broken wire. And a third possibiliy is a broken pulse mechanism.


From: Mark -(4DTV) TO: GREG0072
Date Posted: 202001-23-4 1:59:00
Message:
Body:		 Yep, sounds like a wiring problem. Make sure the wires on the back are secure. If they are loose, powering down may have touched them enough to make it start working again.

From: MICHAELS43 -(MICHAELS43) TO: GREG0072
Date Posted: 202001-23-4 2:25:00
Message:
Body:		 One of my favorite checks is too unbolt motor from the arm {tube} itself. Then try moving dish manually w/remote control. This method checks for any obstruction in the tube that could cause a break in the return pulses. Of course have someone hold motor while letting receiver change satellites or continuous movement. If motor turns continuously that would prove continuity with actuator wires. When reattaching motor just line-up the slot in the plastic gear with horizontal pin at base of tube. Turn motor by hand to realign sscrew holes.

From: GREG77100 -(GREG77100) TO: GREG0072
Date Posted: 202001-30-4 12:19:00
Message:
Body:		 I am Greg 0072 but I have another computer at my camp.

I have checked all connections and they are fine . I can still move the dish a little in each direction before it says physical limit of dish has been reached .But the dish position indicator on the 4dtv refuses to change . It is a paraclipse classic sytem with a horizon to horizon mount and the motor says Venture , Motovario nrv-030 italy {I have 2 wires connected to the acctuator at the 4dtv unit the blue to pulse and the brown to ground the ground wire is not connected to anything at the dish or the 4dtv} this worked for 2 years.

My last resort before I get my satillite guy back is to try a master reset .

Any suggestions would be appreciated .

From: GREG77100 -(GREG77100) TO: GREG77100
Date Posted: 202001-30-4 1:20:00
Message:
Body:		 Well the master reset did not work , the dish position indicator will not change and it keeps saying physical limit of dish has been reached in both directions. This really ticks me off.

From: MITCHMAN4 -(MITCHMAN4) TO: GREG77100
Date Posted: 202001-7-5 5:23:00
Message:
Body:		 Hi Greg, try this:
TESTING ACTUATOR SYSTEMS

MOTOR VOLTAGE
(1) Unplug your IRD/Receiver/Actuator Control from the electrical
outlet and remove all cabling. Place the unit where it can easily
be worked on and connect the video out to a monitor, if the unit
has on-screen graphics.
(2) Plug the unit back into the AC
(3) Take your volt meter and set it at the 100 Volts DC.
(4) Place your meter probes on the screws or in the spring loaded
terminals of the Motor Control. It could be labeled: Motor; MTR;
M1 & M2, etc.
(5) Initiate your dish to move...you should hear the relay within the unit
make a "click" noise. Likely you will hear two clicks, the first would
be the relay, and the 2nd would be the unit shutting down to deliver an
"actuator error" reading.
(6) At the first "click", your meter should read +36 VDC. Your meter
should drop to 0 at the second "click".
(7) If you heard the "Clicks" but there was no voltage displayed on your
meter, check the fuse or the circuit breaker & retest.
(8) If when the test is performed again, you still have no voltage, you
have a problem within your unit.

TESTING ACTUATOR SYSTEMS

SENSOR VOLTAGE
(1) Follow the first two steps outlined in the MOTOR VOLTAGE testing.
(2) Take your volt meter and set it at the 10 Volts DC.
(3) Place your meter probes on the screws or in the spring loaded
terminals of the Actuator sensor & ground. It could be labeled:
Pulse & GND, Sensor & Gnd, ETC.
(4) The meter should read between 6 & 8 VDC, typically. Your receiver,
IRD, actuator control is not functioning properly if your readings are
not in this range.

COUNTING CIRCUIT
PROCEDURE A
(1) Follow the first two steps outlined in the MOTOR VOLTAGE testing.
(2) Insert or connect wire at the sensor terminal
(3) Tap the wire you just connected at approximately two taps per second
against a metal surface on the unit
(4) While tapping the wire, command the unit to move the dish
(Make sure you are tapping the wire PRIOR to commanding the unit to
move.)
(5) Your counting signifier should change on the panel of the unit or
on the monitor screen as you are simulating a working sensor.
(6) If your counting signifier does not change, try Procedure B before
shipping the unit in for repair.

PROCEDURE B
(1) Follow the first two steps outlined in the MOTOR VOLTAGE.
(2) Insert a working sensor from a tested actuator motor. Place one
lead on the sensor or pulse terminal. Place the other lead on the
GND terminal.
(3) With the sensor connected, command the unit to move the dish
(4) Your counting signifier should change on the panel of the unit or
on the monitor screen as you are using a working sensor.
(5) If your counting signifier does not change, try Procedure C before
shipping the unit in for repair.

PROCEDURE C
(1) Follow the first two steps outlined in the MOTOR VOLTAGE.
(2) Take a working actuator arm or a working actuator motor and by using
jumper wires, connect it directly to your receiver/IRD/actuator.
(3) Connect both motor wires (typically larger gauge than sensor wires)
& connect the sensor wires to pulse or sensor and ground.
(4) Command the unit to move the dish
(5) Your counting signifier should change on the panel of the unit or
on the actuator monitor screen and the motor should be running.
If your actuator motor is still attached to the telescoping shaft,
it should be moving. Try both East and West movement commands.
(6) If your counting signifier does not change, and the motor does not run,
you will need to likely send the unit in for repair.
(7) If the motor runs but the shaft (if connected to motor) does not move,
you have a problem with your actuator arm and probably not the unit
itself.