Motor error

[colliegent]

Hi all

Have a 1.2 Mtr Chanelmaster and Echostar 3600 IP Viaccess Receiver. Everything working great untill last evening when the dish stopped moving. I was almost on East limit when I got "Motor error" the dish would then not respond to going towards the West. Motor was clicking but not Moving. After switching off power for a moment, we managed to get dish to move more central to Hotbird. We now have no clicking noise anywhere and absolutely no response from remote. Going to Set Limits says both East and West limits are showing the same position? and will not respond to Remote? I feel the actuator arm and motor is still ok so should I first try a factory reset? Will doing this eradicate existing positions and perhaps release the dish position which may be causing no movement/ Any help would be most appreciated as I live on my own and am 77 years old. Can still go up ladder to get to dish on top of garage if the actuator arm turns out to be faulty. Would much frefer to have any advice that can perhaps be tried from my living room
regards
colliegent.

[colliegent]

Hello

Is there anyone out there? surprised at not one reply.
colliegent.

[satwyn]

make sure the 36v out is still working with volt meter if that is ok then make sure cable is ok both ends also your reed switch could be faulty process of elimination is your best way forward

[Mickha]

With the Echostar 3600 it's usually a problem with teh East/West limits, they sometimes reset themselves and the motor wont move.
Go into the menu, click on the hammer icon, then the motorised dish setting and check the East/West limits, when this problem occurs they're usually the same listing.
Please post back with the results.

[colliegent]

Hi Mickha and Satwyn

Many thanks for replies. Have done a factory reset so that the East/West limits are now requiring inputting. When I try to put in East limits the receiver "clicks" and says "Motor error". Try to move down to West limits and it says confirm setting by pressing OK This brought up number 1000 on the East setting. I could now go down to the West setting, all that happens is Clicking and "Motor error" with no setting being able to be inputted, on pressing the ok button the same figure of 1000 appeared in the West setting? I now have both East and West settings at the same number and can only now assume that the actuator arm is stuck and cannot move, or the read motor is kaput? It sounds to me Mickha that you have had this problem yourself? I have erected a scaffold in preperation to no doubt have to replace the actuator arm? If you can advise further I would be gratefull, if not at least I am better informed with both of your assistence.
regards
colliegent.

[stocksie]

Hope I am not too late. Be careful the dish does,nt "run away" when you disconnect the actuator and firmly lash the dish down as the wind can smash your mount etc if unsecured. DO NOT rotate the actuator arm once it is
disconnected from the dish as the mechanical and electrical end stops will get
"out of sync" if you do. If you power the actuator as a test then stop the arm
rotating by some means (I use a hefty screwdriver through the end eye)
On test the reed switch may have stopped electrically open circuit or short
circuit so be aware when testing. If you do move the actuator with a high
capacity (5A or more) 12v-36v source. (e.g. car battery etc) then the reed
switch reading should make and break circuit. Make absolutely certain you
know which wires are the motor pair and reed pair. Any volts on the reed
kills it immediately!

[colliegent]

Hi

Have now removed old actuator and fitted a new one. will be connecting wiring up tomorrow as it went dark to soon. Was a little puzzled on inspecting old and new diagrams as they only refer to
Motors and Sensors? WILL BE PUTTING WIRES INTO SAME SEQUENCE AS THEY CAME OUT OF OLD ACTUATOR, WILL BE HOPING I GET THEM RIGHT. What will happen if the inner actuator has accidently been turned? I do not think it has, but would like to know what to do in simple terms before I connect up.
Thanks to everyone
colliegent.
PS. YOU WERE RIGHT ABOUT THE WEIGHT OF DISH ETC, BEING ON MY OWN I HAD FORTUNATELY LASHED THE DISH IN SITU.

[ABA]

if both east and west limits say the same number then no your dish wont move you will have to reset your limits and re set all satellites that you use
if you try to move your dish the receiver says that you are all ready at that position and dish wont move
best is to do a factory reset and start all over again

[stocksie]

Actuator connections are sometimes marked M+ and M- or Motor. Reed switch pair are
called Sensor. Follow the leads back in to the unit and the reed pair go to a small cylinder near a circular magnet. The motor pair are sometimes heavier gauge and go to
the electrical end stop switches and involve a pair of diodes too.
If the actuator inner arm is allowed to rotate when not attached to a dish (during test etc) it does not extend or retract but the electrical end stop mechanism moves so when actuator is again put in to use one end stop will act too early and restrict dish movement
and the other end stop will not act before the mechanism comes to its end thus risking
gear or motor damage. You should not run in to this with just an actuator swop exercise!
I have no experience with your receiver but jumped in to try to stop you doing youself
a mischief! Sounds as if the reset and start with end stop set up etc is the way
to go as suggested. Good luck!

[colliegent]

Hi all

Took a chance and installed a new actuator all by myself. The actuator is quite heavy and so is the dish mechanism when disconnected from actuator. PUT THE MOTOR WIRES IN AND SAID A PRAYER, HOPING THEY WOULD GO THE CORRECT WAY. I now had to gamble that the other two wires would go in the same sequence as the previous actuator. Said another prayer then went inside to connect supply, when the installation menu came to set limits I felt nervous when pressing East Limits. Not to worry, prayers were answered and away the dish went. Having set East Limits I then started to move to West Limits, again everything worked well and I now have been re-installing channels. Everthing now performing great and I feel that I have learnt a great deal even at my age. Thanks for everyones contribution it was well worth asking those with more knowledge of the subject than I.
colliegent.

[satwyn]

nice to hear you're up and running changed my motor today my old one making hell of a noise they are so cheaply made these days I have two echostar motors that need new reed switches these are made to last hopefully I will still be able to source new reed switches for these

[stocksie]

well done!

[pilsner]

10/10 grn + red normaly m1 m2 small white + black = sensor thats assuming you have correct cable fitted these machines dont like unscreened cable if it loses the pulse count change the cable.pilsner