Testing actuator reed.
- Thread starter dog-man
- Start date
- Messages
- 17,921
Google found this but as you need to removed the reed to test it id just put a new one in.
Magnetic reed switches for actuators
Glass reed switches are very fragile so please take note:If you apply heat to the wire it will expand and shatter the glass. What you must do is tohold the wire near to the glass (but NOT touching the glass!) with a pair of "needle-nose" pliers. This will suck heat away from the wire before it reaches the wire in the glass. Youcan then use a very hot iron to quickly "tin" the end of the wire with solder.Then tinned copper wire can be soldered to the reed switch wires, still using the pliers.If you need to bend or shorten the reed switch wires you must again grip the wire close tothe glass with pliers and bend or cut the wire furthest from the glass. The pliers will prevent any strain on the glass.Once it's prepared, the reed switch can be glued in place using hot-melt adhesive or similar. If you use Evo-Stick DO NOT let it touch any connections because it corrodes.Some Jacks use an encapsulated reed switch which is not soldered. The wires simply pluginto tiny sockets. In this case it's simply a matter of holding each wire with pliers, bending it at right-angles then snipping off the excess length. Be very careful to ensurethat the wire ends are the right distance apart so they fit in the sockets.
How to test a reed switch
Connect a multimeter to the reed switch with the lowest resistance (Ohms) rangeselected. The meter should indicate infinity. Now bring a magnet close to the reed switch.The meter should indicate zero Ohms as the switch reds click together. The orientation of the magnet is important. Hold it so that its North pole is close to one wire and its South pole is close to the other.
IMPORTANT
When you reconnect the dish motor, make sure that you have NOT connected the motor wires to the reed switch by mistake! If you do, then the instant the rotating magnet closesthe contacts, the reed switch will explode or blow the fuse or both. You can protect thereed switch by connecting a very low current fuse in series with one of the wiresconnected to it. About 100 ma should be fine
There is a simpler way, but assumes that your controling device is working. Just run a separate set of four wires to the activator from your vBox (or whatever control device you use). Then send the dish east or west using the vBox remote. If the dish moves for a split second before it stops it suggests that the reed switch is broken.
It might help to describe what is happening at present. For instance if the motor is moving, but erratic it suggests that the reed is ok, but that the motor or the mount is sticking.
It might help to describe what is happening at present. For instance if the motor is moving, but erratic it suggests that the reed is ok, but that the motor or the mount is sticking.
We had a dry day today, but couldn't do much because I had family around.
I did manage to test the V box with a spare actuator, and it worked, so I can rule out the V box.
Thursday is forecast to be a dry day, so if it is, I will open up the actuator and have a look.
I will be very annoyed if there is any rainwater inside, as I made a point of sealing all the joints with a very expensive silicon when I installed it.
My guess is that it's just the reed that has blown, and it will be as dry as a bone inside. (famous last words)
I have a few spares somewhere.
The actuator is not doing anything at all. No movement, no sound, nothing. I did go outside yesterday and used webif to try and get my VU Ultimo 4K to move the dish, and listen for any sounds.
It's a heavy duty superjack on a 1.25 Gibby.
I did manage to test the V box with a spare actuator, and it worked, so I can rule out the V box.
Thursday is forecast to be a dry day, so if it is, I will open up the actuator and have a look.
I will be very annoyed if there is any rainwater inside, as I made a point of sealing all the joints with a very expensive silicon when I installed it.
My guess is that it's just the reed that has blown, and it will be as dry as a bone inside. (famous last words)
I have a few spares somewhere.The actuator is not doing anything at all. No movement, no sound, nothing. I did go outside yesterday and used webif to try and get my VU Ultimo 4K to move the dish, and listen for any sounds.
It's a heavy duty superjack on a 1.25 Gibby.
Replaced reed and dish now moving again.
I did notice a small amount of water in there, which really surprises me due to the attention I paid to sealing all possible areas where rain could get in with very expensive sealant. I can only assume that it entered down the extending arm, or whatever it is called. Not much I can do about that, sadly.
It was only a small dribble and seemed to come out of the screw hole in the middle of the round magnet, but can't be 100% sure.
I will take the actuator down in the spring and investigate to see if I can find where it's getting in.
Anyway, apart from feeling weird, I am happy for the time being.
I did notice a small amount of water in there, which really surprises me due to the attention I paid to sealing all possible areas where rain could get in with very expensive sealant. I can only assume that it entered down the extending arm, or whatever it is called. Not much I can do about that, sadly.
It was only a small dribble and seemed to come out of the screw hole in the middle of the round magnet, but can't be 100% sure.
I will take the actuator down in the spring and investigate to see if I can find where it's getting in.
Anyway, apart from feeling weird, I am happy for the time being.
The saga continues.
It all worked fine with the new reed for a day or two, then the error 2 message again.
I changed the reed again but same result.
Luckily, today is a dry and wind-free day, so I have taken the actuator down to have a closer look.
I have connected it to a v box and manually pressing the buttons.
The actuator will move for a second, then stop, then move for a second, then stop and so on.
Does this mean that the replacement reed has blown?
I don't want to keep changing reeds unless I know I definitely have to.
It all worked fine with the new reed for a day or two, then the error 2 message again.
I changed the reed again but same result.
Luckily, today is a dry and wind-free day, so I have taken the actuator down to have a closer look.
I have connected it to a v box and manually pressing the buttons.
The actuator will move for a second, then stop, then move for a second, then stop and so on.
Does this mean that the replacement reed has blown?
I don't want to keep changing reeds unless I know I definitely have to.
Even though it is moving with a v-2 box, although only in pulses?
You say you have ruled out the v-box as it runs a spare actuator without issues then it looks like it is a problem with the heavy duty actuator. As said by others it's a case of elimination. Something is causing the reed switches to keep blowing but if the spare jack doesn't blow reed switches then it looks like it is the jack. Do you have a spare v-box to try? Regards
Just tested the spare actuator with the spare v box, and it moves as it should.
I am really scratching my head now.
I might be stripping down the wonky actuator totally and see if anything looks amiss.
No satellite TV for me until Wednesday at the earliest, as I am at the hospital most of the day tomorrow.
Got to collect Grandson from school now.
I am really scratching my head now.
I might be stripping down the wonky actuator totally and see if anything looks amiss.
No satellite TV for me until Wednesday at the earliest, as I am at the hospital most of the day tomorrow.
Got to collect Grandson from school now.