Driving a large dish with DiSEqC Receivers

[SST12]

Hi All

After retiring my trusty old AD3000 I wanted to use my old 1.2 Mtr Channel Master dish and polar mount with my new TM6900 Combo, So I had to find a suitable actuator to drive my dish but didn’t want a V box plugged in and on show under my new Sony Bravia. I decided to try a Superjack DiSEqC DG100 actuator, which was supposed to be ok driving a 1.2 mtr dish, I had loads of problems with it ignoring commands and not moving properly. I have come up with a solution, by stripping the PCB out of the actuator fitting it in to a box with a power supply to feed the motor instead of the receiver trying to power the dish; this was fitted and powered from my garage near to my dish. So now the PCB’s motor output is only driving 2 relays through an arrangement of diodes, the motor supply is a simple mains transformer and rectifier switched on by the relays so is only energised when a movement command is received, this has allowed me to refit my 18 inch heavy duty Superjack actuator back on the dish and is running faultless because there is no load on the receivers power supply now.

Bellow is some photos of the install and a circuit diagram.

 

[Llew]

Excellent idea SST12. A pity there's no 12V output option on that receiver, then the power supply could be installed indoors (for those who have no supply local to the dish) and switched on by a 12V relay operated by the receiver. Assuming a motor cable to the dish is already in place to supply your unit.

If no 12V facility on the receiver, have the power supply (minus the relay) switched on in tandem with the receiver via a mains socket strip.

Llew

 

[satelliteman]

Good job there, neatly laid out in pic 3

 

[Huevos]

didn’t want a V box plugged in and on show under my new Sony Bravia. [...] this was fitted and powered from my garage near to my dish.

Why didn't you just put the v-box in the garage?

 

[SST12]

Hi Huevos

That would mean purchasing a V Box, this was made from the spare parts bin.

The mains side of the power supply is only energised on dish movement, A V box has a power supply on all the time.

 

[2cvbloke]

Very nice work indeed, and parts from the bin, a nice bit of recycling too...

 

[Channel Hopper]

Nicely done, better than throwing out the old stuff.

 

[PaulR]

this was made from the spare parts bin.

A man after my own heart!

Well done for the project and very neatly done too.

 

[rolfw]

Excellent job, well done.