Problem on multi switch system

[deaks]

HI
I've been trying to fix a problem on a sky system in a block of apartments.
There's 32 cables going to 16 flats from 2 multiswitches but unfortunately the plates only have one sky feed on them, although the other cable was tucked inside the box behind the plate in the apartment. Unfortunately my sat meter isn't showing any signal on the cable, although the one connected to the plate is fine. I've traced the cable on the multiswitch and checked signal on all legs and it reads fine, I've also tried a new triax multiswitch and that reads fine but still no signal on the cable behind the plate. However, when I sound the cable out it's beeping but when it's connected to something at the other end the sounder doesn't light up, almost as if it's not connected to anything.
I would appreciate any suggestions or advice to try and get to the bottom of the problem.
Mick

 

[satelliteman]

Hi
Have you checked the cable isn't a bedroom feed. Some blocks are cabled that way.

 

[PaulR]

Is the problem the same for all apartments? Or is it just this one and the others are as you would expect.

 

[deaks]

I found a booster in a store room within the flat, With a feed in, I assume from the return on the plate and 3 cables out, 2 bedrooms and i'm not sure where the other one went. There were also 2 spare wires, I coupled them out and got continuity
from the cable down at the multiswitch right to the wall plate in the flat.
Yes, I did another one in the same block about a year ago had a similar issue.
The block behind had similar problems but a new multiswitch and quatro LNB sorted it but this block is a head scratcher.

 

[deaks]

Hi
Have you checked the cable isn't a bedroom feed. Some blocks are cabled that way.

How would that be cabled ? would they use a plate with 2 saddles to piggy back to the triplex plate?

 

[satelliteman]

Difficult to say without seeing. On some builds I have seen a second feed to bedroom point for a relay. Can you not get the first fix plans from the sparks?

 

[deaks]

Therein lies the problem. The building's probably 10 yrs old and is managed by a firm of surveyors who give me work, you can spend a fair bit of time fault finding and testing stuff and if there's no end product no one wants to pay for failure and why should they ?
Mick