Why don't installers like octoLNBs?

[satelliteman]

Rubber weather boot and pull down cover... or f compression with o-ring and drop down cover is sufficient enough.

 

[speculatrix]

Did it not have a pull-down rain cover?

yes, but I also used tape too, because the installation is in a particularly exposed position.

 

[speculatrix]

********* recommends using silicon grease

http://www.*********.co.uk/tech/boots.htm   Fitting rubber boots to LNB cables

 

[rolfw]

********* recommends using silicon grease

That is in my opinion overkill, pull down rain shields, self amalgamating tape with decent quality F connectors correctly nipped up, provide more than adequate protection. Nowadays with compression connectors, "O" Rings and pull down rain shields, nothing else is required.

As an installer, I've removed many LNBs, whether due to failure or upgrading, and have only ever seen signs of water ingress where cheap and nasty screw connectors have been used with no rain cover or self amalgamating tape, or the crimp connectors were not tightened sufficiently.

 

[speculatrix]

thanks.

 

[a33]

- all ports are stuck on vertical polarisation! The ports can switch band still.
I do wish it had stuck on H, because it means that FreeSat doesn't work properly.

So why not turn the lnb a quarter of a circle?
That way you can receive H-transponders (though you must fool your receiver that they are V).
:-)

Greetz,
A33

 

[timo_w2s]

So why not turn the lnb a quarter of a circle?
That way you can receive H-transponders (though you must fool your receiver that they are V).
:-)

Greetz,
A33

But I don't think you can tell the Freesat box to reverse the polarities as the frequencies are downloaded from the EPG data. I suspect you could do it in non-Freesat mode but then you lose the benefit of the Freesat EPG again.

 

[PaulR]

The box wouldn't "know" the LNB had been rotated; it would continue to send out the commands to the LNB which would ignore them. So Vs would become Hs and vice-versa. At which point the Freesat H channels would come flooding in.

It's only a temporary fix though. It really does need sorting properly. Are you sure that the LNB is really at fault? Perhaps the box can't supply a high enough voltage to switch to H, or the voltage is being lost somewhere along the line?

 

[timo_w2s]

The box wouldn't "know" the LNB had been rotated; it would continue to send out the commands to the LNB which would ignore them. So Vs would become Hs and vice-versa. At which point the Freesat H channels would come flooding in.

Oh yes, of course it's stuck in one polarity. Sorry, it was too early in the morning for me. ;)

 

[a33]

The box ... would continue to send out the commands to the LNB which would ignore them.
It's only a temporary fix though. It really does need sorting properly. ....

Ah yes, I (also) forgot that. You don't have to fool the receiver, as the LNB is fooling the receiver already ;) (assuming the LNB is indeed the cause). I hope you all (or some of you) will forgive me....

And of course a more permanent fix would be needed. But maybe the tempory disappointment of @speculatrix could be fixed a little .

Greetz,
A33

 

[speculatrix]

At first I laughed at the idea of rotating the LNB, but then I realised it's a stroke of genius *and* madness.

A freesat receiver needs to see the home transponder when tuning it, otherwise it's a brick.

I don't know why it won't switch. I have two DVRs connected, neither of them can get their LNBs to switch. I have seen this problem before and it's gone away. In fact, a couple of ports on the octo LNB were problematic out of the box, but since I've only ever used five at most of the eight, I never got round to investigating it.
I've got a new LNB on its way, so I'll be cabling it up ready to install, then I can swap the old one out and the new one in. I've got a spare dish I can rest on a garden chair and fiddle with the old LNB to see if cleaning it up and using dry/fresh coax will fix it.

 

[Channel Hopper]

********* recommends using silicon grease

http://www.*********.co.uk/tech/boots.htm   Fitting rubber boots to LNB cables

Does anyobody sell silicon grease in the trade these days ?
(unless they have a shedload to get rid of ?)

Nothing wrong with Vaseline in the right conditions (oooerr missus)

 

[Terryl]

I like to use a dual output LNB (for a single satellite) then a multi-switch in a well protected area, less problems to go wrong with water intrusion into a loose connector.

 

[Terryl]

Does anyobody sell silicon grease in the trade these days ?
(unless they have a shedload to get rid of ?)

Nothing wrong with Vaseline in the right conditions (oooerr missus)

Don't use vaseline on coax connections it will rot the center insulation for the center conductor over time.

They make a special coax grease, I only use that.

 

[speculatrix]

Does anyobody sell silicon grease in the trade these days ?

just search for Servisol grease. I found quite a few sellers on Amazon for under £5 for a decent sized tube. It can sit in the toolbox next to the syringe of thermal paste I bought that will last me a life time and probably be handed down through the generations!

 

[Terryl]

This is as close to the little tube of connection grease that Andrews antennas supplied with their heliax coax for over 50 years, used for all their outside coax to antenna connections.

http://www.summitsource.com/stuf-dielectric-waterproof-grease-filler-cross-devices-coaxial-connector-with-teflon-volume-tube-p-12378.html

It's all that I ever use, and the only coax grease I will recommend to anyone, I have been using this grease for over 40 years.

It doesn't migrate, melt in the heat, get hard, collect moisture or dissipate over time.

 

[Lazarus]

It doesn't migrate, melt in the heat, get hard, collect moisture or dissipate over time.

That describes me perfectly

 

[speculatrix]

Thanks, Terryl, I should have known that sort of stuff existed.

 

[daro2096]

Got to agree with that, but just out of interest, what would you say is a ball-park figure for fitting an Octo and doing the three additional cable runs?

An installer charged me £60 to run an extra three cables to my Vu+ Duo 2 box. In my opinion I was ripped off but needed the extra cables in time for the election results coverage on several channels at once. If I had a ladder I would have done it myself as I live in a ground floor flat and the dish isn't that high up.

 

[Lazarus]

Installers aren't charities!

However simple the task is, he/she still has fixed overheads, has to travel there and back, and then there's the cost of materials all before even considering the time actually spent on site.

Couldn't you have borrowed a ladder, though?

As for the Election, were the results not the same whichever Channel you watched? (Excluding Fox News, obviously)?