Actuator Recommendation Wanted

[vc2]

After 30+ years of service, The motor on my JGS actuator finally quit. I'm looking for a replacement motor or a replacement actuator (probably 18" ball screw). Some of the windings on the motor armature are open and probably not repairable. I'm looking for some recommendations. The dish is a 12 foot Paraclipse.

 

[primestar31]

I don't think you can buy an 18" ball screw actuator. I've never heard of one smaller than 24". Regardless, I would NOT use an 18" actuator on a 12' dish. You need a 24" one. Buy one from Venture: Leading Electric Linear Actuator Manufacturers and Supplier in USA - Venture Mfg Co.

Oh, and the ONLY Venture actuator that I would NOT BUY, is their 18" acme screw one, as it's a cheap import. All the rest are made in-house.

 

[ZetaMale]

I don't think you can buy an 18" ball screw actuator. I've never heard of one smaller than 24". Regardless, I would NOT use an 18" actuator on a 12' dish. You need a 24" one. Buy one from Venture: Leading Electric Linear Actuator Manufacturers and Supplier in USA - Venture Mfg Co.

Interesting that you said that. My KTI CKD-12 manual says to use an 18" actuator. Of course, I don't go with less than 24".

 

[vc2]

My 12' Paraclipse uses an 18" JGS Actuator. My 10' Prodelin uses an 18" Weatherbeater Actuator. I thought they were both ball screw, but perhaps not. (does anybody know)? 18" travel is sufficient to cover the entire arc from the east coast (75 deg to 135 deg). With 24" travel, there is too much risk of going over the hump and bending the actuator shaft (The JGS actuator doesn't have any limit switches).

The Weatherbeater actuator is also dead. I haven't torn it apart yet to diagnose the problem. I am presently using a hand crank. Both actuators are 1985 vintage. I believe they came from Satellite Video Services in the Catskills.

I didn't see any prices on the Venture site. Will they sell direct?

 

[norman881]

I love my Venture. Plus you can purchase directly from the vendor.

Heavy Duty Ball Screw Actuator, Custom Designed Actuator Ball Screws - Venture Mfg Co.

Venture Mfg offers ball screw actuators available in standard models and custom design to meet several industrial needs. Get a quote for Screw actuator!

www.venturemfgco.com

 

[ZetaMale]

I didn't see any prices on the Venture site. Will they sell direct?

They sell direct but you have to request a quote. My last quote for a 24" acme screw was $275 - I'm not sure if that quote includes shipping and sales tax since I didn't order one. A ball screw quote was $325. None of my past orders had a grease fitting on them but I'm sure they'll put one on if requested. I added my grease fittings and it's not difficult to do. I ought to see about doing an 18" one next time because I noted the same thing you did about the actuator extending too far (unless you set a soft limit). Maybe that's why KTI recommended the 18" actuator? Anyway, I trusted the soft limit more than the mechanical limit.

 

[arlo]

They sell direct but you have to request a quote. My last quote for a 24" acme screw was $275 - I'm not sure if that quote includes shipping and sales tax since I didn't order one. A ball screw quote was $325. None of my past orders had a grease fitting on them but I'm sure they'll put one on if requested. I added my grease fittings and it's not difficult to do. I ought to see about doing an 18" one next time because I noted the same thing you did about the actuator extending too far (unless you set a soft limit). Maybe that's why KTI recommended the 18" actuator? Anyway, I trusted the soft limit more than the mechanical limit.

How did that grease work out for ya'?
As far as limit switches go. I set mine for the absolute limits off the actuator, + several turns out on the retract and extended to keep the dish from flopping. Then use soft limits after that.
And here I'm using a chunk of garage door spring and small cable to pull back on the dish where flop normally occurs.
Works pretty slick, and can get me 133W out to 47W although I don't go past 55W here.
Did you get that motor quieted down?
......not meaning to hijack, just never heard back from you.

 

[(((Garyd)))]

After 30+ years of service, The motor on my JGS actuator finally quit. I'm looking for a replacement motor or a replacement actuator (probably 18" ball screw). Some of the windings on the motor armature are open and probably not repairable. I'm looking for some recommendations. The dish is a 12 foot Paraclipse.

which model 3 was made, may have it here for free you pay to ship and handling to ups store

 

[ZetaMale]

How did that grease work out for ya'?

Did you get that motor quieted down?
......not meaning to hijack, just never heard back from you.

Didn't make any difference that I can tell. Sure wish I could figure out why my actuator won't go back on target so I don't have to keep re-peaking. Could be noise on the pulse line but I don't have the equipment to check or it could be actuator inherent accuracy or reed switches or a bad dish mover. If it's a bad dish mover then I've had a LOT of them. So far it's been easier to repeak than to try swapping out stuff until I find the problem. The motor power runs in the same cable insulation as the pulse cable but the power wires are outside of the shield. I suppose I could try running a separate shielded red and black power wire bundle.

 

[primestar31]

johnnynobody Johnny, try my trick that works for me: Put together a flexible pigtail wire from the motor, about 2-3 feet long, long enough that it'll reach from the motor screw connectors to the dish pole, no matter where on the arc the dish is aimed. This wire will have the sensor/reed switch wires completely shielded by themselves, and the power wires are outside of that in a separate shield.

Then, your OLD wire that used to go to the screw connections on the motor, get connected to the end of this new wire. You can solder and heatshrink tube them, OR use crimp connectors. You WANT to get your old original wire far enough away from the motor, that it can't pick up any spurious electrical signals the motor may be putting out.

In my case, I had some old-school shielded satellite ribbon cable wire to make mine up. I have a Venture 24" ball screw actuator, that's at least 20 years old. Stops my dish dead-nuts everytime with my Sadoun G-box, and I'm running 110' wire in pvc under my driveway, out to my dish.

 

[arlo]

johnnynobody Johnny, try my trick that works for me: Put together a flexible pigtail wire from the motor, about 2-3 feet long, long enough that it'll reach from the motor screw connectors to the dish pole, no matter where on the arc the dish is aimed. This wire will have the sensor/reed switch wires completely shielded by themselves, and the power wires are outside of that in a separate shield.

Then, your OLD wire that used to go to the screw connections on the motor, get connected to the end of this new wire. You can solder and heatshrink tube them, OR use crimp connectors. You WANT to get your old original wire far enough away from the motor, that it can't pick up any spurious electrical signals the motor may be putting out.

In my case, I had some old-school shielded satellite ribbon cable wire to make mine up. I have a Venture 24" ball screw actuator, that's at least 20 years old. Stops my dish dead-nuts everytime with my Sadoun G-box, and I'm running 110' wire in pvc under my driveway, out to my dish.

The only real way to tell is with a 'scope. I put up a big rant here on my adventure. Magnets, reed switches, etc.
Bottom line for me was the hall switch and trigger wheel mod. Same as the primester, rock solid counts.

 

[vc2]

My 12' Paraclipse uses an 18" JGS Actuator. My 10' Prodelin uses an 18" Weatherbeater Actuator. I thought they were both ball screw, but perhaps not. (does anybody know)? 18" travel is sufficient to cover the entire arc from the east coast (75 deg to 135 deg). With 24" travel, there is too much risk of going over the hump and bending the actuator shaft (The JGS actuator doesn't have any limit switches).

The Weatherbeater actuator is also dead. I haven't torn it apart yet to diagnose the problem. I am presently using a hand crank. Both actuators are 1985 vintage. I believe they came from Satellite Video Services in the Catskills.

I didn't see any prices on the Venture site. Will they sell direct?

Correction: My 12' Paraclipse uses a 24" JGS Actuator. My 10' Prodelin uses an 24" Warner Weatherbeater Actuator.

The reed switch magnet has disintegrated on the Weatherbeater actuator and there is about a quarter turn of play (backlash) on the lead screw shaft. The motor was frozen, but a few drops of oil got it running again. The JGS actuator just needs a new motor.

Does anybody have data sheets or manuals for either of these? I need to determine whether they are ACME or Ball Screw. I'm not pleased with the prospect of paying ~$300 each for ball screw replacements.