Actuator Installation

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The actuator cable bundle of wires consists of two large stranded wires and three smaller wires similar to the three wires for the servo motor. Be sure to connect actuator wires to the appropriate location at the receiver and not confuse them with the connections for the servor control wires. Like the feedhorn servo wires, the three actuator motor sensor wires also provide power, pulse, and ground. In modern systems, a Reed (most common) or Hall-Effect sensor switch is used internally in the actuator motor circuitry (to count rotations of the actuator motor, i.e. to know when to stop the actuator on the satellites you program) and will only require two of the sensor wires, one for pulse and the other for ground - clip or fold back the unused wire. As the shaft rotates the actuator arm, the magnet wheel rotates and the sensor is activated, i.e. makes a 'count' and sends a pulse, every time a magnet passes under the sensor. Actually, the reed switch is 'open' until a magnet passes under it then it 'closes' when it detects a magnet and thereby sends the pulse. The more magnets on the magnet wheel the more counts per arm revolution and the greater accuracy the receiver has in stopping the dish directly where you want it - most important for Ku reception. If, after a lightening storm, your dish is not counting properly, then the reed switch has failed. The two large stranded wires connect to the large wire terminals at the actuator motor and to the motor wire terminals on the back of the receiver. The two large wires provide 24 to 36 volts dc to the antenna actuator's dc motor; do not connect them to any other terminals on the receiver except where it says motor control. Many modern receivers, today, only power 24 volts output and this can be a problem when using diameter dishes of 4.0m or greater.When you move the dish to the east or west; if the dish moves in the opposite direction of the direction intended, then simply reverse the two actuator control wires either at the dish or at the receiver. When you set (program) limits for the actuator, according to instructions for your receiver, if the receiver will not let you move the dish, switch motor sensor wires at either the dish or the back of the receiver until the proper sensor wire configuration is achieved - when the receiver will not let you move the dish it is almost always a sensor wiring problem. When connecting any wiring to the dish or receiver, turn off power to the receiver; better yet, unplug the receiver. And do not forget, no cable will forgive you if you put a staple or nail thru it!! And when the job is finished, and the dish tracked, and all cables are in properly functioning order, I use cable/wire tie wraps to tidy up all cable runs along the pole, to the feed assembly and around the actuator (leave a drain loop on cables going into the LNB and wires going into the feed servo motor and actuator - for the actuator allow a large enough loop to allow for actuator movement of the motor as the arm extends and retracts).