Thanks Alan,
Stan, W1LE just e-mailed me direct, but will share with the group as well some additional corrections... and, there is no thread to follow, this is the first post...
My gut suspicion is that there is a damaged or intermittent limit switch and/or position wiper. But I forgot I could swap the connectors at the rotor and I will try this, great idea, just in case the cable got torqued in the storms. A few observations,
1.) Controller: I opened the wires and put molex so I can detach and debug easily. Controller appears fine. Using the molex approach, I switched Azi and Ele and the symptoms moved. The meter indicator is not intermittent. The Azi, it is at 0, no motion. Ele works fine.
2.) Rotor: I have the rotor up on top of the chimney and then another 12 feet higher because of high trees all over and to clear the chimney itself. A superficial inspection yields little.
On Ele: impedance from 4 or 5 to 6 both 2-3 ohms including 120 feet of cable, impressive. From 1-3 508 ohms and 2-3 504 ohms and 1-2 4 ohms
On Azi: impedance from 4 or 5 to 6 both open. From 1-3 368 ohms and 2-3, 0 ohms and 1-2 367ohms
Michael K3MH
-----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of Alan VE4YZ Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2009 6:47 PM To: 'Michael Hatzakis Jr MD'; amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: G-5500 rotor motor intermittent
"and the Ele was near 2-3 ohms and the Ele was open."
Michael I believe you have a typo and mean the AZ was open?
I have not followed this entire thread so I don't specifically know what the "intermittent" part means. Random failures regardless of the position of the rotator or failures at nearly the same rotator position?
Before bringing down the rotators, reseat the connectors at the rotator and inspect for corrosion on the contacts. Also while you are up at the rotators check your loop of cables that they are not stressed as they coil and uncoil during rotation and are not putting strain on the connectors. You can also open and inspect the connector.
This is not a solution for your issues but rather just some observations.
The beauty of the G5500 is that both EL and AZ rotators have limit switches and the phasing capacitors are in each rotator. So you can swap the cables at the controller from AZ to EL to see if the problem moves with the cables. If it does not, then the issue would be within the controller.
If you swapping the connectors at the rotators and see if the problem move to the other rotator it would indicate cable or connector ( male ) problems.
For those with the G5400 life is more complicated as the capacitor for the AZ rotator is in the rotator but the EL capacitor is in the controller box. Worse, the EL is the only one with limit switches ( AZ has thermal overload ) and neither of the rotators have that nice quick connector but rather the terminal strip. Ya, and it goes 450 degrees AZ instead of 360. So you CAN NOT SWAP cables to trouble shoot a GB5400B combo!
-----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of Michael Hatzakis Jr MD Sent: June 20, 2009 7:54 PM To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: G-5500 rotor motor intermittent
Ok, sorry for the additional post, this is a follow up. After my debugging session today, I am fast-forwarding to what I expect will be the ending to this little fairy tail, that is, I see me climbing up and pulling down this damn rotor to either replace or repair.
So, next natural question is, if I am going to repair, what should I repair while I have it open or are there people who do a good job in rebuilding Yaesu rotors, roughly 5 years old??
Michael K3MH
-----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of Michael Hatzakis Jr MD Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2009 5:41 PM To: 'Angelo Glorioso'; glasbrenner@mindspring.com Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] G-5500 rotor motor intermittent
Andrew and group,
Read this post and others about the 5500, and I am trying to figure out what do with my rotor or my controller.
My rotor has become more and more intermittent over time, so I opened up my cables and put molex connectors in line so I can debug. I started with impedance of the rotor. My Elevation is working now and my rotation is not. I pulled out the schematic and see that the rotor motor is on 4-5-6 with the common on 6 each and the up/down or left/right on 4-5. I measured the impedance of 4 & 5 against 6, and the Ele was near 2-3 ohms and the Ele was open. I am wondering if this is an intermittent internal limit switch? Taking my rotor apart is a huge deal, so I want to be sure I am looking at this situation correctly and what else should I be looking for or measuring?
Michael K3MH
-----Original Message----- From: owner-AMSAT-BB@amsat.org [mailto:owner-AMSAT-BB@amsat.org] On Behalf Of Angelo Glorioso Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 8:21 AM To: glasbrenner@mindspring.com Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] G-5500 rotor motor woes
Hi Drew,
At least you got 3 years out of yours. I had my G-500 a month before the motor went out and had to send it to Yaesu.
Everything was balance as well. What I think happened is one of the buttons on the control box got stuck in one direction and caused the motor to burn up.
What I did was change the fuse that Yaesu uses from a 2 amp AGC to a 1 amp slow blow fuse. Just in case this happens again, at least the fuse will blow before causing the motor to go out.
73 de Angelo
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If you don't ask, you will never know!! >From: Andrew Glasbrenner glasbrenner@mindspring.com >Reply-To: Andrew Glasbrenner glasbrenner@mindspring.com >To: amsat-bb@amsat.org >Subject: [amsat-bb] G-5500 rotor motor woes >Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 09:20:31 -0500 (GMT-05:00) > >About 3 weeks ago my azimuth rotor motor bit the dust. The rotor turned left fine, but not right. I tore into the unit and found the windings on the motor to show 4 ohms in one direction, and only 1.5 in the other. Yaesu wanted about $90 and shipping for a replacement, but I found a G-450 locally for about the same money. After swapping the motors (identical) and reassembling it seems to work fine, but I can find no reason for the failure. > >Anyone been down this road before and have some hints? I'd rather not repeat this procedure in a few weeks. I also expect longer service from a 3 yr old rotor that cost almost $600. The inside was dry, and well greased. I don't think it's overloaded either, with a M2 436cp30, Cushcraft 10x10 2m, and 3ft S band dish near the center, all well balanced.
73, Drew KO4MA > >PS Anyone got a spare motor for my 450? Or need a 450
control box and parts? ;-) >---- >Sent via amsat-bb@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. >Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! >To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amsat-bb" to Majordomo@amsat.org ---- Sent via amsat-bb@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amsat-bb" to Majordomo@amsat.org
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