Method of Wiring

deaner · #1 (**permalink**) 06-06-2007, 12:13 PM

I have an older dish with actuator arm, the dish was made by superior,the old receiver is General Instrument 450i. This is a 10 foot diameter dish. The cone has 3 wires coming out-black, white and red.The actuator has 4 wires-red, blue, brown and white. The old receiver had 2 wires.With this type of wiring I am unable to use the rj 6. I have a Mercury ll on order.My question is how should I wire this up. Any help? thanks

wejones · #2 (**permalink**) 06-06-2007, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deaner

I have an older dish with actuator arm, the dish was made by superior,the old receiver is General Instrument 450i. This is a 10 foot diameter dish. The cone has 3 wires coming out-black, white and red.The actuator has 4 wires-red, blue, brown and white. The old receiver had 2 wires.With this type of wiring I am unable to use the rj 6. I have a Mercury ll on order.My question is how should I wire this up. Any help? thanks

What you describe about the wires coming out of the feedhorn and actuator make sense, except you don't mention the coax(s). What you describe re the receiver doesn't make sense to me. There should be places to connect every one of the wires you mention plus several more that aren't used. And there is no reason that you can't use RG-6, in fact most installations use a ribbon cable that include 2 runs or RG6.
The actuator should have 2 BIG wires and 2 small wires. The big ones are for the motor, and the small wires go to the magnetic reed pulse switch. The 3 small wires from the feedhorn are for the polarotor, and there should be 2 sets of RG6 coax, one coming from each lnb. I'm not familiar with how the connections are labeled on the back of that receiver, but I understand that it is well labeled, so I'm confused with respect to why there should be confusion, at least with respect to the main groups. The only confusion might be with respect to the actuator pulse wires, as usually there is an extra un-used 5v connection on the receivers.

bill190 · #3 (**permalink**) 06-06-2007, 02:13 PM

For the Mercury II, so far as I know (and I have called and asked Fortec about this), there is no way to use your current feedhorn with the 3 wires which are used for polorization (H/V). (Or with most other FTA receivers for that matter.)

Instead replace your feedhorn and LNB with a BSC621-2 C/Ku LNBF which uses the coax and 13/18 volts for polorization. (Works fine with FTA receivers.)

For the actuator, get a VBox II positioner or the new Sadoun PowerTech V3000 (GBOX).

As to the wiring on the actuator, don't go by the wire colors as they could have wired it any which way. Remove the cover and two wires will be going to the motor and the other two to the "sensor". These would connect to the VBox or V3000.

deaner · #4 (**permalink**) 06-06-2007, 02:25 PM

If I understand you the two larger motor wires go to the receiver and the other two go to the magnetic pulse switch that must be located next to the cone. The coxial fastens at the cone with one fitting and I would assume the voltage changes from ku to c. If I use the Mercury ll I would need to adapt the coaxial to run the motor. The receiver would not be my problem as the dish wiring is different. The ribbon cable is where I am not sure of what you are saying, does the ribbon cable run from the receiver or is it changed at the dish? thanks

wejones · #5 (**permalink**) 06-06-2007, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deaner

If I understand you the two larger motor wires go to the receiver and the other two go to the magnetic pulse switch that must be located next to the cone. The coxial fastens at the cone with one fitting and I would assume the voltage changes from ku to c. If I use the Mercury ll I would need to adapt the coaxial to run the motor. The receiver would not be my problem as the dish wiring is different. The ribbon cable is where I am not sure of what you are saying, does the ribbon cable run from the receiver or is it changed at the dish? thanks

Perhaps I misunderstood. I thought you were trying to connect it to the 450i.
Does the 450i still work? If so, your quickest way to get up and running is to slave off it. To slave, you need a "T" for both C and Ku. On each "T", one line goes to the 450i, one to the LNB, and the third goes to the Mercury through a DC-block. If the "T" has a DC pass line, then the 450i goes on that line, and the mercury on the other.
The 450i is a nice receiver, and if it still works, it's a shame not to use it.

rainman · #6 (**permalink**) 06-06-2007, 07:29 PM

Bill is right your best bet is to use the 450I to control polarity and to move the dish then just slave the mercury to it this also allow you to watch fta analog.

bill190 · #7 (**permalink**) 06-07-2007, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deaner

If I understand you the two larger motor wires go to the receiver and the other two go to the magnetic pulse switch that must be located next to the cone. The coxial fastens at the cone with one fitting and I would assume the voltage changes from ku to c. If I use the Mercury ll I would need to adapt the coaxial to run the motor. The receiver would not be my problem as the dish wiring is different. The ribbon cable is where I am not sure of what you are saying, does the ribbon cable run from the receiver or is it changed at the dish? thanks

The way I have my system working is that I have a Mercury II, a big dish with an actuator, a BSC621-2 LNBF (feedhorn/cone on the big dish), and a VBox II.

My setup is simple and easy to for others in my house to use. All you do is click on any channel and the dish moves to the correct position (VBox II moves dish), the correct LNB is connected (Mercury II connects to correct LNB (C/Ku) via a built-in "diseqc" switch on the BSC621-2 LNBF.

Then the correct "polarity" is selected on that LNB by the Mercury II with 13/18 volts sent through the coax cable.

So I have the Mercury II, then the coax cable connects to the VBox II. The VBox II connects to my big dish actuator using 4 wires (two for motor and two for sensor), and then one coax cable going to the BSC621-2 "feedhorn/LNBF/Cone" on my big dish.

That is all there is to it. This set-up allows me (and others in my house who are not technical) to just "click on a channel", then they get that channel. The Mercury II and VBox do all the work of moving the dish and so forth.

This all takes a bit of learning. To understand all this, read the information at the following links...

Footprints by Dish Size - Adjusting the Polar Mount for Prime Focus Antenna - C/Ku-Band Satellite Systems - Tuning, Tracking, Azimuth, Elevation, Declination Angles, F/D Ratio, Focal Distance, Inclinometer, LNB/Feedhorn Assembly, Actuator Assembly, C

BSC621-2...
BSC621-2 C KU Band Prime Focus LNBF

Sadoun PowerTech V3000 (GBOX)...
Sadoun Powertech VBOX III V3000 Positioner DiSEqC 1.2 Compatible

deaner · #8 (**permalink**) 06-07-2007, 02:21 PM

I will get some #14 wire for the actuator motor and a splitter that has a dc pass line. I will use the General Instrument 450I as you have suggested. Thanks for all the help and suggestions, It will take me a few days to get the wire since I live in the sticks. It just takes a 75 year old man longer to walk that far. thanks

rainman · #9 (**permalink**) 06-07-2007, 04:19 PM

you can get what is called a c band ribbion cable which comes with 2 coax cables wires for the motor and polrotor all in one bundle that way you dont have so many wires to run.

deaner · #10 (**permalink**) 06-10-2007, 11:11 AM

Thanks for the help. I hope today to run the motor wires. I am slow but give me time and I will complete this project with the help from many.