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Not welding but, does anyone know about satellite actuators?

Hey all,

I am working on something and need an actuator. I got a satellite dish from a guy down the road and it has an actuator on it. However, he does not know and it is not written on it what the operating voltage or ampherage are. A quick web search shows three possible voltages 12V, 24V, and 36V but the amps are not shown on this page

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I need to come up with a method to operate this actuator. I have a variac and a bridge rectifier. I can deliver any of the voltages in DC at 5amps.

My question to you people is this.

Does anyone know how sensitive these things are? Can I burn it up if I give it too low voltage? My fear is that I will give it 24V and it will appear to work fine but it really needed more and end up frying the thing.

If I give it too much voltage it will possibly run faster and end up frying anyway. I do not know how to determine what the right voltage would be.

ANY IDEAS?????

Reply to
oso_bob
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Try Posting to Alt.Solar.Photovoltaic Many of these old dish actuators are now prized for new lives as solar Panel trackers. Duane Johnson there who makes sensors that drive these things could probably tell you their typical voltage/current characteristics.

I think that if it was tested not under load, it would probably just move more slowly with less voltage, however if it was tested under load in a stalled condition under low voltage conditions the current might buildup enough to damage it.

- Graham

Reply to
Graham Parkinson

There's not much chance of burning up a *DC* motor with too low a voltage. It just won't run very fast or have much torque. Note,

*stalling* the motor for too long can burn it up though. Too much voltage can burn it up.

So just make sure you don't run the voltage so low the motor stalls, and all should be well.

Gary

Reply to
Gary Coffman

Here's a link to the actuator on my dish:

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It's a bit more powerful than the original so the current and load ratings might not agree with yours but the voltage should be the same.

Best Regards, Keith Marshall snipped-for-privacy@progressivelogic.com

"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"

Reply to
Keith Marshall

Reply to
kklein

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