When things break

ttmott

ttmott

PhD in OCD
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TECHNICAL Contributor
Apr 3, 2012
8,162
Space Coast Florida
Boat Info
2006 52 Sedan Bridge
Engines
Cummins QSM11
This, I think, is the last electrical thing on the boat that hasn't been changed since Kismet was struck by lightning in 2019; crapped the bed three days ago. It's been one of those weeks....
My frustration caught by my dock neighbor - please move, just once.
Saras pic.jpg
 
ttmott said:
This, I think, is the last electrical thing on the boat that hasn't been changed since Kismet was struck by lightning in 2019...
Click to expand...
Three years ago? I'm both surprised and impressed something like that would have survived at all! I'm also glad to hear your boat survived a lightning strike.
 
Notice also the Radar is gone - It crapped the bed last week and is back at Garmin. At least they paid for return shipping and are fixing the 3 year old unit as a warrantee item.
 
Nater Potater said:
Three years ago? I'm both surprised and impressed something like that would have survived at all! I'm also glad to hear your boat survived a lightning strike.
Click to expand...
That is what the tech said at Max Marine Electronics. They made me a smokin deal on a tested M5 unit that's now in route to me. Just trying to bridge until Starlink becomes viable.
 
ttmott said:
This, I think, is the last electrical thing on the boat that hasn't been changed since Kismet was struck by lightning in 2019; crapped the bed three days ago. It's been one of those weeks....
My frustration caught by my dock neighbor - please move, just once.
View attachment 136347
Click to expand...

What does the ACU say ?
 
ttmott said:
Notice also the Radar is gone - It crapped the bed last week and is back at Garmin. At least they paid for return shipping and are fixing the 3 year old unit as a warrantee item.
Click to expand...
Glad Garmin is taking care of it. As you know from the radar thread Garmin replaced my pedestal under warranty after 2.5 years.
 
Tripsdad said:
Glad Garmin is taking care of it. As you know from the radar thread Garmin replaced my pedestal under warranty after 2.5 years.
Click to expand...
I remember that. My neighbor in the slip behind my boat has had two replaced, same Fantom 54's all under warranty.
It seems there is a basic problem with the Fantom's.
 
ttmott said:
I remember that. My neighbor in the slip behind my boat has had two replaced, same Fantom 54's all under warranty.
It seems there is a basic problem with the Fantom's.
Click to expand...
Like either you or Orlando said before there must be a known issue. I can tell you that I am getting better separation and target acquisition with the replacement unit. Good luck with your dish.
 
ttmott said:
What is an ACU?
Click to expand...

I took it from your picture you are having an issue with your KVH antenna. Apologies if I am incorrect. Which model do you have?

If i am correct, do you have one of these?
upload_2022-11-8_12-17-27.png

ACU: Antenna Control Unit
 
Shaps said:
I took it from your picture you are having an issue with your KVH antenna. Apologies if I am incorrect. Which model do you have?

If i am correct, do you have one of these?
View attachment 136401
ACU: Antenna Control Unit
Click to expand...
Ah, yes the KVH antenna. There is no ACU for the TV4hp antenna. However, for the KVH TV series those boxes were called a MCU and the MCU's were optional. The MCU allowed the antenna to have more than two satellites useable and thus for DTV you could have HD programming.
Here is the prognosis on my KVH TV4 antenna - First it was programmed for the Direct TV satellites (DSS101 and DSS119) and that programming is contained on the antenna main circuit board. FYI, with a laptop and an emulation software like PROCOMM one can have the antenna locate and lock into any satellite by entering location or using a preprogrammed satellite (DISH, DTV, European, etc) in the KVH system or use the MCU. Anyhow, the DTV receiver (HR24 in my case) sends an 13 volt signal up the coax to the LNB which activates the LNB to receive. The LNB (Low Noise Block) is that device pointing at the dish. For the dual LNB's which mine has (most do) requires a 13 volt signal on one side and the other an 18 volt signal. A multiswitch is usually required for using both LNB's with multiple receivers. If you have a DTV HR24 receiver that has two sat inputs then that receiver manages both sides of the LNB and a multiswitch isn't required.
OK, so that 13 volt signal sent by the receiver or multiswitch is picked up by the RF circuit board on the Sat antenna (mounted right under the dish on the frame and tells the main control board (mounted behind and on the frame) it needs to wake up, acquire, and operate. The RF board and main control board slews the antenna to it's general pre-programmed coordinates then fine tunes to lock it in. It constantly slews up and down, side to side to obtain the strongest signal for both satellites.
Without the RF board the antenna will slew in elevation only and exercise a full elevation about every minute. The unit will not change azimuth (rotate). It is that azimuth that locates where the Sat should be.
So, in my case the RF board is bad. The technician at Max Marine Electronics said he could send another RF board but then what's the next link in the chain. So for significantly less than one BB they sent me a fully tested complete M5 dome which is plug and play with the connectors and mounting plate on the boat.
Somewhere I read that the M1 and M3 systems required the ACU because the electronics were not on the dish - corrrect me if I'm wrong here..
 
ttmott said:
Ah, yes the KVH antenna. There is no ACU for the TV4hp antenna. However, for the KVH TV series those boxes were called a MCU and the MCU's were optional. The MCU allowed the antenna to have more than two satellites useable and thus for DTV you could have HD programming.
Here is the prognosis on my KVH TV4 antenna - First it was programmed for the Direct TV satellites (DSS101 and DSS119) and that programming is contained on the antenna control board. FYI, with a laptop and an emulation software like PROCOMM one can have the antenna locate and lock into any satellite by entering it's location or using a preprogrammed satellite (DISH, DTV, European, etc) in the KVH system or use the MCU. Anyhow, the DTV receiver (HR24 in my case) sends an 18 volt signal up the coax to the LNB which activates the LNB to receive. The LNB (Low Noise Block) is that device pointing at the dish. For the dual LNB's which mine has (most do) requires a 14 volt signal on one side and the other an 18 volt signal. A multiswitch is usually required for using both LNB's and multiple receivers. If you have a DTV HR24 receiver that has two sat inputs then that receiver manages both sides of the LNB and a multiswitch isn't required.
OK, so that 18 volt signal sent by the receiver or multiswitch is picked up by the RF board on the Sat antenna (mounted right under the dish on the frame and tells the main control board (mounted behind and on the frame) it needs to acquire and operate. The RF board and main control board slews the antenna to it's general pre-programmed coordinates then fine tunes to lock it in. It constantly slews up and down, side to side to obtain the strongest signal for both satellites.
Without the RF board the antenna will slew in elevation only and exercise a full elevation about every minute. The unit will not change azimuth (rotate). It is that azimuth that locates where the Sat should be.
So, in my case the RF board is bad. The technician at Max Marine Electronics said he could send another RF board but then what's the next link in the chain. So for significantly less than one BB they sent me a fully tested complete M5 dome which is plug and play with the connectors and mounting plate on the boat.
Somewhere I read that the M1 and M3 systems required the ACU because the electronics were not on the dish - corrrect me if I'm wrong here..
Click to expand...

You sir, continue to be a wealth of information!
I have the ACU I pictured attached to my HD7.
I too had my KVH issues, last year it was directv swm 8 module.
This year, my azimuth motor gave up the ghost. KVH would not sell to me, but I found new old stock on ebay from india and (knock on wood) working like a champ. The KVH support team did give me the codes to reinitialize the unit via a laptop connected to the ACU, which was definitely helpful.
 
ttmott said:
... Somewhere I read that the M1 and M3 systems required the ACU because the electronics were not on the dish - corrrect me if I'm wrong here..
Click to expand...

You, once again, are correct. M1/3 dishes do not have the electronics in the dish and do require an ACU.

BTW, ditch Procom and take a look at TeraTerm, it's also free.
 
Heavy rain last night on Long Island which has now ended. Drying out today. Very high winds, gusting to 50 mph, laying back to 15 to 25 later on. I can only imagine the mess between the rain, wind and wet leaves. But no flooding or trees on the house for me so I figure that’s a win.
 
Jaybeaux said:
@ttmott How did you east coasters fair with Nicole? Didn't mean to hijack the thread.

Jaybeaux
Click to expand...
The worst was in beach erosion, a lot of structural damage on the beaches. But flooding was contained probably due to rainfall being under prediction; with that said areas around the St Johns River didn't need any more water post Ian. Winds were also under prediction.
 
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