[TowerTalk] Rookie Question... Addendum

[David Hachadorian]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Al Zelna" <mr.mri at epix.net>
To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2005 12:15 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Rookie Question... Addendum


>  Once the rain stops,
> I will be on the tower "quad-checking" the wiring scheme, testing
> continuity, and measuring voltages.

-----------------------------

Start with the inside voltage and resistance checks at the controller 
end. They are in the manual.

If you have too much cable loss, you can run cheap 14-2 (with ground) 
Romex out to the tower for the brake, ground and one of the motor 
leads. This will free up three wires in your 8 conductor cable, which 
can then be put on the other motor lead. There is also the trick where 
you can move the starting capacitor out to the rotator end of the 
cable, saving two wires, which can then be used to doubled up.

A long shot is that you are experiencing the "Ham-M brake binding 
problem" and that your capacitor has also failed, so the rotor won't 
turn either way, and the brake can't be released. Since your 
controller is so old, it would be a good idea to change the capacitor 
anyway. You can run down to your local electric motor shop, or 
electrical supply house, and buy an AC capacitor. It will be a 120 VAC 
unit, so it will be physically larger, and you will have to kludge it 
in (or just remove the pin 4 and 8 wires from the controller and 
hot-wire the cap to the cable, as a test). The capacitance value is 
not critical, just come as close as you can to the stock unit. It 
should be about $5. Or, you can order one from Hy-Gain or CATS, and do 
it nice & neat.

My bet is on a miswiring.

Let us know how it turns out.

Dave Hachadorian, K6LL
Yuma, AZ