Hi Bill,
I use a PST 2051D using the Prosistel D controller to turn an M2
7&10-30LP8. The antenna is specified as 13 sq ft of wind load, the
2051D is rated at 29 sq ft. I have two rotors so as to have a spare.
So far I've had 3 failures. The first problem was the direction POT,
one leg was an open circuit. I could still turn the antenna using a 12
V supply and a DPDT toggle switch and eyeballing the direction by
peeking out the window. On inspection, the POT had rusted and failed.
The POT is not expensive and easy to replace if you have the rotor on
the ground.
The other two problems were the DC motor to worm gear shaft coupling.
Symptoms were what you described, rotation became less and less
responsive until no rotation at all. I did see some position change in
high wind, but the worm gear held windmilling to a minimum.
My two 2051Ds have different shaft coupling arrangements between the DC
motor and the worm gear shaft. Both use a shaft coupling that goes over
the DC motor shaft and then slides into the worm gear shaft. The
difference is how the coupling is mated to the DC motor shaft and keyed
to the worm gear shaft.
The 1st rotor has a shaft coupling with two set screws which tighten on
the DC motor shaft flat and the set screws protrude enough to also act
as a key into the internal key-way of the worm gear shaft. The set
screws had come loose and the coupling had worked its way off the DC
motor shaft. I reinstalled everything using blue Loctite on the set
screws. This rotor is back in service and time will tel how it holds up.
The 2nd rotor has an external keyed shaft coupling that is pinned to the
DC Motor shaft and keyed to the worm gear shaft. This rotor only lasted
a few months before the roll pin sheared off. Replacing the roll pin is
an easy inexpensive fix. But I'm thinking about using something
stronger like a pressed in dowel pin. The dowel pin should last longer,
but the next failure will probably wallow out the hole in DC motor
shaft, which is a more expensive repair. But what is tower work worth
in the dead of an Iowa winter?
Hope that helps.
73, Glenn - KD0Q
On 5/31/2014 11:22, William J. Nicosia wrote:
I am soliciting comments and actual experience
with the PST 2051d.
My unit was installed a year ago to turn a Mosley
Pro67C3, which is a heavy antenna. Its 24' 3 inch boom sports 3
elements on 40. Its dead weight is about 130 pounds.
Recently, the 2051d became erratic and seemed to
have turned through the South stop point. BTW I'm controlling the
2051d with a Green Heron RT-21. Anyway the rotor became less and less
responsive until it no longer turned at all and just parked itself
approximately at North. It does not windmill so the worm gear must be
holding it in place. But it does not turn either and the RT-21
indicates an out of calibration condition. BTW the RT-21 will not turn
the rotor in DEBUG either.
Anybody have this experience with a PST and did it
turn out to be a mechanical failure or something electrical?
73,
Bill, W2ZKX
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