Yaesu G250 Rotator
 

Hi Peeps..... I thought I might share this with you :) I recently bought a G250 "mini" antenna rotator, as I didnt need a larger one. It was duly installed and worked well, UNTIL a mamoth rain deluge. Turning on the controller there was a very loud hum,.... and the motion of the rotator was unknown. After a day.. I retried it and it seemed to function ok. I guessed that the water had dried up and was back to OK. My friend went on the roof to add a stopper to the top pole and a tight fitting bucket over the shaft to shield the mechanics. All was well.....until a couple of days later when the Hum started again.
The rotator was brought down and into the workshop..... about 100 cc of water removed its self....thus I knew I has to totally dismantle the gubbins.
This was the hard part. There are 4 x 4mm screws holding the two halves together...IMPOSSIBLE to remove, I had to grind off the heads....then the threads came out easily. I guess the heads had been Thread locked.....
The 4 X 4mm posi screws holding the rotating plate to the mechanism were also impossible to remove, thus they were drilled out, using drills of increasing size....... however there was enough metal to retap the threads to 6mm. Opening the two halves it was obvious that water had caused a brown nasty residue in the connections area and the geared position pot.
All this was cleaned off, and bench tested....... the gears were re greased and the electrical parts smothered in Fish tank silicon rubber.
This silicon goo was also used to seal the two halves together, and finally tested.
Just waiting for my friend to refit it for me.
The moral of this story is.... DO NOT FORGET TO FIT A CAP ON THE TOP POLE.

Re: Yaesu G250 Rotator
 

Well... its back on the roof...... one significant thing.... I cannot hear it rotating..... previously there was a faint hum..percolating down the metal work...now it's quiet. Job done :D

Re: Yaesu G250 Rotator
 

Well done! just in time for lift conditions I bet too!

Re: Yaesu G250 Rotator
 

Nice job Wendy - it's often a nice feeling doing some mechanical work for a change rather than slaving over a hot iron all day!

Re: Yaesu G250 Rotator
 

Well done, I have seen where water has come down the coax and caused problems, I must get my rotator fitted to the Wellbeck loop, just another one of those jobs to do, Mick.