echostar hds-600

[bootlegger17]

I have an Echostar HDS-600 freesat box which will not power up.
I am a little familiar with the basics of electronics, but am worried when it comes to things to do with power input which is what I believe this is.

Internally the motherboard is clean and visually there are no blown components. The power board and controller board are one unit.

It uses a figure 8 power connector.
Internally it has a large fuse rated to 25A 250V, but when I multimeter this, it only shows 17V going across it. I believe because it is a figure of 8 type input, that there is some circuitry that must determine which is the 240v power rail (uk) and switch as appropriate.
Should/would I be expecting ~240 on this fuse and should it be switched to the + rail by this point? There is very little prior to hitting the fuse from the mains lead.
There is one cap and one resistor going to ground. There is also an Okaya LE104 rated at 275v sitting at the far point of the fuse and it has a linkage back to ground. What it this Okaya?

Would be grateful for any input on this. If you need more answers or details, please ask.

Regards
Jason

[goontron]

Re: echostar hds-600

pics?

[tom66]

Re: echostar hds-600

- The power supply will be designed for the UK only. The box is an original E* design specific for UK market. I think it was designed in the Steeton office. No circuit to determine 240V etc.
- I doubt you have a 25A fuse in a set top box.
- You need to test fuse out of circuit.
- I would focus on testing secondary voltages.

I work for E* but cannot comment on any specifics as there are confidentiality agreements in place. No publicly available schematics (and don't ask me to get you them, sorry.)

[bootlegger17]

Re: echostar hds-600

Yep will get some. however more of an update first.

I couldnt believe I was only getting 17v on the fuse so I re-evaluted my testing.

On the Hot side, if I place my multimeter on the ground to the Neutral pin on J1 (power input) and test various points, I see I am getting 240v through the fuse, and power seems to be going through to aother test points on the main board.
If I ground the multimeter to the chassis instead, then I can only read 17v through the fuse.

Jason

[goontron]

Re: echostar hds-600

- The power supply will be designed for the UK only. The box is an original EchoStar design specific for UK market. No circuit to determine 240V etc.
- I doubt you have a 25A fuse in a set top box.
- You need to test fuse out of circuit.
- I would focus on testing secondary voltages.

I work for EchoStar but cannot comment on any specifics as there are confidentiality agreements in place. No publicly available schematics (and don't ask me to get you them, sorry.)

i have disassembled enough echostar (read "disk network" in the US) so i will take a shot in the dark.

[tom66]

Re: echostar hds-600

Yes, I'm pretty sure Echostar makes boxes for Dish but they are designed by the American office, the division I work for is specific to Europe and some other regions. The designs and procedures are different. Until about 8 years ago it was known as Eldon Technology...

[goontron]

Re: echostar hds-600

with testing to frame you are reading through the X filter caps, so seeing 17v is not to surprising. return should be neutral (blue?) from here on.

[goontron]

Re: echostar hds-600

Yes, I'm pretty sure Echostar makes boxes for Dish but they are designed by the American office, the division I work for is specific to Europe and some other regions. The designs and procedures are different. Until about 8 years ago it was known as Eldon Technology...

i think they are one in the same in the US. there is an echostar building in Denver with a Dish network is hiring sign outside.

[bootlegger17]

Re: echostar hds-600

pics attached as requested
Since learnt that the Okaya is a line noise suppressor

[bootlegger17]

Re: echostar hds-600

My Bad
@Tom you are right - its a T1.25A fuse, not 25A - Fuse tests good out of circuit.

Shame you cant get the schematics, but i understand 8(
Ignore my email when you get back to work then as I already emailed asking that exact question!

Can you answer this then? Can you supply refurbed boards?


Didnt expect such a flurry of responses so soon

Jason

[tom66]

Re: echostar hds-600

I would check for ~320V across the 400V cap, it may be easier to test across bridge rectifier.
Then check for low voltages on secondary; there is probably a 5V and a 12V for the hard disk. Both of those will probably be always present.

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: echostar hds-600

- I doubt you have a 25A fuse in a set top box.

QFT! Even in USA! Wouldn't 3,000+ W make the lights dim every time you turn it on? It's not a compressor, for cryin' out loud.

I believe 25+ amps would make my T12 fluorescent light dim a lot. It definitely does seem to almost go completely out for a second when my USA-made compressor kicks on!

[bootlegger17]

Re: echostar hds-600

@Tom66

If I ground to neutral pin at J12 power input and test to right hand side of R426 I get ~246v. Why do you think ~320?
I dont get anything on the +5 or +12 rail from the HD

Jason

[tom66]

Re: echostar hds-600

The ground is your negative of your filter cap. You will get 320V peak across the cap in any 240V mains country. The mains peak being given by 1.4 x 240V AC in this case but it applies for 120V AC too (160V DC in that case.) Make sure to have your meter on DC volts.

[bootlegger17]

Re: echostar hds-600

OK I admit I am lost!

If I ground on the negative of the 400v cap (CR52 lead end by cap is the closest point I can get to) and test positive on the R426 (closest point I can get to) it returns ~700+ (my multimeter is only rated to 600!)

I assume you meant test the HD rails as DC - I did, but still nothing.

Please have patience with this n00b!

Regards
Jason

[tom66]

Re: echostar hds-600

The positive should be touching the positive of the 400V cap not of any resistor.

[bootlegger17]

Re: echostar hds-600

@Tom66

So are you saying that if I test points 3+4 I will get different reading than what I would testing points 1 and 2 on the attached screen shot? Only difference being I am testing the top side points of 1 and 2.

I would have thought they would return the same results being on the same part of the track?

Maybe once again I have learnt something new again....

I will test tomorrow sometime. getting late for me now.

Thanks for your input so far.

Regards
Jason

[mmartell]

Re: echostar hds-600

I'm going to go out on a limb with my rudimentary electronics knowledge and say you're ok to measure there. When is the last time you changed the battery in your DIMM ?

[bootlegger17]

Re: echostar hds-600

Hi Again.
OK so I tested again on the reverse side on the cap points, and found the following;

Multimeter set to DC, C486 returned results 322-323v
Also checked the reading from the topside two point I mentioned previously, and it returned the same results. Difference was I was testing in AC not DC.

Also on hot side, cap C484 fluctuates from 11.5V down to 8.8V and then cycles.


on cold side, some more test point results
CR57 is returning a fluctuating value - resting as 12v but ramping to ~150v and dropping down to ~50-75v, then resting at 12v again. what does this imply?

C494 and C499 are at 11.94V
C495 Could get no reading from

Regards
Jason

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: echostar hds-600

Also on hot side, cap C484 fluctuates from 11.5V down to 8.8V and then cycles.

Aha! You're on to something there. Unplug the device, pull the board out and replace C484 with one of same uF and volts and see if it powers up.

If it does not, and still fluctuates, you've got a short on the secondary side. But i'm fairly sure that cap alone will fix the problem.