How to BLOW your Diseqc Switch - with out even trying!!

Diseqc switchs, MUST be treated with kid gloves! They are physically rugged but electrically delicate. These switches are solid state, and can be easley damaged. The most common way the switch is damaged is to make or break ANY connected dish cable connection with the receiver pluged in to power. The receiver puts power out of its LNB connection (and through the switch to the LNB), even if the receiver is turned off by the I/R remote or front power button! YOU MUST REMOVE POWER by unpluging or using the REAR power switch. I know it is a pain in the A** when you are on the roof with your satellite finder, have to peak the dish, and have to turn the power on/off to install/remove the satellite finder.

Cable shorts: Make sure that the cable after the diseqc is not shorted, as this will overload the diseqc switch.

Static: The other ways of blowing the diseqc switch is zapping it with static electricity, be carefull at the receivers end that you do not "carpet" static zap the dish cable.

Lighting; Make sure that your dish and cable grounding block is properly grounded with a #12 copper or larger gage wire to a good earth ground.

Dish Motor; The Diseqc switch MUST be between the LNB and Motor, or you will blow the switch, it will not handle the motor current for very long.

Blown switch: If you have a blown switch, it MAY be only on one port, you can test the other ports, they may still work, just reset the receivers Diseqc settings and MARK the SWITCH as to which port is bad.

When I started in FTA, I damaged 2 switches, and quickly learned. I am currently using 10 Diseqc switches and have not had to replace any. I am using the standard Diseqc switches that came with my receivers, and observing the above listed cautions, have not had ANY Diseqc problems. That being said, I have been told by other experanced testers that the large Cheta Diseqc switch is much better and more rugged. I have not personally tested this switch, but they swear by them.