Losing even transponders on 110 in rain

[Tedley444]

Hello,

I have been a E* customer for 10 years. When I first got setup, I had a 4700 receiver and a single DISH 300. A lot has changed since then. My setup changed most recently when most internationals moved to 118.7. I had to get them to install a DPP44 to continue using my old legacy 4700 receiver. Everything was working beautifully with the DPP44 and my old 4700/4900 until it rained really hard for several days. I went to bed and when I got back up, I had lost all even transponders on 110; the check switch verified this. I did not call dish this time because when I got home from work, the rain had stopped and the sun had been out for a few hours, and then it all worked properly again. Check switch found no problems. When I went to check things out, I found the switch was literally lying on the ground in a large puddle of water. The switch was installed underneath my house, but it is not watertight there. The ground blocks and all the cables are all unsecured, like a rat's nest under my house with the switch in the center of all this mess. I don't know much but I am assuming it's pretty easy for moisture to get inside it if it's not mounted vertically with the cables running horizontally. Could moisture in the lines exhibit this kind of problem?

It has been a few months and I recently added a 722 to my acct as my primary receiver. After getting this all installed properly the rain came again and I lost even tps on 110 on both receivers. I put in a service call yesterday, but the same scenario has played out: the sun came out and now the signal is solid again. The tech is supposed to come out today, but what shall I say if it's working when he arrives? Does the standard installation generally include drip loops and mounting of the switch and ground block to a solid surface?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Note I have a dish 1000+ with DPP44 looking at 119, 118, 110, 129, with a 722 and a 4900 receiver.

[Kent Taylor]

The tech is supposed to come out today, but what shall I say if it's working when he arrives? Does the standard installation generally include drip loops and mounting of the switch and ground block to a solid surface?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Note I have a dish 1000+ with DPP44 looking at 119, 118, 110, 129, with a 722 and a 4900 receiver.

:welcome_s Tedley444.
Explain the problem to the installer. After reading the description of your original installation, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out where the problem lies. Do you have the DHPP (home protection plan)?

[Tedley444]

Thanks very much for your message. I do not currently have DHPP.

I fear trouble since the DPP44 and grounding block were installed by a different contractor than what dish is using in our area now. The DPP44 and DISH1000+ were installed by a contractor out of AR, and when I ordered my 722, they sent someone from a different company here in OK to install it. The local gentleman is the one coming out today.

Again, many thanks for your information.

[BattleZone]

The switch, ground block, and any other breaks in the line should be gotten off the ground and mounted to a beam under the house to keep them away from the moisture. That should be fairly easy to do, but many techs (like me) won't go under a house if it is wet and muddy; you might need to figure out a temporary solution until it dries out enough to work under there safely.

Standing water can be a serious health hazard.

[Kent Taylor]

Thanks very much for your message. I do not currently have DHPP.

I fear trouble since the DPP44 and grounding block were installed by a different contractor than what dish is using in our area now. The DPP44 and DISH1000+ were installed by a contractor out of AR, and when I ordered my 722, they sent someone from a different company here in OK to install it. The local gentleman is the one coming out today.

Again, many thanks for your information.

The DHPP will save you some money on service calls. $29/call. If you can hold off a day or so, sign up for the DHPP then call Dish to schedule a tech. Dish probably will accept the responsibility for the crappy installation and make it right. I have always had very good service from them.

[TorinoCobra]

Have you checked for LNB Drift? (Menu 6-1-3) This could affect just the even or odd TP's on one LNBF. I'm expecting the evens on mine to go out now that the temps are rising. I'm currently sitting at -7 on both 110 and 119 even. The LNBF will usually be replaced free of charge if it is too far out of spec, which mine are now. Apparently my 622 is more tolerant of LNB Drift than my old legacy 5000 was. The 622 would show everything, but the 5000 would be missing half the channels.

[Tedley444]

Have you checked for LNB Drift? (Menu 6-1-3) This could affect just the even or odd TP's on one LNBF. I'm expecting the evens on mine to go out now that the temps are rising. I'm currently sitting at -7 on both 110 and 119 even. The LNBF will usually be replaced free of charge if it is too far out of spec, which mine are now. Apparently my 622 is more tolerant of LNB Drift than my old legacy 5000 was. The 622 would show everything, but the 5000 would be missing half the channels.

I experience LNB drift only on 118, and at -5. I think there is something up with that bird and the software in the newer receivers that either makes it think it's losing signal when it's not (software tolerances), or there really is a failing TP on 118 that I can't constantly get (but don't need). I have Panorama Italiano on 118 and I notice no signal dropouts on those tps.

Service update: It was all working properly when the tech came out yesterday (sun out, rain dried up, puddles were dry, no water). There is no stagnant water, just puddles with heavy rains. He assured me that the DPP44 is vacuum sealed and that no water can get in it and there would be no problem even by keeping it submerged in water. I was skeptical. I had to wheedle him into it, but he did "secure" my switch and the ground blocks under the house. I thought he would have secured them to a beam or the siding, but he just hung them up with a cable tie onto the gas pipe. It still looks like a very crappy installation, but this will at least keep them out of puddles when it rains.

My installation was rock solid for years (119/110 and 148 with SW-21) until they moved intl's to 118. Since then, I've had to call them repeatedly to fix myriad installation problems: pole required but not cemented (later fell over when the ground got wet), system not grounded, cable runs left above ground, DP34 switch with DPP LNBs and legacy receiver with no DP adapter or power insertion, no weather boots on outdoor connections. My favorite was when the pole fell over; they told me the reason I could not get signal was because my receiver burnt out and that I'd need a new receiver. This is while looking out the window at the dish toppled on the ground!!

I'm sure there are some nice competent techs out there, but most of them I've dealt with do not really seem interested in doing quality work, they just want to slop it up and run on to the next job. My self installs looked better than theirs, and that's really sad because I'm no good at it.

Many thanks to all of you for your responses. :D I'm glad to have input from such nice folks as yourselves. Whether this fixed it or not will be revealed the next time it rains for 2-3 days on end.

[BillRadio]

If the service works once the rain has stopped, the problem is proabably not in the switch. Once water enters the switch, it will take several days to dry out.

Signal loss is caused by weak signal strength which can be caused by several factors. Check your signal levels on a dry day to see how much signal you normally have. My dish slowly pulled from the outside wall of my house and I did not know the signal was close to marginal until a "normal" rain. You might need to realign the dish or, more likely, the mount. Once you checked connections and alignment you can tell Dish you've done your part.

My signal is normally 90+ and a hard rain will cause the signal to drop, but the higher the normal signal level, the less problem I have.

[BattleZone]

He assured me that the DPP44 is vacuum sealed and that no water can get in it and there would be no problem even by keeping it submerged in water. I was skeptical.

You should be skeptical. Given the number of bad switches we replace EVERY DAY, many of which have water in them from being left exposed to weather and mounted with connectors up, I'd say there are a lot of techs who believe that BS. But BS it is. I've taken one of those switches apart (no easy feat), and they are far, far from waterproof.

[eckertman]

I'm not, must be your part of the country.

[eckertman]

If the service works once the rain has stopped, the problem is proabably not in the switch. Once water enters the switch, it will take several days to dry out.

Signal loss is caused by weak signal strength which can be caused by several factors. Check your signal levels on a dry day to see how much signal you normally have. My dish slowly pulled from the outside wall of my house and I did not know the signal was close to marginal until a "normal" rain. You might need to realign the dish or, more likely, the mount. Once you checked connections and alignment you can tell Dish you've done your part.

My signal is normally 90+ and a hard rain will cause the signal to drop, but the higher the normal signal level, the less problem I have.Or it can simply be replaced. Providing their is no cost involved.