Shocking quality.

[cookie]

My 3 year old snipe satellite failed , been clunking for a while. While shopping around for something to replace it thought I'd dismantle it , just out of curiosity to see what's inside. (I do have mechanical, electronic background).

Absolutely shocked at the innards. Both motors had seized through lack of lubricant.
All roller bearings had no grease in them,looks like never been greased ,installed dry .
Water in both motors.
Little or no grease on cogs.
Wiring not secured.
Definitely not sealed against water ingress, mother board even has a plastic cover to keep water off.
Having a play now to see if I can get it going, already got motors going. Just got to get a new GPS module as this ones turned brown from the water.

Would definitely have never ok'd these for fixing to roof or permanent out door use.

No wonder avtex in Wales stopped selling or repairing them.

 

[Stanbrook]

The water ingress fault is documented on Amazzon reviews. Truly shocking quality on a supposedly waterproof unit. Has the cable gland failed?

 

[cookie]

The water ingress fault is documented on Amazzon reviews. Truly shocking quality on a supposedly waterproof unit. Has the cable gland failed?

Yes the gland looks like where water has got in . Its actually site towards front of van so rain gets forced in while driving. Also gland is right above pcb and one of the motors.
Have now managed to get it going again just got to order new bearings and seal up the gland , thinking of re mounting it backwards.

It now sounds less like a bag of spanners.

 

[Lenny HB]

Its actually site towards front of van so rain gets forced in while driving

It should never have been fitted that way round.
You have not said which model, the Snipe 1 were a bit flaky, even though I had problems with a Snipe 1 on the last van I still fitted a Snipe 2 to the current van as I can fit 3 Snipes for the price or an Oyster. Nearly 4 years on the Snipe 2 is still working.

 

[cookie]

It should never have been fitted that way round.
You have not said which model, the Snipe 1 were a bit flaky, even though I had problems with a Snipe 1 on the last van I still fitted a Snipe 2 to the current van as I can fit 3 Snipes for the price or an Oyster. Nearly 4 years on the Snipe 2 is still working.

This model has snipe pro logo on it, but I think its a snipe 2 with a different controller.
Before this we had a snipe 1 which failed, that had about half a litre of water in it.

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[Lenny HB]

The first Snipe 1 I had was replaced under warranty at about a year old (faulty docking switch). 2nd one stopped locking on after 18months, I stripped down bone dry inside.
As I said not had any problems with the 2. Maybe I've been lucky.

 

[cookie]

Wish I could be lucky.

Thing is I've had 2 now, both failed, do I try 3rd time lucky,?

Even though they've failed ,when this one has been working its done great, picked up signal down to black forest and down to 60 mile from Spanish border.

As you say at the price you can get 3 or 4 for what an oyster or decent dish costs

 

[Lenny HB]

With data so cheap now not really worth fitting another one.