Satellite Receiver Hot

[phy0749]

Recently bought and had installed a Wineguard traveler sat dish.

Installed the receiver in storage cabinet overhead.

When unit is off, the top is very hot. More than just warm.

Has anyone had this problem?

Have searched the forum to no avail.

[rossboyer]

Yes, because the electronics are still 'ON." When we travel, I unplug the TV, Sat Receiver, and Recever amplifier to reduce the heat. When stopped we even open the cabinet door to keep the area a little cooler.

[Guest BillAdams]

Off is never off unless it is unplugged. If you don't have enough ventilation around the unit (below and above mostly) the unit will over heat and will eventually lead to an untimely death. You can install small computer type fans to get the air moving or, if you can move things around, add spacers to allow better air flow.

[phy0749]

Solution. Bought a computer pad that has a fan. Your computer sits atop. Works fine with my Wineguard receiver. Plugs right into usb port on receiver.

[kingfr]

We had this issue, in fact the DTV receiver would get so hot that it would shut itself off until it cooled down. Our entertainment cabinet is on the side of the coach, over the passenger front seat. This problem was greatest when the afternoon sun is shining on the passenger side of the coach. Our solution was to install a 5 inch cabinet fan with a thermostat in the side of the cabinet. There are vent slits in the front so we get good air flow. The fan comes on at 86 degrees and goes off at 80 degrees. Works great, so far. OBTW, we swapped our 6 year old DTV DVR receiver for a brand new one. The heat generated by the new one seems to be much less than the old one.

[kimsells]

I also had the Winegard Traveler installed on our Motor Home and currently both Dish receiver and Traveler power box are in a compartment above driver seat.

It gets very hot in a small compartment especially when the sun is directly shining on the M.H.

I keep the compartment door open for air circulation. So far, unit hasn't burned up.

I'm going to move the Dish receiver to compartment over TV in Mid section of M.H.

Should have done this in the beginning.

K.S.

[RVerOnTheMove]

If you don't have enough air flow and you can't move the receiver, you can install one of the computer type pancake fans. You just need air moving across the receiver and you will not have a heat issue. If you receiver is also in the front above the driver/passenger seats the heat from the cap makes things even worse and serious consideration should be made as to providing the necessary ventilation.

[tbutler]

To reinforce one thing that was mentioned above, ventilation around the unit is very important. Space below the unit is as important as space above. The slots in the bottom of the case must have a free flow of air as they are the input for the air that circulates through the unit. That air will be heated inside the unit and then will escape through the top of the unit. Space above the unit should allow the hot air to disperse and cool naturally but in a small closed cabinet that can't happen. Using a cooling fan and providing a space for incoming fresh air will solve your problem. The factors that Bill points out make the cabinet hotter than normal without the heat of the unit. Ventilation is especially important in that case.

We are fortunate that our cabinet doors have a mesh panel which allows a free flow of air as though the cabinet were open all the time. That could be an alternative solution if you were willing to modify your cabinet doors. Cabinets in the front cap of the motor home can also be insulated. We had the insulation installed on the inside of the front cap. The insulation could be installed on the outside of the cabinet instead. Either way, it helps to keep those cabinets cooler.

[f301359]

I think we all have had heat problems with our Sat receivers, very similar to lap top computers.

So, go to Best Buy/computer store etc. and buy a lap top fan unit that sits underneath the receiver and plugs into the usb port and will run when you are plugged into an AC source. The fan is flat about 3/8" thick and covers the size of the receiver box and has several blowers/fans.

I also raised the receiver, using a cookie cooler tray that raises the receiver several inches and allows air to circulate from all sides.

[grm405]

Satellite receivers get hot just sitting out on a bookcase. We have had ours in several different MH's and they get even hotter in a semi-enclosed area. If you look at the power consumption, it is about like a 30 watt bulb. Our current installation in a National RV Tradewinds in the front overhead is the coolest. I cut a 8x10 hole in the door in front of it and put a black painted 1/4" mesh screen there. The remote works thru the screen and it keeps things cool, even in 110 degree Arizona weather. Works much better than using a RF remote and the closed door we had previously.

Traveling is no problem since we are not plugged in on the road and the receiver is off.

Gerry

[snowbear]

Where is a good place to get the type of thermostat mentioned? I also have a Phaeton and have the same overheating problem.

[jdannewitz]

Had the same problem with DISH 722k. Found the data disk runs all the time the box is receiving electricity. I am searching for a switch to connect to turn off the power plugin I have behind the monitoring panel that was installed when I purchased a new TV and installed the DISH box. I want an on and off switch on the front of the monitoring panel in my overhead next to the TV. I still don't know why DISH designed such a box that would be on when you are not watching TV. I can wait the few minutes it takes to download the show information. If yours is overhead the driver, check you insulation on the coach in that area. I was suprised how little there was behind the panels and fiberglass form until I added several layers of ducting insulation to solve that problem.

[jc21014]

With the fans mentioned, do you want the air blowing into the compatment or pulling the hot air out?

[wolfe10]

JC,

Best to open an inlet lower and install fans exhausting at the top of the cabinet. But, cabinet configuration does not always allow this arrangement. Just be sure to have the inlet in the coolest area that you can use.

[jc21014]

JC,

Best to open an inlet lower and install fans exhausting at the top of the cabinet. But, cabinet configuration does not always allow this arrangement. Just be sure to have the inlet in the coolest area that you can use.

Thank you for the info.

[BarrieRobertson]

When we had our satellite receiver installed, the technician warned us about over heating so he suggested we leave the cabinet door open for air circulation. We also placed 1/2 inch spacers under the four corners of the receiver and have had no problems. Yes the receiver is still warm but not worrisome.

[karenandcollins]

The cabinet for our receiver had a glass front. We ended up removing the glass & replacing it with a decorative screened sheet of tin we purchased at Lowes. It made a huge difference in the heat up there.

[jrwitt]

I like that idea of the decorative screen. If you don't have the glass insert, you could take the door to a cabinet shop and they can remove the wood panel so you can put in the screen. That's assuming the door has a raised wood panel which most seem to have.