# SWM Power Supply Question



## badgerdave (Dec 15, 2006)

The Techs put in a SWM-PI 29V power supply to power my SWM16. One output goes to the SWM, the other says "signal to IRD". What is that supposed to be for? Can I use that to power a DECA? Sorry if this is way basic.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

If the PI was connected to the SWM output, then this second port could be used to connect a receiver.
If on the other hand the PI connects to the power [only] connector of the SWiM-16 you can't use it for anything.


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## badgerdave (Dec 15, 2006)

veryoldschool said:


> If the PI was connected to the SWM output, then this second port could be used to connect a receiver.
> If on the other hand the PI connects to the power [only] connector of the SWiM-16 you can't use it for anything.


Thanks! The techs connected the IRD to a receiver and the power supply out to one of the eight way splitters coming off of the SWM-16. It sounds like I should move the Power supply out to the SWM and move the one they hooked up to the IRD to the splitter. Or does it matter?


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

As you see here:









If you look close, both the middle connector and the one above it have "power" in the label.
I don't think it makes any difference which you use. If you have power near the SWiM-16, I'd use the middle one and if I didn't, I'd use the other.


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## badgerdave (Dec 15, 2006)

veryoldschool said:


> As you see here:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks!


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## dwcolvin (Oct 4, 2007)

badgerdave said:


> Thanks! The techs connected the IRD to a receiver and the power supply out to one of the eight way splitters coming off of the SWM-16. It sounds like I should move the Power supply out to the SWM and move the one they hooked up to the IRD to the splitter. Or does it matter?


 The IRD _is_ the receiver. If your SWiM-16 is working, why do you want to mess with its power supply? You can't just willy-nilly change how things are connected... reconnect it wrong and the SWiM-16 stops working and you damage a receiver.

If it ain't broke...


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## badgerdave (Dec 15, 2006)

dwcolvin said:


> The IRD _is_ the receiver. If your SWiM-16 is working, why do you want to mess with its power supply? You can't just willy-nilly change how things are connected... reconnect it wrong and the SWiM-16 stops working and you damage a receiver.
> 
> If it ain't broke...


Because it's wrong the way it is.


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## dwcolvin (Oct 4, 2007)

badgerdave said:


> Because it's wrong the way it is.


How is it _wrong_?  
A PI-29Z can be used as _either_ a Power Inserter (in which case it connects upstream to the power passing port of a SWM splitter attached to the SWM1/PWR port of the SWiM-16, and downstream to a receiver SAT input), or a Power Supply ("signal to IRD" is terminated, upstream is either the power passing port above _or_ the DC/PWR port of the SWiM-16... either will work).


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## RobertE (Jun 10, 2006)

badgerdave said:


> Because it's wrong the way it is.


No it's not. It's fine. See below. The PI can be used as a pass through depending on where you have access to an outlet.

For example, the SWM is going to be outside and the PI has to be inside, but where the splitter is going to go, doesn't have a free outlet available. So, the PI gets placed somewhere upstream to where there is an outlet.

Don't go screwing with it. If you do it wrong, you can send 29v the wrong way and fry a lot of your (DirecTvs) gear. Additionally, if I was the guy that came back and fixed what your going to screw up, I would site the cause as "customer caused" and you would be on the hook for any and all repairs and replacement equipment.



dwcolvin said:


> How is it _wrong_?
> A PI-29Z can be used as _either_ a Power Inserter (in which case it connects upstream to the power passing port of a SWM splitter attached to the SWM1/PWR port of the SWiM-16, and downstream to a receiver SAT input), or a Power Supply ("signal to IRD" is terminated, upstream is either the power passing port above _or_ the DC/PWR port of the SWiM-16... either will work).


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Yeah, these guys are right. My power inserter is set up just like yours... one line off the splitter from the SWM1 line, and no receiver down the line from it. I would remind you to put a terminator on the unused output, if the installers didn't do that, or you can run another receiver from that line if you don't already have 8 tuners on that line.


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## ndole (Aug 26, 2009)

I smell a SIN30 coming on.. :lol:


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## netraa (Mar 28, 2007)

ndole_mbnd said:


> I smell a SIN30 coming on.. :lol:


With a healthy side order of 'customer caused, billable service call'.


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## badgerdave (Dec 15, 2006)

dwcolvin said:


> The IRD _is_ the receiver. If your SWiM-16 is working, why do you want to mess with its power supply? You can't just willy-nilly change how things are connected... reconnect it wrong and the SWiM-16 stops working and you damage a receiver.
> 
> If it ain't broke...


Ok--there is nothing "willy-nilly" about the way I changed it. I connected the power supply to the DC/PWR port of the SWM-16 and moved the cable that went from the "To IRD" to one of my DVRs over to one of the splitters. It's great that they designed the power supply to be used a couple of ways, but in my setup (with everything next to each other) I didn't see any reason to not to follow VOS's diagram.

The Techs also didn't connect a DECA into my FIOS router and then to the splitter--rather they just put a DECA into each of my older DVRs and left all three connected via ethernet. Does it work? Yes it does. Should I leave that alone too or should I make them come back and add another DECA?

How about the fact that they set up my TVs as if they were connected to a 3lnb dish although they are connected to a 5lnb dish--should I leave that alone too?

Oh should I just defer to the Techs, because they had watched a video on how to set up whole home DVR the day before?


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

badgerdave said:


> The Techs also didn't connect a DECA into my FIOS router and then to the splitter--rather they just put a DECA into each of my older DVRs and left all three connected via ethernet. Does it work? Yes it does. Should I leave that alone too or* should I make them come back and add another DECA?*


Absolutely, so you get what you should have.
NO ethernet to any receiver, period. 
That is what the DECA to router is for.


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