HBX PLUG REPAIR & IMPROVEMENT Last updated: 12 June 2007

Subject:	RE: etx-125:  360 RA Limit
Sent:	Monday, June 4, 2007 20:33:07
From:	Daniel Harris (HossHarris@cox.net)
3001:  The plastic disky thingy as I found it.  It had been wedged into
the hard stop on the "bottom" of the base and the plastic teeth have
been badly damaged.

3003:  The disk moved off of the hard stop.  I contemplated this as the
final solution, but those teeth are so badly damaged that it's easy to
get it re-stuck.

3004:  The final solution.  I cut off the damaged teeth.  Now I get
slightly more than 720 degrees of rotation and the hard stops are firm
and positive on both ends of the rotation.

I was able to get everything reconnected and it ops check fine!  No
broken wires, no fried components (I hunted for enough photos on your
site to be sure I had the connections correct).

Here's what would have really helped / what I learned:

(1)  There's not a lot of info around about the 360 max rotation
problem, but a few folks seem to have had it.  The standard answer is
"send it to Meade"  This is a user fixable problem with some care.

(2)  A general schematic of the telescope mount's inner workings or
exploded parts diagram.  I don't know what pull you and/or Dr. Sherrod
have with meade, but that would have saved me a whole lot of time and
effort.

(3)  If the schematic is not doable, perhaps someone who knows what
they're doing could photo-document a complete disassembly and reassembly
(perhaps in line with the average "tune-up/degreasing."  Even the "not
the average users ability" parts should be included (with warnings).

(4)  How not to break the battery tray wires.  Remove the battery tray. 
Use electrical tape to affix it to the side of the lower base.  Worked
like a charm for 4+ hours of tinkering.

(5)  Since we all have digital cameras, take pictures as you disassemble
so you don't have questions when you reassemble.  That one's a
no-brainer that I do in many other endeavors, but I kept thinking the
"simple fix" was just around the corner ... until I had the base
entirely disassembled.

(6)  Just like most consumer products, the inner workings of the mount
(not the telescope tube) are very very simple systems that once
understood are easy to work on.

(7) Don't let the motors run against the stops (proper initial mount). 
It wasn't my doing, but it sure was a pain to fix!

Again -- Thanks a bunch for the prompt replies and steady stream of
information.

PETE HARRIS

Go back to the Tech Tips page.

Go back to the ETX Home Page.