Weasner's General LXD55/75 Feedback Page

GENERAL FEEDBACK

Last updated: 31 January 2007

This page is for user comments and information of a general nature or items applicable to all LXD55 and LXD75 models. If you have any comments, suggestions, questions or answers to questions posed here, e-mail them to me and I'll post them. Please use an appropriate Subject Line on your message. Thanks.

Subject:	LXD 75 mount .... motor  Collison
Sent:	Sunday, January 28, 2007 15:19:47
From:	Greg Kaiser (kaiser_az@cox.net)
I had a very bad experience with my LXD-75 mount. I was out guiding on
Friday night and things were going so well with Envisage Guiding that I
left the setup alone for about 25 minutes and returned to find the 2
motors were binding together and the Pwr led on the mount was very dimly
lit. The computer had locked up not sure as a result of this mount
lockup.  I was tracking the Orion Complex getting a wide field shot.

I went back an  re-algned and started guiding after this happened. The
mount seems to be ok not sure how long it was in this position. I should
probably do a calibrate  motors and re-train the drives. There doesn't
seem to be a current trip in the the mount electronics, not good.

Let me know your thoughts on this one.

Greg

PS. To top it off when this happened I pulled the DSI guider out of the
eyepeice holder and momentarily set it on the stool. I turned and moved
my leg and pulled on the USB cable attached to the DSI . It then hit the
cool deck near the pool. I guess everyone has nights like this once in a
while.  : )

Mike here: What part of the mount collided with what part of the mount?

And:

The Ra and Dec Motor housings

Mike here: The RA motor housing hit the Dec motor housing? Did you start out from the proper GEM home position? I have never had this problem.

And:

I started from a Park Scope the previous night and did a go to to Orion.

Mike here: Was the DEC motor housing on the East or West side for the Home Position? I used to have mine on the West side (when I used the LXD55 mount) but I switched to the East side (with the LXD75).

Wherever the arrows match up for Polar Home Position  , on the the East
Side of the Mount.

Mike here: Do you have the current AutoStar version (4.3Ed)?

And:

Need to check but I beleive so it was the latest update as of last april
06

Mike here: 4.3Ed was released in December 2006.

Subject:	i would like your advice about warps belt drive conversion kit
Sent:	Thursday, January 25, 2007 17:24:08
From:	Anthony Sambuco (orkosmo0n@msn.com)
my q's is about warps belt drive conversion does using the belt drive
cause the mount to operate in reverse? is that ok? i wanted to purchase
it to improve my mounts performance but i wanted to know is it really
worth it ?

my mount is the lxd55-sn10

thanks for your time,
anthony

Mike here: I have no experience with his conversion. I suggest contacting him directly.

Subject:	LXD75 mount and motor diagrams
Sent:	Monday, January 22, 2007 09:21:11
From:	keith (keith@morrisgifts.co.uk)
Do you know where I can obtain exploded diagrams of the LXD75 mount,
motors and gears? I intend to do a strip down and regrease of mine over
the cold winter months.

Keith Morris
Lakenheath
Suffolk IP27 9HZ United Kingdom

Mike here: Other than what is available in the LXD55 / LXD75 Information section on my LXD55/75 Site I'm not familiar with who else might have this info.

Subject:	LXD55 Can it autoguide
Sent:	Saturday, January 13, 2007 17:58:50
From:	scopehead (todd@scopehead.com)
Can the LXD55 Mount Auto guide?
 
Thanks
 
Todd R.
www.scopehead.com
Adventures in Astronomy

Mike here: With the proper equipment, yes.

Subject:	How to change my LXD75 motor box
Sent:	Thursday, January 11, 2007 06:54:22
From:	Helicos Dragonfly (dragonfly_helicos@icqmail.com)
I'd like to know how to remove the complete box of the motor (the one
where the plugs and power go in). but after removing the 2 screws on the
back sides, the box stays.. is there any other screws ? Would you have
document about this please to help me ??

Many thanks for any help.

Best regards,

Stephane.

Mike here: See the last portion of the article "Fixing a Slipped RA Gear" in the "LXD55 / LXD75 Information" on the LXD55/75 home page.

Subject:	LXD55 Dec setting circle
Sent:	Tuesday, January 9, 2007 07:30:21
From:	John Liddard (jliddard@cclgroup.ca)
I first wanted to say how thankful I am to find resources out there for
the Meade products and the Macintosh.  If found links on your site to
Autostar X that let me flash my Autostar to the latest version of
firmware and it worked great.

I hope you won't mind answering a few questions.  I recently purchased a
used LXD55 8" SC it' not in bad shape but the mount show's a lot of
signs of tinkering by previous owner/owners.

I'm new to the LXD55 and have been trying to determine what's normal
with regard to operation of the mount.  I've noticed that the DEC
setting circle can be rotated manually.  There's enough friction to
allow proper rotation with the DEC axis but I was wondering if it should
be free to turn by hand.  My previous scope (Sky Watcher 6" Newt on EQ
3-2 mount) had the DEC circle fixed to the DEC axis.

Secondly, I'm a little confused by the operation of the particular Polar
Alignment Scope accompanying my mount.  It appears to be the proper
stock scope but when I get the pole star in focus by adjusting the front
threaded eyepiece, the reticle is way out of focus.  Is this normal?

Sincerely,

John Liddard

Mike here: The scale should be tight but if you are using the AutoStar to control the telescope you likely will never need to use the scale. As to the polar alignment scope, the same may apply there as well; if you use the AutoStar for setting up the telescope in the home position you will likely never need to use the scope. However, you should be able to get a reasonable focus on both the reticle and stars. You may have to just fiddle some with the focusing to get the best image on both.

Subject:	LXD75 Tracking Problems
Sent:	Wednesday, January 3, 2007 18:23:16
From:	twilcox2@columbus.rr.com (twilcox2@columbus.rr.com)
My LXD75 EMC just won't track an object.  What can I do to get this
problem resolved?

I get a good alignment and I am using the astronomical setting for a
target.

Thanks
Tim

Mike here: I need more information from you before I can help. Have you done a CALIBRATE MOTOR and TRAIN DRIVES (trained on both axes)? Have you set your location using ZIPCODE or CITY NAME? Which alignment method are you using?

And:

I have not done a calibrate motor or train drives.  I used Columbus Ohio
as the city.  I used Easy alignment.

I get very good go to when I find the target for the first time but the
tracking is way off.

Thanks for the quick reply.

Tim

Mike here: First do a CALIBRATE MOTOR from the AutoStar. (This needs to be done once, and then whenever the power supply is changed, including changing out the batteries). Then do a TRAIN DRIVES (both axes). That should fix the problem.

And:

Thank you.

I will perform these steps this weekend and let you know how it turns
out.

Tim

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