Merlin66

I use two 20Ah gel cell golf buggy batteries which are now 12 years old and still work 100%.

You will need at least a triple stage charger.

I use an HEQ5 and a NEQ mount.

For the past ten years I’ve successfully used a 12v to 15v converter rated at 120w to power them. No issues, no drama - no low voltage concerns.

I think these knobs are threaded, the shaft having a taper and thread end.

I'd try holding one knob and then turning the other anticlockwise with a fair effort to get it to release....

I use the SW focus motor on all my telescopes - works well for me.

(With the 10:1 versions I belt drive the 10:1 knob - 6mm xml belt, 30 tooth pinion on the motor)

Andy,

I think you need more exposure to boost the signal. You can use a couple of images -one with line at 620 saturated to bring out the fainter ones and one similar to the above.

Walker's atlas will guide you through the maze.......

Many of the amateur spectroscopists use both the Neon and Relco reference lamps. No major issues, no drama.

I did the same a few years ago..still very happy with the result. I need to fit a focus motor (I use the SW motors to belt drive the 10:1 knob on my other scopes) but haven't figured it out yet.

Possibly.....

we’re still waiting on any current user feedback on performance.......

There’s not too many commercial spectrograph available.

The sole suppliers are Shelyak in France and Baader in Germany. All the others have fallen by the wayside.....such is life.

Welcome to the exciting world of spectroscopy!

Sounds like you're off to a good start.

You might want to consider using other pre-processing software like BASS Project or VSpec. These packages contain some comparison spectra which can be used to produce an Instrument response curve and subsequent corrections to your spectra.

Onwards and Upwards

What about a quick change over secondary? From Newtonian (F4?) to Cass f12 all in one OTA????

The slop/flop of the main mirror in an SCT can certainly be improved by running the mirror up and down the baffle tube; by rotating the focusing knob (about 30 turns) each way a few times.
This re-spreads the grease on the baffle tube and reduces the effective gap.

A routine job which should be done by all SCT owners at regular intervals.

Adding a external focuser to the SCT OTA doesn't prevent the main mirror moving.........

Wait until the Amazon Celestron reducer arrives........ I hope it does live up to expectations......(I see Adorama are selling at exactly the same price)

Hmmm

"No name brand" v's Commercial established vendors - Celestron/ Meade etc. (Could be they are using others rejects? or what?)

I'd like to think that the branded product (with original warranty) would be much better.

Moonshane,

That shows a typical failure for the front filtered element....

I’d be interested to see the issues with the diagonal mirror and the final blocking/ sort filter.

Dave,

That’s a little surprising.....

I’ve been involved in solar and solar mods for over ten years, as yet I’ve only seen one final/ sort filter with any signs of deterioration.

I’d like to see any images you may have of the issue.....

99.9% of the problems I see are associated with the front filter within the BF assembly.

We all have had differing experiences....

Most of the SCT optics nowadays are very comparable. A star test (or even a Ronchi star test) will quickly show any issues.

The OP was looking for info on the x0.63 reducers used in SCT's rather than the telescopes themselves......

Yeah,

I'd like to think Meade's "issues" with the x0.63 are a thing of the past.....

Sara,

Normally it's just the front filter element which is affected.....

The rear blocking/ sort filter doesn't seem to have any long term issues.

The Meade and the Celestron reducers should be similar....But

My original Meade x0.63 reducer is "Made in Japan" and has the focal length around 240mm. This works well with all the non-HD SCT's.

I've also tested previously a Meade x0.63 reducer which was marked "Made in China" which had an incorrect focal length, around 88mm - similar to the x0.33 reduce design.......

It is believed an initial production batch when moved to China, was assembled with the wrong lenses. I would double check the actual focal length to be 100% sure.

No issues with the Celestron brand.

Indeed you are correct.

The original Lunt ITF filter was replaced recently with an RG glass filter. This unfortunately still seems susceptible to deterioration.....

Unfortunately the design of the ITF filter (the one we're talking about) in both the Coronado and the Lunt can result in failure. Sometimes this can be months or years.....it doesn't depend on usage as much as the possibility of moisture ingress through the failure of the side epoxy seal. Best advise I can offer is to keep the blocking filter diagonal in a seal Tupperware container with a silica gel pack when not in actual use. No guarantees....

(Easier to see this failure in a blocking filter diagonal but difficult to pick up on the PST blocker which is usually securely glued to the Black Box (Thank you Meade!).)

I’m sure it will assist with remote focus control.

I use it on all my scopes. Works well.

I think the optical path length may be different to a basic prism diagonal......

As suggested, a prism diagonal is probably the way to go....

Then there is some seriously wrong with our analysis of your problem.

I don’t know what else to suggest.