Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b83b14cd4142fe10848741bb2a14c66b.jpg

Look what the wind did to my EQ6 Pro & Scope!!!

Vega

By Vega
in The Astro Lounge

Recommended Posts

Vega

Vega

Posted
Posted

Woke up this morning to this !!!

I cannot believe the wind could do this. Must be 40Kilos in total. Pretty sure I would struggle the push it over myself... The wind had no trouble!

EQ6 + 1x 5Kilo Counterweight

2x Dovetail bars, ED80, Bresser 70mm frac in ADM guide rings

Protective cover tied to all 3 legs and also tied round the 'waste'

Damage:

-Both 80mm scope rings snapped right through! (think this took the majority of the impact and saved the scopes)

-70mm Scope has 2 dents in underbelly of tube (primary glass intact)

-ED80? No damage at all (PHEW!)

-Power cable ripped from male sleeving (EQ6 power hole intact... phew)

-Synscan data cable deformed and both tighteners snapped off (Again EQ6 pins intact .. phew, but ends of tighteners remain screwed inside hmmmmm)

Altogether I feel a very very lucky man right now, could have been 10 times worse. but still need to test EQ6 once I've fixed power cable

Matt (With even more respect for mother nature than before!)

post-13313-133877713472_thumb.jpg

post-13313-133877713479_thumb.jpg

post-13313-133877713485_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 34
  • Created
  • Last Reply
nightfisher

nightfisher

Posted
Posted

I feel your pain, i leave my OTA`s on my landing and i got home yesterday to find my 100rs lying on the floor at a silly angle, my own fault for leaving it stood on its end cap!!, broken focuser servo and a bent crayford focus shaft, all fixable

i hope your gear is easy to repair

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Vega

Vega

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I have a spare set which came with my old Evostar 120 that 'should' fit however I seem to remember the screw threads on the top of the rings were slightly different to the ED80 rings :\ I still have the original screws for the bottom but not sure about attaching my 2nd Dovetail bar and guide ring setup..

Also not sure how im gonna get those Data cable tightners out of the EQ6 .. that'll be fun!

doh head spinning! lol

Thanks for the good wishes

Matt

Link to comment
Share on other sites
malc-c

malc-c

Posted
Posted

Sorry to hear and see that... Please don't flame me, but if it were me, and given that 50mph + winds were forecast (with gusts almost double) I wouldn't of risked leaving the scope out in the first place. No doubt the cover acted like a sail !!

Its not nice reading about peoples misfortunes, and I feel for you... I'm sorry, and I mean no offense by my comments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
faulksy

faulksy

Posted
Posted
Sorry to hear and see that... Please don't flame me, but if it were me, and given that 50mph + winds were forecast (with gusts almost double) I wouldn't of risked leaving the scope out in the first place. No doubt the cover acted like a sail !!

Its not nice reading about peoples misfortunes, and I feel for you... I'm sorry, and I mean no offense by my comments.

sorry but i have to agree with these comments i realy do feel sorry for you i would be gutted and i am for you but cant believe you left it outside in that weather, its been blowing trees and the like down so i would deffinatly blow your scope down. hope i dont ofend you and hope you sort it soon.

regards mike:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
laser_jock99

laser_jock99

Posted
Posted

I have left my EQ6 outside at times (no scopes attached mind you). To hold the thing in place a good tip is to suspend a sack of bricks or large bucket of water underneath it. My main reason for doing this though was to keep the polar alignment if the tripod was accidentaly knocked. I don't think it easilly blow over either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
swamp thing

swamp thing

Posted
Posted
Sorry to hear and see that... Please don't flame me, but if it were me, and given that 50mph + winds were forecast (with gusts almost double) I wouldn't of risked leaving the scope out in the first place. No doubt the cover acted like a sail !!

Its not nice reading about peoples misfortunes, and I feel for you... I'm sorry, and I mean no offense by my comments.

I concur and feel extremely sorry for you.

But owning big scopes I am more than aware how much wind can grab a hold of a scope left to the mercy of it.

A big Dob left unattended is not a prospect I would even consider.

I sincerely hope your scope is okay.

Horrible way to learn this lesson.

Regards Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Catanonia

Catanonia

Posted
Posted

ouch...... Eeven i battened down the obs last few nights even though the wind has never lifted the roof.

That cover would have acted like a sail..

Hope the scopes survived the tumble. The EQ6 is built like nails and should be ok.

BTW : those ring break all too easily in that joint, broke a set my self by over tighting them in my beginning days. Looks like they did you a favour.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
skywatcher1701

skywatcher1701

Posted
Posted
gutted for you, wind is less of a problem for me, where I live my scopes would vanish if i left them out :-(

Same here, but have a 6ft fence and then a 1 foot trellis on top of that round my back garden, hope all is OK with your gear.....we learn by our mistakes!!!:(

Link to comment
Share on other sites
James

James

Posted
Posted

Oh hell Matt, that's not good :(

Just a thought - do you have the mount and tripod oriented so that the little peg for the for the azimuth adjustment is between two tripod legs or over a leg? If it's between two legs then the mount is more easily tipped over by the wind...

That said the wind we've had in the south west base been pretty grim!

James

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kev

kev

Posted
Posted

Oh my, i feel for you.

The winds up here for the last week have been horrendus. We hvae covers on the pond, and had to put 2 paving slabs on each corner to stop it moving (... to next doors garden like it did before).

Back in my Letchworth days my run of roof, rather run off - to the next door neighbour *but 1*s garden!!! I had to rebiuld that stronger and I chained the top section to the bottom section using really think chain with padlocks.

Hope your gear is ok after the repairs.

Kev

Link to comment
Share on other sites
glowjet

glowjet

Posted
Posted

There are scope rings and there are cnc machined rings, its very lucky you were using the cheaper version, as who knows what could have happened, the cheaper variety are only cast metal and I can relate that I intended to purchased a pair from a seller on Astro/buy sell, who emailed me to say he could no longer sell them as he had broken one trying to pack into a box. This made me think again about using them :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites
barkis

barkis

Posted
Posted

That really is a tough break, and you have my commiserations mate.

I know you feel responsible for your own neglect, but try not to let it gnaw at you too long.

When it comes comes down to it, we are all forgetfull on occasions when we should have exercised caution, with a dire consequence as a result.

You will get it sorted and back in action soon, and you certainly will be aware next time the wind howls :(.

Ron.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.