Fried my EQ5 motor in time for transit. Advice??!

[badgerchap]

NOOOOOOO!

Just plugged my eq5 motors in with 12v instead on 6v. Doesn't make a very nice smell.

Anyway, no movement, just a 'red light of death'.

I've opened the controller up and from what I can see, two of the transistors (one s8550 and one s8050) are fried. I have ordered some from tinternet and will attempt a replacement. Can't see any other damaged components - it's mainly resistors, and they should be OK, but I'm a little worried about the motherboard chip.

Does anyone think they'll be any other problems with it, i.e. anything invisible that I'm going to have trouble with?

Thing is if I can't repair it, I'm just going to wait and spend £300 instead of £100 and get the GOTO upgrade, but won't be able to afford that until september

[Cornelius Varley]

Time to dig out the old slo-mo cables I think.

Peter

[badgerchap]

Dont even have any slomo's

[Gina]

Oh dear Commiserations.

[badgerchap]

Thanks Gina. I have decided that suicide isn't the best option now, so I'll just have to try and repair it!

[starnut]

Sorry to ask the but didn't it have a fuse?

[badgerchap]

No, the problem occurred after the fuse, and anyway, it was a case of too much voltage rather than current. If I'm honest I'm a little bit disappointed there isn't some kind of in built protection. I mean those motor drives cost £100, they should really be a bit more advanced than they are for that money!

[Vlad]

I surmise it is the hand contoller that's gone??

I have one here for you, I think it workds, you're welcome to it if I know where to send it. I also have the RA motor too, if that's the problem, same price, nowt!

PM is OK

[badgerchap]

Thanks Vlad! Very kind offer - I've sent you a private message, at least I think I have - can't quite get used to the messaging on the new style forum!

Have attempted repairs i.e. replaced the burned out transistors, but to no avail. The upside is I now have a soldering iron!

[spacetrace]

Hi,

I had exactly the same problem with my dual axis motor and I did it in the same way. after several attempts at repair I had to get hold of a new set.. I have just upgraded to the full goto.. so if you do need new motors and controller I have a dual axis stepper motor and hand controller available for sale. it is a DK3 hand controller and motors that are based on the vixen mounts dual axis drives and the quality of the gears is better and quieter than the SW set, allowing 1x 2x and 32x slewing. PM me if you are interested. http://www.astronomica.co.uk/dk-3-dual-axis-drive-system-controller ps that is not the price im after either

[Astro_Baby]

Well you probably had clouds for the transit anyway - worth investing in a dedicated supply so this sort of stuff doesnt happen.

And no - theres no protection in this stuff - most of it just blows up when over powered or given the wrong polarity.

Someone correctyed me recently and said that when the EQ6 is given the wrong power it DOES have protection - two of the resisitors burn out. Looks like on yours the protection was two transistiors instead. Lucky to have that kind of protectrion eh ?

[badgerchap]

Well you probably had clouds for the transit anyway - worth investing in a dedicated supply so this sort of stuff doesnt happen.

And no - theres no protection in this stuff - most of it just blows up when over powered or given the wrong polarity.

Someone correctyed me recently and said that when the EQ6 is given the wrong power it DOES have protection - two of the resisitors burn out. Looks like on yours the protection was two transistiors instead. Lucky to have that kind of protectrion eh ?

Unfortunately still more protection is included - still no joy with replaced transistors! Maybe the controller itself is the protection?

[Quatermass]

Me and Pix had the same thing happen to us its a horrible feeling when you get that red light of death. A kind chap on the forum sold me another one at half the price so I was very grateful for the forum and the good people on here.

[badgerchap]

Aye, 'tis a friendly place indeed! I get the impression everyone kinda empathises - it ain't 'arf 'orrible when your kit breaks, and it's even worse when it's your own silly fault! D'oh!

[Quatermass]

Yep mine got fried when I left it out in the rain and the water got in and it ran for a day then went bye byes

[badgerchap]

Ouch! Ah well, I bet you're a lot more careful now? I can tell you for sure I'll not be using my PSU on any other settings from now on - 6V only!

[badgerchap]

Well have now replaced every transistor in the board and resoldered various joint. Still nowt Sad Badgerchap

[jonathan]

Well have now replaced every transistor in the board and resoldered various joint. Still nowt Sad Badgerchap

Got a multimeter? With some careful probing you may be able to track the 6v and see where it stops. Could be a power line on the board that has broken, or an in-line fuse if there is one (they look like green resistors, sometimes).