Help!! Synscan handset dead

[Biglee2000]

Hi

I've had my skywatcher for nearly a year now,, however last night my synscan az handset has died!! No power at all, aa batteries are fully charged.. Does anyone know if this is a common problem..?? I did try to do a firmware update using the curly cable that goes from the handset to the mount,, but instead of connecting to the mount, I connected it to my pc. I wonder if it is this that has killed my handset.. Any help would be appreciated...

Many thanks

Lee

[Freff]

Have you tried connecting a 12v supply directly to the HS, and seeing if it powers up. (using appropriate supply)

How did you manage to connect the curly cable to the computer, thought that had old serial connector.

You should have been supplied with a serial cable for the HS as well as the curly one.

[Cornelius Varley]

Did the handset work before you tried to do a firmware update. The cable from the handset to the mount is not used for firmware updates, you use the cream coloured serial cable for that. You could have possibly damaged the handset by connecting it to your computer incorrectly.

Peter

[evanapp]

I have this problem with a handset also. It powers on in upgrade mode (holding 0 and 8 down), but not in operating mode, either directly or when attached to the mount. It started out being intermittent, but it now seems to be totally dead in normal mode. Upgrading is also flakey. It takes up to a dozen tries to get it to go through without an error message. (Yes, I've tried slow upgrade.)

Evan

[brantuk]

" It takes up to a dozen tries to get it to go through without an error message. (Yes, I've tried slow upgrade.)"

This worries me - flash upgrading is a "once only" thing - it has to go right through in one go or there's a risk of rendering the handset unuseable if it bombs out. But it all depends where in the procedure it crashes and how you dealt with it. More detail needed.

The program in the handset chip gets overwritten with the program being downloaded from the internet by the "Installer" program on your PC. If you overwrite only half of the handset program you would effectively be corrupting it. I don't know if this is retrievable without return to manufacturer for re-blowing the prom chip. Sorry to bear bad news but hope it helps you and others

[Cornelius Varley]

I have this problem with a handset also. It powers on in upgrade mode (holding 0 and 8 down), but not in operating mode, either directly or when attached to the mount. It started out being intermittent, but it now seems to be totally dead in normal mode. Upgrading is also flakey. It takes up to a dozen tries to get it to go through without an error message. (Yes, I've tried slow upgrade.)

Evan

That could be a power issue (loose connection or similar)

[brantuk]

Yup - I agree with Peter - power or connection problems (imho) is where these issues seem to start. I would suggest that if your handset goes dead - make sure 100% that the power and connectors are all working perfectly before trying to resolve with a flash upgrade (which with dodgey connections can lead to a worse problem).

[cantharis]

No power at all, aa batteries are fully charged..

That would indicate that you are using rechargeables. Rechargeable NiMH cells - the common type - are only 1.2V each. Eight of them is only 9.6V - if that is all the volts they are getting that could well be the root of the problem. Or have I got that totally wrong?

[evanapp]

No power problem for me. I'm mains-powered with a Celestron adapter. A solid 12.2 v. Same problem whether the power source is plugged into the mount or directly into the handset. And the upgrade was undertaken at SkyWatcher's recommendation. Firmware upgrade failure is enough of a problem that it is explicitly discussed in the Skywatcher upgrade instructions. Incidentally, a replacement handset upgrades smoothly and operates flawlessly in Version 332AZEQB05. Well, maybe not quite flawlessly. When starting up from Park, it has a tendency to lock out the manual slewing controls, and only after going in and out of menus several times does it release them. I'm thinking this might be a glitch in the beta software. Anyone else run into it?

Evan

[nmcd61]

Did you manage to get a solution for your handset problem. Mine died just over a week or so. First the scope seemed to be struggling to raise and lower. Slewing seemed ok. So i assumed the batteries needed changing (was using rechargables). I then noticed that these were only 1.2v, as above! So i bought and put in new Duracells. Then, when i was checking it indoors, the scope still seemed to struggle to raise up, then it went up sort of normal, but would not stop. The handset then started to flicker/blink bright and weak. Then it died and would not respond at all. Next day i got it going somehow, and did a factory reset, but that did not seem to improve anything and it died again. I then noticed it would power up if i pressed the 0 and 8 as in doing an update, so i decided to update the firmware (which went remarkably simply). I then thought i had it cracked and sorted, however after powering it up it started to flicker again, it then went from a red display to green, and then it died. So i wonder if anyone has any ideas. Anyway, i have decided to send it back to where i bought it from. I hope it is not a dump job, as i don't think they are cheap if you buy them seperate from a scope package.

[evanapp]

No solution, Skywatcher tried valiantly to do troubleshooting by e-mail, but without success. So I have just sent it in to Skywatcher (Canada), along with a copy of the invoice showing that it is only 15 months old, hoping they will take pity on me. Otherwise, it is a somewhat iffy proposition. They charge CAD70/hr for labor plus parts and return shipping, and they offered to sell me a replacement unit for CAD200. (I am in California, incidentally.)

Evan

[nmcd61]

i will let you know how i get on with mine in a few days!

[nmcd61]

Finally had to bite the bullet and buy a new handset at £149! Nearly half the price of my telescope package a couple of years ago. Apparently they are not serviceable! I hope it does not happen again.

[Mikea]

I hate that phrase "not serviceable"!! What they mean is that it's not economically viable for them to support. Maybe the firmware loader has got itself in a tizz and is unable to recover? Has anyone managed to repair one of these?

[evanapp]

Still waiting for an answer from Skywatcher in Canada. I've been told that in the EU you have a 2-year warranty.

Evan

[evanapp]

I got it back! CAD70 plus shipping, about CAD100 altogether. And it works! Have any of you tried to get service through Optical Vision Ltd?

Evan

[VigdisVZ]

The handsets seem to die now and then, it has happened to people in my club aswell.