Second Hand Scopes

[Killeryoda]

Hi all,

I am going to view a second hand Explorer 200P EQ5 on Sunday. Whilst it appears a good buy, are there any tell tale signs to look out for that would put me off buying it? or anything i should be wary of?

Thanks

[Ganymede12]

1. Marks on the mirror - dust doesn't matter but rust or dirt does.
   
2. Movement- make sure it moves smoothly.
   
3. Loose parts -check that there are none.
   
4. Bent spider veins - can cause distortion
   
5. Marks on the lens (Finder scope)
   
6. + others that I may have missed.
   

Don't worry. If your buying from another astronomer then the chances are it is in perfectly good condition. I bought a Skyliner 200p dobsonian second hand and there haven't been any problems with it. Come to think of It, most of my Kit is second hand.

Some of the things I listed barely matter!

[Killeryoda]

Thanks for that. The thing that concerns me slightly is that there is no reason for selling it in the listing...

im sure i will find out on Sunday. It comes with the dual axis motor and extra eye pieces for less than the scope itself retails for, so im quite keen!

[Ganymede12]

Can you message him and ask why he is selling it?

[Dunkster]

It's largely irrelevant why they're selling... if the sale was not on the level, what would prevent the seller from lying about that too?

Ideally, you'd get to inspect in daylight and get a demo after dark.... but it also helps if you've some idea what to expect, if yore upgrading or if this is a first scope. Do you have anyone local to you that could join you?

[ollypenrice]

People sell kit all the time. Only if someone is selling very high end kit for no apparent reason would I want to know more.

Olly

[LeeB]

As long as the mirror has not been scratched or messed with ( poor cleaning , look for small scratches or haze, don't worry about dust as its a sign they haven't messed.)

The mount may have a little slack or be over tight, but the eq5 is a doddle to set, strip and rebuild ( I,ve just brought one with a locked dec axis it was fixed in half an hour), make sure there is no sign of it being left outside in the rain, rust.. The legs of the tripod should slide easily.

You will be able to tell if it has been looked after, and really thats the key, the general state of it.

Hope that helps.