Could my mount have been damaged?

[Andreas]

I was out with my telescope

I left it outside for a couple of hours, but I forgot to turn it off with the tracking still running.

When I came back, I heard a picking noise from the gears, and I noticed that the tube was stuck from moving by one of the mount legs , while the tracking was on!

I disabled the tracking immediately and tried to steer both axis to check if the motor still worked. It worked, and the sound from the gears sounded normal.

I did also try to use the tracking on a star to see if it didn't work properly, but I couldn't notice any defect.

However I'm still worried that I somehow could have damaged my mount, so I wonder if someone of you know if this kind of stuffs normally cause damage to the gears, or anything else inside the mount.

Thanks in advance

// Andreas

[Andreas]

Missclicked the "Post thread button" before I was finished ^

Hello!

Tonight, I was out with my telescope after a long cloudy period, but I made a mistake..

I left it outside for a couple of hours, but I forgot to turn it off with the tracking still running.

When I came back, I heard a picking noise from the gears, and I noticed that the tube was stuck from moving by one of the mount legs , while the tracking was on!

I disabled the tracking immediately and tried to steer both axis to check if the motor still worked. It worked, and the sound from the gears sounded normal.

I did also try to use the tracking on a star to see if it didn't work properly, but I couldn't notice any defect.

However I'm still worried that I somehow could have damaged my mount, so I wonder if someone of you know if this kind of stuffs normally cause damage to the gears, or anything else inside the mount.

Thanks in advance

// Andreas

[perfrej]

Been there, done that

It is the stepper motor making the sound, not gears slipping so it is safe. Theoretically you strain the motor but it will not break easily.

/per

[ollypenrice]

I've done it as well, and one member used this as the standard way of ending a session while asleep, until the forum advised against it! I'm sure you'll be fine.

Olly

[Andreas]

Been there, done that

It is the stepper motor making the sound, not gears slipping so it is safe. Theoretically you strain the motor but it will not break easily.

/per

I've done it as well, and one member used this as the standard way of ending a session while asleep, until the forum advised against it! I'm sure you'll be fine.

Olly

Alright, thank you!

Feels a lot better

// Andreas