lunt LS 50 pressure tuner

[Live_Steam_Mad]

On 08/05/2016 at 19:25, Tyson M said:

Okay, I am currently going through this exact issue and I will document my experience. First and foremost, I am beyond impressed with Lunt Solar customer service. I will definitely do future business with Lunt. 

I bought a preowned LS50hta from an Astro forum. I wasn't able to tune it at all. I focused the disk on a monster sunspot, but I was unable to see any proms. Checking GONG Ha network, I saw some there. So I knew it was the pressure tuner. If you cannot focus the disk with the helical focuser you likely have a decontacted elaton from mishandling in shipping, not the pressure tuner's fault. Further inspection in my pressure tuner, it only had one o-ring inside.

So after reading online and contacting Lunt, The issue was with the o-ring/o-rings as you mentioned. Mine, even though preowned, was under warranty for 5 years. Purchased in 2014 so I was good to go, just had to give them the scope number. I was impressed and not expecting that they had transferable warranty. 

Lunt sent me step by step instructions of how to replace the o-rings, 2 new black o-rings and sent me their grease. This is important because it takes the guessing out of what grease and what size o-rings I needed. You need grease with high thermal/pressure properties but it is expensive. They didn't charge me a penny. Again, very surprised and happy.

Their instructions, were a little bit vague. I was sent a PDF that showed a description of how to deassemble the PT with pictures. Since they sent me two new o-rings, and the instructions showed the replacement of two o-rings and the PT has grooves cut for the placement of 2 o-rings, I thought my main problem lied with the fact I had ONE o-ring, not two. This makes sense on face value that it would lose air under these circumstances.

Well I deassembled the pressure tuner and regreased my bone dry threads, put two new o-rings on, and the PT would NOT screw back on. Under any circumstances of using my hands forcefully, or by feeding the first ring into the brass female attachment of the scope to work it in and then screw on, it simply would not thread back on.

I thought it was my lack of mechanical experience or tools, and I got frustrated so I thought of securing the scope in a vice like grip with my legs and forcing the PT with new o rings on....WITH A RUBBER MALLET.

This was a terrible idea and also a valuable learning experience. NEVER FORCE ON SOMETHING WITH THREADS. Self explanatory right? I broke the threads on the black aluminium PT casing by crossthreading them on the female brass end. I am thankful I didn't damage the threads on the brass part of the scope, as Lunt said that part was much harder to get and replace.

I sent my whole scope and broken PT in its case internationally to Lunt and they are fixing it for me- FOR FREE. Even though I messed this up on my own accord.

They will find a PT/ o-ring combination that will work. I paid for the shipping, which is perfectly fine and again, the great professionalism of Lunt employees is something worth stressing over and over. 

 

Here is the take away:

Lunt first sent me this in response to my issue:

As for the placement of O-rings: I would recommend that you remove the old O-Ring and only place one of the newer one that you just received, in the nearest (front) groove location on the brass male threaded component and give it a try for feel and force being employed to rotate black cylindrical (knurled) knob. Of course, you may have to wait for the replacement black cylindrical knob to attempt this trial. And only try placing one of the two newer O-Rings at a time; it sounds like having both O-Rings in place created an extremely hermetic condition that made it difficult to engage the black cylindrical knob onto the brass threaded housing. You want a hermetic seal that will eliminate any vacuum leaks, but, not to the point where you cannot rotate the black cylindrical knob. Try only installing one O-Ring as mentioned above and check for leaks and force required to rotate. Do apply sufficient vacuum grease (supplied) around the perimeter of the O-Ring to create a barrier, but not excessively.

 

So the moral of the story is that you do not need both O rings. Try one new one and go from there. Contact Lunt for a little care package of 2 o-rings and grease. They may charge you if the scope is not under warranty, they may not.  If they do, it is shipped in small packaging and I cant see it being expensive at all. Either way, they are more than helpful if you contact them by email or phone. 

 

 

 

 

>"I was impressed and not expecting that they had transferable warranty."

They don't appear to. I was in the market for a used Lunt and just spotted this on Lunt's USA website ;-

"This Warranty is extended by LUNT Solar Systems to the original purchaser of the LUNT Solar Systems product. Lunt Solar does not provide warranty service to used or second hand equipment."

https://luntsolarsystems.com/warranty/

...so I don't think Lunt in USA is going to service any second hand Lunt solar scope that I buy, wherever it comes from, and not since I am in UK...

I have e-mailed Bresser in Germany ("Lunt Solar Systems Europe") ask them about servicing of second hand Lunt scopes.

I also e-mailed OpticStar Manchester to see if they would service a second hand PST wherever it comes from... Meade USA who own Coronado is famous for not answering emails from foreigners, and won't service scopes bought in UK or imported scopes.

Regards,

Alistair G.

[Tyson M]

A PST you are likely on your own. Lucky, the internet has lots of servicing threads available, if you're mechanically inclined.

That is a shame about Lunt, they must have changed the policy.

I did buy a new Lunt scope (LS60THa) from the US and the difference this time was they took my name online with scope number info to register my warranty. So maybe it is not transferable now. 

Regardless, I doubt their willingness (Lunt USA) to help fix your preowned Lunt scope if required has changed at all.  

Here is another recent post on CN about Lunt helping preowned scope owners....https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/583379-troubles-with-my-lunt-t60-b1200-ha-scope/

[Live_Steam_Mad]

Well OpticStar Manchester (who are the distributor for Meade in the UK) just wrote back to me and told me that Steve Collingwood at SC Telescopes is the person who repairs and services Meade products in the UK ;-

http://sctelescopes.com/telescope/

...so I've sent him a message. In the past on here I believe I remember Steve telling us that (whilst he was working for Telescope House as the Meade service and repair agent in the UK) he repaired items from USA such as the PST as a good will thing (not sure how to word it but you know what I mean).

Things may be looking up... maybe...

Regards,

Alistair G.

[Live_Steam_Mad]

I got a reply this morning from Bresser Germany ("Lunt Solar Systems Europe") that reads ;-

"The question is what is the defect in your LS50THa.
De-contacted Etalons and/or a leak at the pressure-chamber can only be repaired at the manufacturer Lunt Solar Systems in the USA.
Our technicians here in Germany can repair for example defect blocking-filters, focusers, or the o-rings inside the Pressure-Tuner.
Prices and repair-times are also dependent on the type of defect. For example changing the o-rings inside the Pressure-Tuner will cost only around 50 Euro and will take only a few days. Repair of a de-contacted Etalon including shipping to USA for repair will cost around 500 Euro and will take some months.
 
Best regards
Wolfgang Quere

Bresser GmbH
Astronomy Department"

And BTW the situation with a PST ;- OK it turns out that NO-ONE services PST's in the UK, even if you buy a NEW PST.

Steve Collingwood replied to me and said that at the moment no-one services PST’s, he said he is authorised to repair PST's but that he does NOT carry any parts for PST's any more. Apparently "Meade UK" are looking at sourcing some parts for PST's but that’s a way off. One good piece of news...he said it doesn’t matter where the scope came from. He says the only servicing that would be available is re-aligning the internal prism and replacing the blocking filter assembly - there is no repair for the etalon. He couldn't say about repair turnaround times and postage costs because he says he CANNOT offer me PST servicing at this time.
He added that obtaining parts for solar instruments is not easy as the manufacturers "quite rightly don’t want people messing with them" (hmmmnnn) and he says that it may be months before we hear about availability. Finally he said that if they make the filter kits available it could still be easily 6 months before we see any  - most likely much longer unless their systems have changed since he last dealt with them.

Someone in UK with a PST recently (May 2nd) who had a missing plastic prism from the PST's internal "Sol Finder" (it fell off!!) told me that they "sent their PST for servicing", and this part I don't understand. Maybe they send it to Germany or USA or something?

Regards,

A. G.

[Highburymark]

Just in case anyone's interested, there's no need to send LS50s to Germany for something as simple as changing an o-ring. See past SGL threads for guidance.

Despite the advice from Lunt, my pressure tuner has always operated best with 2 o-rings. There is a way to attach 2 of them and still screw the tuner barrel back onto the scope. Would need to dig out old notebooks to remember how I did it.

[knobby]

As Mark said, 2 rings work well, but it's a bit fiddly getting on and off to de-pressurize.

[Live_Steam_Mad]

Here's what I got back from some one high up in Meade International Sales USA when I asked about having a PST serviced which was bought from a USA dealer even though I live in UK ;-

"I’m going to be completely honest with you … if you purchase one of our products in the U.S. and return for servicing or warranty in the U.S., your warranty will be honoured (just give a U.S. address if they ask).

Now, If said instrument was purchased in the U.S. and you expect warranty service in the U.K., that will not be honered.

My recommendation is you contact our U.K. distributor:

http://www.opticstar.com/

info@opticstar.com

I speak to him literally very day and can assure you that they have engineers who are trained by Meade and we also have an open budget to get them parts, equipment, and replacement product at a moments notice.

I am in charge of all of this and can assure you of everything I have stated.

I really appreciate your patronage.

Thank you,

[name removed for now]

International Sales & Support

Meade Instruments Corporation

27 Hubble

Irvine, CA 92618"

...now the curious thing is I already asked at OpticStar and they referred me to Steve Collingwood, without mentioning anything regarding their ability to service anything, when I asked OpticStar about servicing a Coronado PST. So someone has got this screwed up somewhere...

I also had e-mailed Optical Vision Limited who own Meade Europe, about having a PST serviced, and got no reply from OVL directly, but was sent this ;-

"our colleagues from OVL forwarded your email to us.
Sorry to tell you, that Coronado - MEADE isn't willing to give us the needed tooling equipment as also spare parts to do repairs on sun filters and solar telescopes.
The only possibility is to contact Mr. John Piper from the MEADE customers support directly
john.piper@meade.com
and to ask for the procedure and price for a repair at MEADE.

If there are any further questions, please email again.

Kind regards,
Andreas

Andreas Rodoschegg
MEADE Optical Instruments Europe Ltd.
Vertretungsbüro & Warenlager
Duracher Str. 11

D - 87437 Kempten

Tel: +49+831-697 28 82 - 50
Fax: +49+831-697 28 82 - 20

eMail: info@meade-optical.com"

...so it seems that no one in Europe or UK services PST's according to OVL, Meade Optical Instruments Europe, SCTelescopes, and OpticStar ("Meade UK"). Even though Meade USA insisted OpticStar does? Very odd.

Hope that helps potential purchasers of Solar Scopes (used ones) over here.

Good to see that the situation with Lunt is clearer and that Lunt are helping out their customers (trying to get back on topic). I was all set to order a Lunt 50 last night but then I read several bad things about them on CN forums about disappointing views and now I don't know what to buy. Wow this solar scope idea is difficult for me to solve. All I want is some decent surface detail.

Best Regards,

A.G.

[garryblueboy]

If you want good surface detail buy a Quark or PST mod otherwise you will need to double stack to get really good surface detail