NEQ6 Mount Alignment Malfunction?

[AweSIM]

Hi,

So I brought a SW 8" reflector and an NEQ6 Pro mount a while ago and just started playing with it. I am pretty much a novice with the equipment right now but trying to learn, so please be patient with me. =)

Unfortunately, I have lost the original adapter that came with the mount. =(. I brought a 12V adapter from the local store to replace it and get my mount to work again. It powers up the mount just fine. I can use the SynScan handset to slew around the sky at up to 9x speeds just fine.

But when I try doing the star alignment procedure, I run into hardware problems. =(. What happens is as follows:

1. I power on the mount, enter the location coordinates, date and time.
2. The handset prompts me to perform a 1/2/3 star alignment, I select either one of them.
3. The handset offers me to select a star from the list. I select either star.
4. The mount begins to slew... And hardly 2 seconds later, I hear an audible click coming from probably the gears within the mount. At this point, the power LED goes out, starts blinking again, and the handset shows the prompt "Use dir. keys to center object". I can see that the star is nowhere close to the FOV. After this point, the mount completely stops slewing. Whether I select the next star or quit alignment and try slewing manually at any rate, the mount doesnt move at all. I cant hear any slewing sounds from within the mount.
5. I power off the mount.
6. I power it back on. After a few seconds, I hear two quick clicks and then the slow continuous slewing sound starts. Slewing works as before until I try doing an alignment, at which point the same problem as above re-appears and the mount stops working till I power it off and back on.

I have tried setting the mount to the HOME position (pointing roughly towards Polaris). I have tried starting from an arbitrary position. But no luck with alignment.

I think that either my mount is faulty (I had kept it in storage for about a year). Or the adapter I am using is not giving enough power to the mount during the alignment slewing. I don't have a clear idea though, as slewing works just fine at any speed as long as I havent run the alignment procedure from the handset.

Please help me figure out the problem and resolve it. I spent a fortune saving up for the mount and I dread it going to waste. I wasnt able to take excellent care of it earlier (we shifted home and you might imagine how easy it is to neglect "less important" stuff) =(. But I would love to make it work now and re-start what has been my life's passion for more than a decade. =(

Asim

[Steve Ward]

Flashing LEDs usually means a low power problem from the supply.

[Owmuchonomy]

As Steve says, the warning is for low power. What specification is your replacement PSU? I assume you need 11-14 volts and preferably up to 4 amps peak and 2 amps continuous just for the mount. Also make sure your set up is properly balanced before you use it.

[AweSIM]

Thank you both of you guys. It's been so long since I last operated my mount that I don't recall seeing the LED anything but blinking. I hope you're right since it means that the mount is fine for now. But now I need to hunt for the original adapter.

The adapter I'm currently using is a local universal adapter of variable voltage. Or was quite expensive but would never be a substitute fit the original thing.

Inscription on the adapter just says 210V 21W. So I believe that it draws 0.1A from the mains. Since it has a transformer within converting the 210V to 12V, I believe that max current it can supply the mount is about 1.75A. But since local universal adapters are hardly accurate or of high quality, I believe that these values would be off by a huge margin.

Unfortunately, I live in Pakistan where I can't order a replacement adapter nor get a good substitute, I think I'm in a bad spot.

[Bizibilder]

Try running off a 12v car battery - not ideal but will last long enough for an evenings viewing.

[Cornelius Varley]

36 minutes ago, AweSIM said:

Thank you both of you guys. It's been so long since I last operated my mount that I don't recall seeing the LED anything but blinking. I hope you're right since it means that the mount is fine for now. But now I need to hunt for the original adapter.

The adapter I'm currently using is a local universal adapter of variable voltage. Or was quite expensive but would never be a substitute fit the original thing.

Inscription on the adapter just says 210V 21W. So I believe that it draws 0.1A from the mains. Since it has a transformer within converting the 210V to 12V, I believe that max current it can supply the mount is about 1.75A. But since local universal adapters are hardly accurate or of high quality, I believe that these values would be off by a huge margin.

Unfortunately, I live in Pakistan where I can't order a replacement adapter nor get a good substitute, I think I'm in a bad spot.

If the max output of the adapter is 12v/1.75A then this is poosibly the cause of the problems. The minimum requirement is 2amps, if the psu can't deliver the required amps it will cause erratic behaviour. 

[Demon Barber]

Hi Asim,just out of interest,why can you not order a replacement adapter?

Regards

Mike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Physopto]

Please note also, if the LED blinks it suggests low voltage because the mount requires more power than the adapter can give it. This means that as the mount tries to take more power the voltage reduces and the current is increased, or it tries to take more current. The circuit board can then burn out as it is only designed to cope with a certain current. With a poor supply the current can't increase beyond its specification so not likely to burn out the circuit board. BUT if using a battery or supply that can't say go beyond about 11 volts but can supply a higher current then board damage is a real possibility.

So if the LED blinks low voltage and possible board damage. It the blinking gets faster ........ Stop and switch off to prevent possible serious and costly damage.

Derek

[alacant]

Hi. I got one of these: 12v 6A. or the equivalent on ebay if you want European shipment. Around €10. It works fine. HTH.

[AweSIM]

6 hours ago, Demon Barber said:

Hi Asim,just out of interest,why can you not order a replacement adapter?

Regards

Mike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Mike. I'll try doing that. The last time I tried that, FLO didn't deliver to Pakistan. I had to order the stuff to Norway and Germany where sound off my friends were coming back from and those guys brought back the scope and mount in their luggage.

[AweSIM]

6 hours ago, Physopto said:

Please note also, if the LED blinks it suggests low voltage because the mount requires more power than the adapter can give it. This means that as the mount tries to take more power the voltage reduces and the current is increased, or it tries to take more current. The circuit board can then burn out as it is only designed to cope with a certain current. With a poor supply the current can't increase beyond its specification so not likely to burn out the circuit board. BUT if using a battery or supply that can't say go beyond about 11 volts but can supply a higher current then board damage is a real possibility.

So if the LED blinks low voltage and possible board damage. It the blinking gets faster ........ Stop and switch off to prevent possible serious and costly damage.

Derek

Thanks Derek. Since last night, I've stopped using my PSU completely. The last thing I want is my mount becoming a puppet of junk.

[AweSIM]

6 hours ago, alacant said:

Hi. I got one of these: 12v 6A. or the equivalent on ebay if you want European shipment. Around €10. It works fine. HTH.

Thanks for the link HTH. I'll try ordering from there. With luck, I'll have my kit complete again. Thanks a lot.

However, could you help me in deciding they version I should purchase? US, UK, EU, AU. I live in Pakistan where the mains is 240V 50Hz. 

[alacant]

2 hours ago, AweSIM said:

version I should purchase? US, UK, EU, AU

It depends on what plug you need. The unit is the same. Just the plug differs. So unless you have an Indian socket, get the EU version. It should fit directly. HTH

[Physopto]

UK use 50 Hz 240/230 volts whereas the US is 60 Hz and mostly 110 volts, as I understand. I would stick with UK and just change the plug as necessary.

Derek