Orange Tube C8 - New Zealand borrow

[moondog]

Anyone following my NZ posts may realise that I've been trying to get a tracking mount for a while.

The promised loan of the CG5 has petered out at the moment as there was a mechanical problem with it. So in the meantime the Nelson AS have leant me a venerable orange tube C8 which is not used. This does have a tripod, a motor, and, more important a WEDGE !

Not had chance to use it yet, since I only picked it up late last night. It's mains powered which is a bit of a blow - I'll just need some long extension leads! Plugged it in and the motor turns in RA.

There's no controls, you just plug it into the mains and off it goes. I assume it will go the correct way for the southern hemisphere - we'll have to see.

The scope came with three poor Kellner EP's. I'll use my Russian 25mm plossl and my 7mm lanth - I've also got a 2x barlow.

Here's a couple of pics - the main mirror looks clean. I'll soon find out if the collimation is OK!

MD

[Ant]

Better than a poke in the eye with a pointy stick mate!

I do agree that mains power is a little bizarre - haven't seen a mains powered scope since my Fullerscope MKIII mount!

Look forward to hearing about your adventures with it.

Ant

[barkis]

Surely you mean mains power to a reducer unit MD. What is the mains voltage in NZ?.

Their Health and Safety Board would never allow such a thing. It hasn't been modified I hope.

Bit dangerous, so be careful mate, and give it the once over before powering it up in the dark.

Good luck with it, I hope you get some reward with it.

Ron.

[Ant]

Ron,

My MKIII fullerscopes mount was a mains plug and lead going straight into the motor.

So if it's (the C8) old enough it could well be mains

Ant

[moondog]

Ron - yes it is mains powered. 3 pin socket under base of scope and lead with plug to mount and NZ mains plug. The house we're in is only 2 years old so has RCB's on the mains board. Should be safe for outside use. Don't forget there's not even an on/off switch on the scope. I will only plug the scope in at the wall socket after I plug it into the scope itself. I will then wait a bit - if the scope glows in the dark following the plug in I'll know I've a problem!

MD

[barkis]

I had my 12" Newt driven in both axes by Synchronous AC motors Ant, but I made an Inverter to run them, I would have been reluctant to plug them into the mains.

However, Providing there is adequate protection built in, it had to have been OK.

[barkis]

Ron - yes it is mains powered. 3 pin socket under base of scope and lead with plug to mount and NZ mains plug. The house we're in is only 2 years old so has RCB's on the mains board. Should be safe for outside use. Don't forget there's not even an on/off switch on the scope. I will only plug the scope in at the wall socket after I plug it into the scope itself. I will then wait a bit - if the scope glows in the dark following the plug in I'll know I've a problem!

MD

Well, I'm sure it will be safe MD, As long as at least it is grounded OK.

Ron.

[ringz]

I still have one of these that I bought in 1982 though I have demounted the OTA, fitted a dovetail bar and now use it with a CG-5GT mount. At the time I did have the luxury of having a drive converter for it so it could be driven from 12 Volts.

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Martyn