Urgent help or advice required.

[merlinxlm]

Help anybody, I have just received my new C6-S on a CG-5 mount. Last night I started to install the motor kit that I bought as a package. The Dec motor would not fit on to the mount, without fouling on the case before coming in to contact with the Dec gear. Which was fitted on the top part of the shaft. I rotated the Dec plate by 180` and then the whole Dec part of the mount started to seize. I then re fitted the counter balance shaft and that was it, seized solid, with a very nasty metal grinding noise from the end of the counter balance shaft hole. It wouldn't move an inch (the locking clamp was free). I adjusted the worm gear as stated in the instruction manual, still no joy. This morning I called the company from who I bought the kit from and they have said that it might not be under warranty, as I have loosend the worm gear adjustment unit (which didn't make any difference). This morning I have sent the mount back to be examind. Please help, any advice, as I am concerned that of no fault of my own I might have to buy a new mount.

[russ]

Not quite sure i follow how you have fitted the DEC motor. From what i remember you remove the slow motion knob and fit the brass gear to that shaft. The motor then butts up against the slot in the mount with the brass gear on the end of the motor meshed into the brass gear you fitted on the shaft of the mount. A single allen key bolt then goes through slot that you butted the motor up to and then tightened so that the gears are nicely meshed but not meshed too tight.

Perhaps some pics of what you have so far would help give an idea of what may have gone wrong?

Regards

Russ

[merlinxlm]

Hi, yes that the way that I fitted the motor. But they wouldn't mesh, there was about 2/3mm gap between them. From what I could make out, where the wires were coming out of the motor, they run in a plastic channel. That part of the motor housing was fouling on the main housing. Any thoughts of the seizure? That's the part I'm worried about.

[FLO]

Did you buy the Celestron motor set or an alternative?

[merlinxlm]

Hi, I bought the Celestron unit.

[russ]

If the gears aren't meshing then the Dec axis shouldn't be seizing, so not sure about that. And even if the gears are meshed, with the dec lock off, you can still move the dec axis. Or should be able to.

Do you have a digital camera or camera phone that can take a pic?

Russ

[merlinxlm]

HI, the dec lock was definitely off. But I still couldn't turn the dec axis, that's when I slackend off the housing that holds the worm shaft for the knobs. But that didn't make any difference, I think one of the bearings has seized? What do you think?

[russ]

It sounds like it. The dec motor can spin 360deg without fouling anything and with the dec lock off the Dec axis should spin freely regardless of what the motor is doing. So it sounds nothing to do with the motor fitting but a failed mount instead. A talk to your retailer i guess.

[merlinxlm]

Sorry I forgot to mention that I had couldn't fit the motor unit. So there was nothing to stop the head from rotating. I take it that this type of mount should spin freely 360deg? Has anybody had any problems with this type of mount? I have shipped off the mount and motor to the dealer for inspection, hopefully I should have an answer by the beginning of next week.

[lightspeed05]

----deleted because i was stupid--------#

if you read the message b4 i deleted it

DONT I REPEAT DONT BRING A HAMMER NEAR ANY TELESCOPIC EQUITMENT

[timetraveller]

Hitting a mount or any part of a telescope is most definatley not a good idea in any circumstances. these are very delicate precission engineered pieces of equipment if the dec axis will not rotate at all then the chances are it has either siezed up or more likely something is jamming it my best guess would be that the pressure pad underneath the release knob has jambed against the dec axis bolt/ bar which is stopping it you did the right thing in sending it back from where you got it as fitting a dec motor will not jamb the axis if the release knob is released it should be free to move .just wait and see what the retailer says who did you buy it from? hope it gets sorted for you regards Pete

[lightspeed05]

awww well i got it wrong =[

but good old timetraveller told you correct

[merlinxlm]

Hi Pete, i bought it from David Hinds, it only arrived on Monday this week. So I haven't had a Chance to use it properly. Typical its clear here tonight, not a cloud in sight.

Thanks Dylan.

[Starflyer]

Typical its clear here tonight, not a cloud in sight.

You'll find that this tends to happen every time you have an equipment problem or SWMBO arranges a night out for you both

[merlinxlm]

All sorted now, an replacement unit arrived yesterday from Dave Hinds. All I can do is to thank them for a very good and fast service. I cant wait to try it out now, I just hope the clouds will stay away over the weekend.