Nexstar 4se—help!! view of eyepiece partially blocked?

[itsbrittanyhere]

Need help. Had it for a maybe 6 months and it’s inside and not been touched and only used a few times. When you look in the eyepiece the view is half blocked. It’s almost like the mechanism that rotates the mirror from the eyepiece to where you attach a camera is partially blocking the view of the eyepiece when the mirror is being used for the eye piece. 
 

how do I fix it? How did it happened?

[itsbrittanyhere]

I’m guessing it’s bad since no one knows? Does anyone have any idea what it could be?

[John]

You might be right with your diagnosis. I think the device that changes the view from the camera to the eyepiece port is called the flip mirror. If you bought the scope from new it should be still under warranty ?

 

[Stu]

I Googled this and there seem to be a number of similar issues, basically from the flip mirror getting stuck part way.

As John says, if the scope is new then a warranty claim is the best bet, otherwise you may have to either get someone to repair it or have a go yourself.

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/538200-4se-flip-mirror-a-different-field-of-view/

http://www.astronomyforum.net/celestron-nexstar-telescope-forum/162244-nexstar-4se-fov-problems.html

Let us know if it is still in warranty or not.

[itsbrittanyhere]

I bought it last August from Celestron on amazon 

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi @itsbrittanyhere and welcome to SGL.

As per @John & @Stu says... return it asap, as it is still under guarentee/warranty - FLO (sponser of SGL offer two years), though not sure about other & online resellers.

[Chris]

I think Celestron still have a 2 year warranty, so hopefully they should sort it out without quibble. As said it sounds like mechanical failure of the flip mirror.

[newbie alert]

If it's a flip mirror, take it out and have a look...or take it to the shop where you bought it from and get them to look if you're not confident 

[Chris]

1 minute ago, newbie alert said:

If it's a flip mirror, take it out and have a look...or take it to the shop where you bought it from and get them to look if you're not confident 

Hmmm? I'm not sure about this? Won't any evidence that it's been tampered with void the warranty? Isn't it best to just send it back if it's well in warranty?

[newbie alert]

9 minutes ago, Lockie said:

Hmmm? I'm not sure about this? Won't any evidence that it's been tampered with void the warranty? Isn't it best to just send it back if it's well in warranty?

I'm sure a flip mirror wouldn't be part of the warranty..it would only be the mount and the scope..not  components of it..

I'm pretty certain it wouldn't of come pre setup..

A picture would be helpful as otherwise we're all guessing what it is..could be a flip mirror,  a diagonal, a visual back..

 

[RT65CB-SWL]

8 hours ago, newbie alert said:

I'm sure a flip mirror wouldn't be part of the warranty..it would only be the mount and the scope..not  components of it..

I'm pretty certain it wouldn't of come pre setup..

A picture would be helpful as otherwise we're all guessing what it is..could be a flip mirror,  a diagonal, a visual back..

 

It is similar in appearance to the Meade ETX90/105/125 series...

...and orange instead of blue.

The flip mirror is located in the rear plastic section on the ETX. I think the same is with the 4SE.

Edited February 3, 2020 by Philip R

[newbie alert]

6 minutes ago, Philip R said:

It is very similar in appearance to the Meade ETX series...

...and orange instead of blue.

So it's a nexstar 4se as he said in the first text...

From the back of the tube you can add on various components, flip mirror, diagonal, visual back..  we're all assuming it's a flip mirror but it could be anything.. a picture would be helpful 

Edited February 3, 2020 by newbie alert
Wrong person

[johninderby]

Yes it is a flip mirror.

From the Astro Baby review of the scope.

“Rear of the scope showing the built in right angle for the eyepiece, the rear cap for camera attachment via 
T-adapter, the mirror flip control ( large knob to the left ) and the focuser ( knurled knob to the right )“

[Stu]

39 minutes ago, newbie alert said:

So it's a nexstar 4se as he said in the first text...

From the back of the tube you can add on various components, flip mirror, diagonal, visual back..  we're all assuming it's a flip mirror but it could be anything.. a picture would be helpful 

The flip mirror is an integral part of the scope so will be covered by warranty.

[newbie alert]

12 minutes ago, Stu said:

The flip mirror is an integral part of the scope so will be covered by warranty.

I'd doubt that very much..it's a add on..

What if you didn't want a flip mirror? 

The diagonal comes as the package even thou it's cheap and nasty( when I bought my sct the shop owner recommended that I upgraded straight away)  again in my kit there was a visual back already fitted to the scope 

[newbie alert]

19 minutes ago, Stu said:

The flip mirror is an integral part of the scope so will be covered by warranty.

Well I stand corrected... a picture answers a thousand words..

Looks nothing like the 6 inch I was looking at, or the 8 inch that I bought.. totally different design...

I crawl back in my hole I just dug myself!

[johninderby]

Deleted

Edited February 3, 2020 by johninderby

[johninderby]

Yup the 6SE and  8SE are totally different scopes.

Edited February 3, 2020 by johninderby

[Chris]

1 hour ago, newbie alert said:

I'm sure a flip mirror wouldn't be part of the warranty..it would only be the mount and the scope..not  components of it..

I'm pretty certain it wouldn't of come pre setup..

A picture would be helpful as otherwise we're all guessing what it is..could be a flip mirror,  a diagonal, a visual back..

 

If it was a detachable accessory I would agree. The flip mirror is incorporated into the OTA, or at least on the 4SE I had it was. 

[carastro]

If it's sold with an intergrated flip mirror and the flip mirror is not working properly then it should be covered by warranty.

Contact Celestron don't try to do it yourself it will invalidate your warranty.

Carole 

Edited February 3, 2020 by carastro

[newbie alert]

17 minutes ago, Lockie said:

If it was a detachable accessory I would agree. The flip mirror is incorporated into the OTA, or at least on the 4SE I had it was. 

 

17 minutes ago, Lockie said:

If it was a detachable accessory I would agree. The flip mirror is incorporated into the OTA, or at least on the 4SE I had it was. 

I'm sure the owner of the shop had the full range on display and as a relative newbie I never noticed any difference other than the aperture difference..

Now I can see its part of the scope I'd agree that you need to send it back..

[Stu]

50 minutes ago, newbie alert said:

Well I stand corrected... a picture answers a thousand words..

Looks nothing like the 6 inch I was looking at, or the 8 inch that I bought.. totally different design...

I crawl back in my hole I just dug myself!

No worries, I was surprised until I checked into it via our friend Google. Seems like it's not an unheard of problem with this scope.

The 4SE is very different from the others in that it is a Maksutov design, not an SCT.

[Bruce Leeroy]

The mirror slides up/down on 2 rails sometimes not so smoothly, try a little wiggle and gentle force on the knob as you turn it, sounds like the mirror moving mechanism is sticking.

[newbie alert]

5 minutes ago, Stu said:

No worries, I was surprised until I checked into it via our friend Google. Seems like it's not an unheard of problem with this scope.

The 4SE is very different from the others in that it is a Maksutov design, not an SCT.

Learn something new everyday...

That's 2 so far

[itsbrittanyhere]

Sending it back to Celestron. They said they’d repair. Hope it doesn’t get damaged in transit because they have me removing all protection except some foam. Kinda crazy. I also really don’t like that it’s only 6 months old and I have to ship it somewhere to risk damage and not just be sent a new one. But I guess it’s better than no fix.