Tracking problems with Star Adventurer 2i Wifi

[Chrisluv]

Hi all - looking for help with this new mount. 

I turn it on with nothing attached and the red dial flashes quickly after 2 or 3 seconds indicating the motor has stalled. Occasionally I can free it up by releasing the clutch and spinning it but generally it just won't work.

Am I doing anything wrong or does it need to go back?

[AstroM1]

Hi! Are you using an external battery to power it up? I have a Star Adventurer pro and if I only connect the mount to the powerbank (10000mha) it will shut down because the mount does not use enough power to be detected by the battery. So in my case, I connect the dewheather and the mount or my dummy Nikon battery and the mount to the powerbank. 

Hope it will help.

Clear sky. Marc

[Chrisluv]

Thanks Marc. But no I'm using 4 brand new AA. The app shows 6.2V so they should have enough power.

[david_taurus83]

With the clutch engages it shouldn't be stalling. Are you sure that's what the flashing lights indicate? I only ever used the older version so no WiFi. Anything to do with that?

[Chrisluv]

It's the fast blink described here, I'm not sure there's any obstruction to the mount so that it cannot rotate. There's certainly nothing I can see to remove that might be obstructing it externally.

 

[david_taurus83]

Short of sending it back then I'd try another set of batteries. I've had some dud 'new' batteries before. I use a multi tester on them now if I'm problem solving toys etc

[Chrisluv]

Thanks David. I'll give that a try but not holding out much hope.

 

[kirkster501]

Do you have the clutch tightened as previously mentioned?  The Star Adventurer is an absolutely fantastic device, I love mine and use it all the time.

[DrZesty]

I would also try a SUB connection see if it does the same thing. I use a AIMTOM Power Bank and dont experience the same symptoms.

[intheswamp]

Chrisluv, did you ever get a solution to your issue.  My guess was weak batteries, also.  It only takes one battery in the group to cause a problem.  A small voltage meter is handy to have to diagnose weak batteries or maybe a bad one in the bunch.

[Randy-2198]

I'm a newbie, but I have had a hard time with the wifi app doing what i think it should.

First I had to upgrade the firmware as it would not track in any mode out of the box. Now v 3.11.  I also pressed the two buttons for 5 seconds to reset to factory settings.

The SAM console from the app store crashed on opening.  Android 11.  SW support sent me an app for the mini.   Ver 1.6

In the APP position, my tracker motor stops in a second.  Thia was confirmed with a stethoscope.  When I fire a shot from the app via the tracker to my camera, it starts running but then stops tracking when the shot sequence is finished.

Support help told me this is normal ( I cannot understand why?) and gave me a convoluted workflow to trick the tracker to fire camera shots indefinitely in Astro Star dial position.  It's so wonky I have given up using the SAM console to fire my camera.  Instead I use an external intervalometer.  This pretty much makes the WiFi worthless.

Maybe it's because the SAM mini app is not fully compatible with the Star Adventurer 2i?  Maybe there is a reason the tracker should not stay tracking in APP mode?  Remember, a newbie here.

Does anyone have success using the SAM console app to track and fire the camera in the APP dial position?  Possibly the iOS version works ?  Or maybe the Android version worked before Android 11?

 

Thanks if you can explain this or confirm you have similar or different experience.