Warthog luck

[The Warthog]

Last Wednesday, I had the scope out for a couple of hours, mostly looking at Saturn, but I took a look at Alcor/Mizar and decided to split Polaris, which I did successfully. I took the time to polar align my scope on Polaris, and when I had finished, as the weather wasn't threatening, I put a bag over the scope and left it outside so I would still have the polar alignment the following night.

When I came home from work the following evening, the scope looked a bit funny as I approached it. At first I thought the bag had been blown loose, but then I realized the scope had moved. So, I thought the tension on the RA axis had let go, but when I lifted the bottom of the bag, I found I had forgotten to turn off the drive motor, and it had travelled 90º before fetching up against the tripod, and sat there all day trying to turn a further 180º.

I felt a little sick, but I turned off the motor, and put the scope back in its proper position, then put the whole thing in the shed, as rain was threatening. Today, I took the bag off, turned the motors on, and put a screwdriver to the RA motor to give it a listen. To my relief, it is ticking away just the way it should, in either direction, and shows no sign of damage anywhere.

I must have had a horseshoe in my back pocket. It's amazing how easy it is to forget the little things like turning off the motors, and how bad the consequences can be. I do need to put new batteries in the system, but That is just normal maintenance. I can't afford to buy a new drive motor at present, and having to do so would set back some of my other priorities.

I've learned to check the area twice to make sure I have brought everything in with me, and then make a last trip back out. Turning off the motors is on the mental checklist, but it got missed.

Next time I'll check three times.

[Beyond_Vision]

I know how you feel there Warthog. I fell asleep doing some imaging only to find the scope clashing the against the pier. Luckily no damage was done

Regards

Kevin

[philsail1]

That must have been a bit of a stomach churning moment - when you realised what had happened, and what the possible consequences were! You were very lucky there "Warthog!"

Your posting is a good - and timely - reminder to us all. Switching off is something I have never forgot - but it could easily happen, so thank you for your posting.

Regards,

philsail1

[moondog]

Good job it didn't damage the motor WH!

We've all had similar problems - I forgot that I hadn't enabled the cord wrap function on the C8. Then I heard the motor straining against the pull of the dew strap cord. A sweaty palm moment!

MD

[beamish]

You lucky boy !! I suppose I ought to set the mount limits as it's only a matter of time .

Karlo

[The Warthog]

I was using it last night for a while. The batteries are very weak, but it is tracking. <<great sigh of relief emoticon needed>>

[The Warthog]

I put new batteries in , and the motors are ticking along just fine. However, in another example of Warthog luck, when I uncovered my scope last night and put an ep in, I found that the set screw had disappeared. As I hadn't moved the scope overnight, and I'm sure it was there the night before, I searched the ground, and after a while saw it lying between two of the flagstones. "No problem," sez I, "I'll just get the magnetic picky uppy thingy that I keep in the shed, and get it out of there." So I did, and I find that the set screw is made of something - aluminium, chromed brass, white gold, silver - that is not attracted to magnets. So I go back for a pair of pliers. Nope, won't fit in the crack. OK, slot screwdriver - less elegant, but in a few seconds I had brought the thing up to where I could pick it up.

I've already lost one of these screws, and it's a 2mm screw, so good luck finding it at Home Depot. Warthog's guardian angel is on the job, for now.

[Wobbly Bob]

Red dot finders seem to be favourite for thinkng they are turned of but not.

May your astro angel always be with you.

[Doc]

You are a lucky man WH. I'm glad it's ok.

You should see the batts I get through forgetting to turn of my telrad

[The Warthog]

I get my rdf batteries from a place that replaces them up to three times in two years if they die. I always go through all the replacements. You've just reminded me to check my rdf tonight, as I put a new battery in it last night.

The current draw on the motors must be quite reasonable, as I have been using the last set of batteries for at least a year. I didn't expect them to last more than a few evenings. Not that I've done a lot of observing in the last year, but I've done some.

[Starjumper]

Lady luck was looking after you Warthog, glad all was OK.

John