Skywatcher ALT-AZ mount bug ?

[jarbi]

Hi,

I just received my ALT-AZ Goto mount and started to play around, I think there is a bug in the hand controller firmware.. ( at least with v3.07 and v3.08 ).

1. When I choose slew rates lower than 5, it always slews with max. rate on ALT ( AZ works well ). Switching to rate 5-9 works on both axes as it should.

2. Sometimes the ALT motor just starts slewing without any visible reason ?? When I switch off/on the mount, it works again as normal, but this problem may come back after a while ( or sometimes doesn't ).

I have attached the image of the mount also to identify. Can someone confirm if it is a "generic" problem or my mount is defected ?

cheers,

Janos

[Cornelius Varley]

There is a "bug" of sorts that some users of the silver coloured version of the mount has experienced. The plastic cover is not light proof and this allows stray light to fall on the optical encoders. Painting the interior of the cover with black paint might help some of your problems.

Peter

[jarbi]

There is a "bug" of sorts that some users of the silver coloured version of the mount has experienced. The plastic cover is not light proof and this allows stray light to fall on the optical encoders. Painting the interior of the cover with black paint might help some of your problems.

Peter

Thanks Peter,

I wouldn't have come to that idea ! I will certainly try this. One more update: this afternoon I was trying to reproduce the "bug" in room test, but the was just working normally ( including changing slew rates from 1-9 ). Maybe the hand controller cannot get on with cold ??

cheers,

Janos

[Lerxst]

I was out for an hour a couple of nights ago, with my 12" Skywatcher dob. It was -10 degrees that night, and the only "problem" I experienced with the hand controller, was that the LCD display got slow when updating.

[Cornelius Varley]

I probably should have thought my reply through a little more. The problem with the encoders and the plastic cover only came to light, so to speak, when the mount was used during daylight. The handset was probably suffering from the cold and may have started to act up.

Peter

[jarbi]

I probably should have thought my reply through a little more. The problem with the encoders and the plastic cover only came to light, so to speak, when the mount was used during daylight. The handset was probably suffering from the cold and may have started to act up.

Peter

But you still nailed it Peter . I was testing the mount by looking at the Sun with my Lunt 60. So my problem CAN really be caused by straylight.

cheers,

Janos

[jarbi]

I was out for an hour a couple of nights ago, with my 12" Skywatcher dob. It was -10 degrees that night, and the only "problem" I experienced with the hand controller, was that the LCD display got slow when updating.

Thanks for the heads up, this is what I would also expect, but no weird behaviour..

cheers,

Janos