GOTO mount with a mind of it's own - batteries?

[RascalUK]

Quick question to see if anybody else has experienced the same prob and to put my mind at rest...

Had my 130p Synscan AZ Goto for 3 weeks or so and obviously hardly got any use out of it. Still on the first set of batteries as I haven't got round to getting a power tank yet..

Anyway last night...completed alignment as usual but as it got to the second star and was slowing down its slewing, I took a peek in the VF and it was just coming into view, all of a sudden the scope took off at it's fastest rate and tried to point itself vertical.

I put it down to a quirk, but then later on it did exactly the same thing. Just as it was coming to a stop it fired off to the vertical again...

Now I did the change the batteries and it sounded a lot more powerful than it was doing and it didn't do it again, but I only got about 15 mins more viewing out of it before the clouds came in.

Does this sound indicative of waning batteries or should I be more concerned?

i know batteries are a rubbish method of powering it but I'm nervous about a fault now.

[Nexus 6]

Hi Rascal, I would test it with some new batteries then at least you'll know if it is, also you won't get much use out of it using them and its just not really worth money wise it but I would make sure.

[malc-c]

Easiest way is to replace the batteries and see if the scope slews and tracks correctly. The drives on the EQ mounts draw just under 2 amps when slewing a balanced scope, so I would guess the motors in your scope could do the same, which could drain normal AA batteries fairly quickly assuming they are good and have a full charge.

[Psychobilly]

When the batteries start to get low and the mount is slewed the voltage can drop dramatically sending the Micro a bit "crazy"...

Billy...

[gedmac]

2amps from aa batteries is a heavy drain which will cause volt drop across the motors get a decent power supply is my suggestion