Rust in HEQ5Pro Bearings??

[Jasp05 (Aaron)]

Hi guys,

I did a service on my mount around 6-8 months ago. Replaced the bearings in the mount and changed the grease etc.

After this service the mount performed alot better than it had previously. However I watched a video on someone hypertuning an EQ6 and realised I had put grease on the clutch faces... (Not that I was having any issues with my clutch).

I decided to pull my mount down to clean this grease off and noticed the Dec axis bearings in the ring gear were rusted.. and one was seized onto the shaft . The ring gear was also discoloured black.

Now the mount had been stored on a pier outside, but under a cover where no water could touch it.

Do you think this rust is a result of moisture getting into the mount? (RA axis was perfectly clean. Would of thought if it was moisture it would of had some signs also..) Could it also be a reaction from the grease I used? Maybe a residue from the previous grease has reacted to my new stuff?


Anyway I was able to remove the bearings and treated the rust with a rust removal gel. Seemed to remove all the surface rust. I then polished the ring gear and gave the dec axis shaft a slight rub over with a green chux cloth to ensure everything was smooth and clean.

Have since put the mount back together but haven't been able to test it due to weather.

But thoughts on what may of caused this? I'm reluctant to put it back out on my pier if it's going to cop that kind of damage in a few months. ( I done the rebuild 8 months ago but the it's only been pier mounted for the last 3 if it's lucky.)

Really concerned right now and am going to check the mount again in a months time. see if I stopped this corrosion in its tracks.

[bojan]

Make sure all ferrous parts are covered with thin layer of grease.
You mentioned pier is outside... how do you control condensation?
I had to provide a good ventilation by elevating the cover (see here), post #9 onwards.

[glend (Glen)]

Condensation will destroy it. Grease helps but any permanent installation will be going through condensation cycles. I use an insulation shroud over my mount, with a small decorative light bulb inside powered by a timer switch. The bulb turns on for 15min per hour at night and that is enough to keep the mount warm enough to stop condensation.

[bojan]

Light bulb is excellent idea

[Jasp05 (Aaron)]

Previously it was stored in a very similar way to yours Bojan. Basically an upside rubbish bin over it. It was open at the bottom for ventilation also.


I probably do need something else like the lightbulb or a dessicant to control humidity.

Or maybe I just need to bite the bullet and build that observatory shed sooner rather later.

[bojan]

I found out that additional cover inside (thick plastic bag, wrapped as tight as possible around the mount) drastically reduces condensation on the mount (because there is not much air (and moiusture) to condense from).

Perhaps I should check my EQ6...



Of course, observatory shed is the best solution.. I have that in my plans for a looong time already.