Paramount not homing properly

[Paul Haese]

This sort of turned up before I installed the mount. I thought it might be just a software glitch but I am just wanting to know if anyone else has experienced this problem.

I turn on the mount connect via the SkyX try to home the mount. It says finding home, moves just a bit then stops, I try homing the mount again, the mount moves a bit more and stops. Each time saying not homed. No error message, just stops. This goes on for several goes (so far the longest is 12 tries) until it finally homes. Once homed I can park, unpark, home, slew etc as many times as I want with no issues.

Undo the track locks and the mount moves freely (so it is not the cables in the dec axis) from one side to the next and over the entire part of the sky. There is no stiffness anywhere at all.

I wonder if this is some southern hemisphere thing that I have not attended to, perhaps a bung sensor, cable or connection with the computer.

I have only tried this with the skyX. I have not yet connected with the hand paddle alone. That would tell me if it is a problem with the computer, but did not think of this yesterday when I was down at the observatory.

I tried with the hand paddle connected and without. Each time the mount would perform the same tricks.

I have put up a thread on SB forum but you know how that goes if you have a Paramount. Questions that seem to lead no where and no suggestions in each post to try. A little tiresome I must say. So I am asking people here if they have any experience of this. So I can maybe sort the issue without going through 20 thousand questions of frustration before getting a "new sensor" or "new motor", software, daily build or whatever is causing this stupid glitch. I personally don't like talking to a brick wall. Feel free to chime in here Ernie and let me know what you think. Maybe it is software.

Anyway, thanks for any help in advance. My 12K paper weight is awaiting your suggestions.:)

Martin's PME is looking better all the time.

[PRejto]

Hi Paul,

Other than what we spoke about off line yesteday, have you tried a different USB cable? I think you will possibly get another clue when you try operating the mount without connecting to any computer.

On my MX I've never had the slightest homing issue.

One thing I've learned during my trip to the USA, and in meeting some of the Bisque team, is that the impression one gets on the forum is not actually reality. Unfortunately knowing that doesn't exactly help when you are faced with a problem that isn't resolved. I'm fairly certain that behind the scene there are people pondering your issue. The issue at this point is most likely that the answer to your problem is unknown, or needs to be narrowed down before taking action. On the positive side you actually have had several responses from SB in a relatively short time. I think the problem that SB needs to address is one of keeping the customer informed and reassured that the problem is being considered even though an answer has yet to be formulated. It's the silence that creates the anxiety. With some luck let's hope this issue gets resolved quickly!

[frolinmod]

Well you definately need to go into TheSkyX->Telescope->Tools->Bisque TCS and set the mount to Southern Hemisphere.


I doubt that, but with all that through the mount wiring messing around you've been doing, you should indeed check to make sure all the internal cables are still securely plugged in to the boards, if you haven't already done so.


Please do so. Tap-tap then wait just like with the ME.


Try to think ahead and post as much info in advance. I know it doesn't help that Daniel forgets who you are, where you're located, etc. Please be nice and try to help him along. Install the latest daily build (running 7398 here), if you haven't already done so.


You know I don't want to say anything that would piss anyone off. I don't think it's software. I think it's hardware. I think the trip down there whacks all adjustments. I think you're going to need to download and read all about making all of the various MX adjustments. Take off the covers and look for binding of the motor pulley wheel on the inside of each cover for instance. Be careful not to let any screws fall down into the mount insides. Note that one guy received a mount with all the screws holding the electronics boards falling out and shorting random stuff out. Guess they didn't use Loctite blue on the screws in question. Check for that.


They're pretty darn reliable, aren't they.

[Paul Haese]

Thanks guys,

Peter I am going to try another cable. I'll have a look around for another cable. Anything is worth a try.

Ernie,

definitely done the southern hemisphere setting already.

I'll have a look at the internal cabling, but I only had 2 USB cables, plus a USB to RJ32 cable (the thin variety) and a two core power cable (only 4mm in diameter for the MHP). That ought not to cause that much trouble, but worth a look around anyway.

Going to give the hand paddle a try for sure.

Been nice to Daniel, he has been trying to solve the problem so far. I did that and tried to answer all his questions, although he seems to think the mount would report an error if it did not home. I am not mistaken, it does not home and does not report an error.

Will install the latest build, what about version? Has that changed in two months?

Hey Ernie, you know that will not be the first time I have had my arms in all the way to the elbows of a Paramount. ;) I reckon I will just take a bit of a look around to see what is going on. It might well be a plug that has slipped out. I'll check out the MX adjustments. Funny needing to do this sort of work on a 12K mount. That is why I bought a new mount. :rofl:If cars were sold like that in this country car companies would go broke repairing vehicles.

Yes even a broken PME can be fixed easily and it has been very reliable ever since and if you haven't checked out the images, it is a very good imaging platform.

[PRejto]

Paul, For sure just update to the latest daily build. There have been a few in the last few months!!

Peter

[Paul Haese]

Ok bit of an update.

I went down the observatory today and had a look around. I took the motor cover off and took a look around and the coms cable was a little loose, so I pushed that up.

I did that after just trying to home the mount with the hand paddle and it behaved the same way.

One thing I noticed before opening things up was once homed it was fine. I turned off the mount and back on, turned off the computer and back on and it homed immediately. Very odd behaviour. That said for the rest of the day it performed as it should. So for now it is ok, I will report back if the fault appears again and I am going to let SB know what has transpired.

[frolinmod]

Paul, are you saying the cause appears to have been a loose cable connection inside the mount? Perhaps something shaken loose in shipping?

[Paul Haese]

I don't know yet Ernie. It could be but I am going down again tomorrow and will test to see if the fault occurs again. I am hoping that the fault is fixed.

[Logieberra]

I'm with Peter on this,

"On my MX I've never had the slightest homing issue".

Same here.

[Paul Haese]

Yep looks like it was the cable. Homed straight away today. So that problem is over.