Help: Meade 2080 RA drive

[AstroJunk]

Anyone got any ideas on how to get a Northern Hemisphere version of one of these scopes to track t'other way for us antipodeans?

(BTW, this is a friend of a friend kind of problem, so the only specifics I can add about the scope are: it's black (the correct colour for a telescope!))

Thanks in advance ...

[h0ughy]

wasn't there an inverter that changed the 120v to 240 for us aussies, and that little black box also has a n/s switch? I had a 10" version once, many years ago that had that.

[AstroJunk]

I think its a first generation one that pre-dates that switch :(

[h0ughy]

well best of luck?

[casstony]

A few years ago I was given an old Meade fork with a Northern hemisphere only drive. Not knowing what else to do I removed the RA drive worm/motor assembly, flipped it 180 degrees and bolted it back in, but I had to do some filing/grinding to get it to fit. The circut board could not be secured in its original position so I taped it between 2 sheets of plastic for insulation and just sat it back in there not bolted down. Not exactly Dr Clays supercharge, but it worked.

[AstroJunk]

Nice one Tony:thumbsup:

I've not seen the scope, but I had wondered whether or not it may be possible - It looks like there is enough space under the skin then!

[casstony]

There was also a spring arrangement which pushed the worm against th RA gear - I couldn't fit the spring in after the changes so I simply tightened the worm assembly in a fixed position, leaving enough gap to avoid any binding between the worm and gear. Hope it all works out.

[Gama]

Arent they a synchronous motor AC.
And being 110V at 60 Hz, it will not be tracking right at 50Hz. So it will drag behind. But i suppose with the high gear ratio, it should be ok for short periods.
Try and see if you can get another motor or check out the web for more options.

[casstony]

I'm not sure which model my drive is (circa 1990) but the power input is 12V, so I power it with a battery pack.

[Gama]

What year is the scope ?, or at least check out if it uses a syncro motor or a dc motor.