Johnny - My 12" dobbie is not well :(

[Jen]

Poor Johnny
HELP!!!!!!!!!!! :help: 1 ASTRO DOCTOR WANTED

My poor baby is not well it all started off when we were at Snake Valley he wasnt his self and tracking and the goto was a little off compared to usual :sadeyes:
Then last weekend i decided to take advantage of the beautiful clear skies and headed out to go camping at Kyalite N.S.W. about an hour out of Swan Hill woah nice dark skies out there guys i took my first real pics of some star trails and it was that dark i didnt even know there was a was an optus tower right in the middle of my pics hahahha :screwy:

Anyway when i got out there all set up the goto goes left and right and up perfectly but it wont go down :( unless i give it a little helping hand and lightly push on it once it gets down to 40degrees it works ok :rolleyes: Can still hear the motor doing its normal thing just the scope wont move :mad2:
Do these things runs on belts or something ? Where do you go for spare parts for these sort of things when your scope breaks down :( Is this a common thing for these goto dobs or did i get a lemon :mad2:
I feel like i have lost my best friend HELPPPPPPP what do i do next im too scared to pull it apart :question:
Any suggestions will be muchly appreciated before i start yelling at the skywatcher dealers LOL
:help::help:

[Waxing_Gibbous]

Maybe he found out you named him "Johnnie"! :D
Not an expert, but it sounds merely like 'something' (gear or belt) needs tensioning or is slightly out of true.
I've just this arvo sent an e-mail to the Skywatcher website for info on an EQ6 issue.
They got back to me in about 2 hours with an easy fix, so perhaps contacting them would bear fruit.

[mishku]

Oh no, Jen!! Do you think it's because you left him in the boot and wouldn't let him out to play with the cloud nebulas at SV??? Poor Johnnie is probably just loooonely :lol:

[Baddad]

Hi Jen,

What power scource are you using? Are connections in good condition. Is the battery voltage OK?

Swearing at it will make Johnny stubborn.

Cheers

[Screwdriverone]

Hi Jen,

Are there friction handles on the goto versions?

If there is, I am thinking they may be done up too tight?

DONT pull it apart, it has a 5 yr warranty which you will void if you disassemble it....Johnny No. 5 is alive!

Disassemble! NO disassemble!

See the attached pic, it could be that you have the altitude tension screw done up too tight and only when Johnny leans over can the weight of the OTA fight against the tight grub screw....?

Give it a go.

Cheers

Chris

[AstralTraveller]

Jen,

This is just nature's way of telling you to learn to star-hop. :scared3:

[traveller]

I think Chris is on the money Jen, sounds like a clutch/tension knob problem. Loosen it slowly (quater turn each time) and see how you go.
Bo

[TrevorW]

Jen your choice of words often cracks me up, but then again I have been told i have a twisted wicked sense of humour :P;)

hope you fix Johnnie real soon :thumbsup:

[Jen]

:lol::lol: lol Chris great movie :thumbsup: Disassemble NOOOO DISASSEMBLE :lol:
That was the first thing i thought of i have already tried loosening the tension screw it didnt change anything :sadeyes:

[Jen]

:lol::lol: i have already done my time of star-hopping days with my 6" EQ3 mount ;) once you have GOTO you get spoilt and never wanna go back LOL :D

[Jen]

:lol::lol::lol: lol Trevor :shrug: mmmm my choice of words :lol: i crack myself up too :rolleyes: :P

[Jen]

:screwy::screwy: mmm not too many other suggestions are rolling into this thread after over 200 views :sadeyes: maybe i better contact skywatcher :rolleyes:

[Screwdriverone]

Hi Jen,

I assume you have tried removing the OTA and reseating it?

I am thinking the gears may not have meshed properly during replacement?

Might be worth a call to Skywatcher/Tasco....there may be a few "manufacturer" things they can try to test it.

Hope you sort it out,

Cheers

Chris

[Jen]

Yeah i tried that too Chris :sadeyes: i have tried everything but pull it apart :shrug: so yep i will send skywatcher an email see what they say thanks for your tips anyway cheers Chris :D

[brian nordstrom]

:sadeyes: Bummer Jen , Iv'e been following this one and Johnny sounds broken .
Bummer , I feel for both of you .
A scope that does not work is as bad as a cloudy night . :(. I have had a lot over the years ,things that are not fixable at midnight , Bummer .

Looks like a trip back to the people you got Johnny from? Aye Jen.
Technology , Whew !
:confused2: I cant even say happy christmas , with a still broken johnny.:sadeyes:
Brian.