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Hi Dave
I can feel your pain and am sorry to hear that things aren't working for you.
Firstly what is the telescope you are imaging with?
What is the other thumb screw just in front of the one you have circled? From memory the front one is the one that locks the focuser in place, the one you have circled is the one that adjusts the tension within the focuser when you are racking the focuser in or out. At least that is how the 10:1 GSO focuser works on my ED80 from memory, seldom touch mine as that way I don't have to re-focus.
If you are happy with the telescope you have don't get rid of it simply upgrade the focuser, mind you it looks like quite a nice focuser for what you are doing.
Low voltage will do what you described. The way I work my EQ6 is once that power light starts flashing it is time to park the scope and load it up with some fresh battery power. The other night at home I was tinkering with my EQ6 and the battery was on it's third night without charge. I was inside watching the scope slew from Sirius up to M46/47. It went from Sirius up to M46 then back to Sirius then back up to M46. Took a look at the power light sure enough it was flashing. Parked the scope, changed the battery pack over and it worked well for the rest of the session.
As far as the pack not holding it's charge, I would suggest it has died. I'm no battery expert, others on here should be able to better explain the reasoning as to why it has died. In fact I think it was on this site that I read something about not running these battery packs completely flat.
In answer to your balancing question how about some sort of magnet at the front of the OTA. Or is the imbalance that big?
Good luck with it all. Please hang in there, keep asking questions and I'm sure one of the kind folk from Brisbane will be along soon to offer a helping hand.
Wayne
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