14" Skywatcher Motor problem

[stevejack (Steve)]

Hi All,

I have a 14" Skywatcher GOTO dob. The other night I pulled it out to show some friends the view of Saturn and the drive motor seems to be slipping.

The motor slews horizontally, and also in the upwards direction, but it will not slew down. I can see the cog spinning but it won't move the scope. It does seem to move slightly, at certain positions, but something is preventing it from slewing down properly.

Has anyone experienced this before on the Skywatcher scopes?

I will contact the place I bought it for a warranty repair but if it's something simple that i'm not thinking of it will save a whole lot of hassle transporting the whole thing to the store.

Thanks all,
Steve

PS just to add - this wasn't my first time out with the scope, I have used it without any trouble before so it's definitely a new problem that has just developed.

[Osirisra (Ken)]

Check the ALT motor shaft. The end of the shaft could have broken or the bearings come loose. If the end has broken you can move the bearing along the shaft a little, tighten and you will be all good.

[stevejack (Steve)]

Thanks Ken, I did check that this morning but it all seemed ok.

I called Midland Camera House in Perth (where I bought it) and spoke to Russell who was really helpful. I thought I would have to take it in so I've been putting off the call but apparently a clutch adjustment should sort it out and he's going to show me how to do it. Hopefully that fixes it.

I've had nothing but good experiences with Midland Camera House - very helpful when I bought the scope and so far after sales support is great.

I did a search for clutch adjustment once I knew about the clutch and a few similar posts came up so I might be able to work it out from there.

Thanks again

[overlord (Charles)]

that's a shame. i would like to get one of them or an obsession later this year. i really like the fact u can just point it and it continues tracking from where u leave it... if it does that. i think it does. i want the 16" version if that is true, but it's not out yet oh dear.

[stevejack (Steve)]

It's a great scope, the GOTO and tracking really are great. I upgraded from a 10" dob without tracking to this. Well worth the upgrade.

The 16" would be too much for me unless i had a place I could set it up and leave it... The base is HUGE and heavy on the 14". I can barely get it through the door because of its size and even though I regularly lift weights this thing is a monster to pick up and shift around.

Like you I considered an obsession mainly for the ease of pushing them.. the chinese scopes take a lot of tweaking (lazy susan etc) to get them smooth through the alt/az. However, when you talk about scopes with servos it makes that redundant. The optics and other components are obviously better on those scopes, but when you use a keypad to slew and motors to track the advantages of the actual construction of the more expensive scopes become less.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

[overlord (Charles)]

Originally Posted by stevejack

It's a great scope, the GOTO and tracking really are great. I upgraded from a 10" dob without tracking to this. Well worth the upgrade.

The 16" would be too much for me unless i had a place I could set it up and leave it... The base is HUGE and heavy on the 14". I can barely get it through the door because of its size and even though I regularly lift weights this thing is a monster to pick up and shift around.

Like you I considered an obsession mainly for the ease of pushing them.. the chinese scopes take a lot of tweaking (lazy susan etc) to get them smooth through the alt/az. However, when you talk about scopes with servos it makes that redundant. The optics and other components are obviously better on those scopes, but when you use a keypad to slew and motors to track the advantages of the actual construction of the more expensive scopes become less.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

AWESOME!!!! Thanks!

That will be my scope then. I want to upgrage from an 8" skywatcher i had for 8 years and got for the Mars opposition. (a very good friend). I am living at two different places, mum's and a room elsewhere so i need two scopes hehehehehehehe. One will be huge, yes. Even obsession prices have really come down. less than ten grand for a 20" = no problem. i'd rather than than a car.

yeah i will build an observatory so i might wait for the 16.

One problem i see with it.... can a shroud be attached? it seems there should be another strut on the top for that? i'm not sure? i would prefer it if a shroud could be placed there. oh dear. LOL!

[overlord (Charles)]

U got a great scope there.

The thing i like about the skywatcher truss is the greater attention to detail paid to the internals. I like the black (non-shiny) struts and the fact they are on the exterior of the tube, so they don't really get in the way of the light path. This is a clever company I like skywatcher/saxon very much.

The built-in tracking system is a massive plus. Enormous. it is really required for planetary work.

I was hand tracking saturn at 158x for three hours a few nights ago and trying to draw it and it was so annoying! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i want a mak 200mm or this! LOL!

[stevejack (Steve)]

Originally Posted by overlord

AWESOME!!!! Thanks!

That will be my scope then. I want to upgrage from an 8" skywatcher i had for 8 years and got for the Mars opposition. (a very good friend). I am living at two different places, mum's and a room elsewhere so i need two scopes hehehehehehehe. One will be huge, yes. Even obsession prices have really come down. less than ten grand for a 20" = no problem. i'd rather than than a car.

yeah i will build an observatory so i might wait for the 16.

One problem i see with it.... can a shroud be attached? it seems there should be another strut on the top for that? i'm not sure? i would prefer it if a shroud could be placed there. oh dear. LOL!

Shouldn't be a problem attaching a shroud - I haven't looked for any commercial offerings but i have thought about making one.
A scope is far better than a car. Buy a $10,000 scope and a $2,000 car, Not the other way around.

Right now I'm trying to work out how to tow my scope behind the motorbike.. I see a custom built motorcycle trailer in my future. Load the bike with camping gear, put the scope in the trailer, attach it to the bike and head off for the night... Can't think of anything better!

[overlord (Charles)]

Originally Posted by stevejack

Shouldn't be a problem attaching a shroud - I haven't looked for any commercial offerings but i have thought about making one.
A scope is far better than a car. Buy a $10,000 scope and a $2,000 car, Not the other way around.

Right now I'm trying to work out how to tow my scope behind the motorbike.. I see a custom built motorcycle trailer in my future. Load the bike with camping gear, put the scope in the trailer, attach it to the bike and head off for the night... Can't think of anything better!

hell yeah! i like that! Telescope comes first. hell i'm getting a 25" obsession if i don't buckle and buy one of these skywatchers. i will be the next william hershell LOL! i want something fantastic for planets and can't think of anything better than 25" f/5 obsession lol.

oh yeah! cars are a pain in the arse. also cheaper 80s and 90s cars are way better built than the plastic computer engine heaps of today lol. (maybe). lol. i am so putting off buying a car. i'm 29 and never could decide which to get. lol! don't really like any.

yeah camping is awesome. we went to cathedral ranges and kinglake last years. much better dark-sky star views from the road off the cathedral ranges site, than at king lake, which is only semi-dark. hell yeah i want a bike too! but it must be a harley LOL (or a virago i guess cos i don't have a licence yet )