That ain't right !

[Somnium (Aidan)]

so i was getting ready to capture my first light tonight, sky clear, looking good. i turn on my mount and home it, it is taking longer than expected to home so i look at my web cam and turn the light on in there to see the telescope pointing at Zenith and and rocking back and forth in Dec as if it is trying to home but cant. the mount doesn't throw any errors and i restart it, re power and still has the same issue. looks like a trip to the observatory is on the cards in the next day or two, but has anyone seen this behaviour on a Paramount MX+? fingers are crossed that nothing is damaged

[rustigsmed (Russell)]

Yikes, fingers crossed nothing is damaged mate!

[Somnium (Aidan)]

Originally Posted by rustigsmed

Yikes, fingers crossed nothing is damaged mate!

yeah, i am scared about opening the door. i can only see half of the telescope in my web cam. i am heading down after work tomorrow. fingers crossed.

[Somnium (Aidan)]

HOLY CRAP! i was slewing the telescope in 10 degree increments along the RA axis to try and get it to its park position and all of a sudden it was like it let go and rotated telescope down, probably smashed into the pier and F*&%d my new scope that hasn't even seen first light !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it is like something is pulling it down with force but that makes no sense, it was well balanced and the cables are all cleaned up. needless to say i am seriously concerned now

[Atmos (Colin)]

My heart sinks for you Aidan Really hope that there no damage :/

[Somnium (Aidan)]

Originally Posted by Atmos

My heart sinks for you Aidan Really hope that there no damage :/

Thanks Colin, me too, i have visions of walking in there and picking up shards of carbon fibre. there should be no way for the mount to slip like that, it makes absolutely no sense. lest night i took 400 images doing a Tpoint model and it had not one issue.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Yikes, sounds like cable wrap? I hope it is all ok and an easy fix when you get to her Aidan

Mike

[marc4darkskies (Marcus)]

Oh my!! I was wincing as I read this! I've got everything crossed for you Aidan that there's no damage.

Marcus

[ZeroID (Brent)]

<cringes> <fingers crossed>

Insurance maybe ?

[PRejto (Peter)]

How was your balance? Almost seems like the worm slipped over the ring gear and the heavy end went down. Yikes!

Good luck!!

Peter

[Somnium (Aidan)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Yikes, sounds like cable wrap? I hope it is all ok and an easy fix when you get to her Aidan

Mike

Yeah but cables aren't elastic and wouldn't it just stop and say the mount hit something ? Anyway I will know more tonight. I am thinking that the scope should be largely ok, at least the important parts, the mount might have something seriously wrong with it but it is covered by warrantee . Hopefully the imaging train didn't get too damaged. I have been running through scenarios all night, didn't sleep much, I just need to see it.

[Somnium (Aidan)]

Originally Posted by PRejto

How was your balance? Almost seems like the worm slipped over the ring gear and the heavy end went down. Yikes!

Good luck!!

Peter

The balance when I left it was perfect, but that is what it sounds like. I have no idea why the balance all of a sudden went out of whack , maybe a possum jumped into my ota ???? I have no idea

[Decimus (Richard)]

Geez, Aidan, as someone who just got his brand new scope two days ago, reading about your experience made me feel sick too! Sorry you are experiencing all this - hope no damage has been done.
Best wishes,
Richard

[alocky (Andrew lockwood)]

It sounds almost as if the counterweight fell off, but surely there's a keeper on the dec shaft, and it's hard to imagine how a worm and wheel could let go like that.
Hope it's nothing serious!
Cheers,
Andrew.

[Somnium (Aidan)]

Originally Posted by Decimus

Geez, Aidan, as someone who just got his brand new scope two days ago, reading about your experience made me feel sick too! Sorry you are experiencing all this - hope no damage has been done.
Best wishes,
Richard

Thanks Richard, me too

Originally Posted by alocky

It sounds almost as if the counterweight fell off, but surely there's a keeper on the dec shaft, and it's hard to imagine how a worm and wheel could let go like that.
Hope it's nothing serious!
Cheers,
Andrew.

I thought of that too but I can see the counterweights are still on via my web cam. It will be a nervous drive down tonight. I haven't been great to work with today, a bit snappy

[vlazg (George)]

Good luck Aiden, i hope there's no damage.

[Somnium (Aidan)]

Originally Posted by vlazg

Good luck Aiden, i hope there's no damage.

Thanks George. I will probably post something by about 10 tonight with the results

[loc46south (Geoffrey)]

Hi Aidan - just came across the post - hope that nothing is broken and you are back up and running soon.

Geof

[Somnium (Aidan)]

Looks like scope is fine ! Such a relief , working on understanding the issue

[Atmos (Colin)]

Originally Posted by Somnium

Looks like scope is fine ! Such a relief , working on understanding the issue

:thum bsup: