Meade LXD75

miki63au · #1 15-07-2008, 09:24 PM

Hi all,
My question to the forum is regard of the Meade LXD75.
Do I have to by and cannibalize a mount (~$1200 @ Bintel) to get a
flexible servo go-to system with motors?
Motors not available separately

I had looking for a drive system for my old eq mount, but the servos are
expensive and don't have go-to. The steppers not cheaper, like EQ6
upgrade (and not have worm ratio flexibility...).

The Meade Autostar has the flexible worm gear ratio reprogram,
and not need a computer to operate.

Is it worth it?

anywho1 · #2 16-07-2008, 09:06 AM

ioptron makes a complete replacement kit for the LXD75.
CS
Gary

Ian Robinson · #3 16-07-2008, 01:08 PM

You can do very nicely without GoTo.

I believe you can buy Starbook Upgrade kits for most older Vixen and Celestron GEMs (except CGE). If the gear ratio is 144 you are in great shape.

What's your GEM and what's the gear ratio ?

AndrewJ · #4 16-07-2008, 07:05 PM

Try
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/RoboScope/
Based on yr mount type, there are lots of possible solutions
to retrofit on older EQ style mount,
depending on availablity of motors
Several US sites sell DS motors ( when available ) which wil lwork with the Autostar 497

Andrew

miki63au · #5 16-07-2008, 09:56 PM

Thanks everyone,
the worm I have on the old mount is 169:1 with the 34:1 transfer gear...
it was designed for a synchronous motor.

I want to use the main worm which is nice and looks OK and it's free.
This is the reason way I want to stick with Autostar, the ratio is flexible.
I don't like the ds option. It has too much plastic....
Not sure if I'm in the right track. I do have a EQ6 electronics. Including the controller, and the motors. But this is the wrong ratio and it's a stepper with
0.5" arc sec /step. I need a sprocket to make it work for the right speed.

I don't want to spend a lot of money, and don't want to chuck out a good alucast. I replacing the original bearings as well.

I like to know if anyone than this before, using Autostar for a big scope as a retrofit.

netwolf · #6 17-07-2008, 08:34 AM

If you are lucky you might find motors and a controller on Amart, but they came up very rarely. I know i have looked when i was thinking of converting my Dob. The roboscope group is full of good information, you could try asking there for information. I also know that they made a modification you can do for the LXD motor PCB to attach a pittman motor to it. Perhaps something similar could be done with the DS motor.

Some folk there were working on a independed circuit that would allow connection to Autostar. I am not sure thought if that every came to anything. If you could do this then you could run any motor with this circuit.

The other suggestion I can give the one I am using on my G-11 is the Sitech Controller from Siderealtechnolgy. Having used the Autostar, i do miss its ease of use, however there is the hardship of getting parts for it. If it had been simpler I would have Autostare'd my G-11 also.

Also talk to Lenord at Gototelescopes.com he has done many old mount conversions to goto. The older Mead Starfinder mounts are very similar to the Astro Optical one you have.

Regards
Fahim

bert (Brett) · #7 17-07-2008, 05:33 PM

What you need is an meade 492 (us ebay has them I think from telescope warehouse) kit for the motors which comes with a manual hand paddle, and a meade 497 hand paddle for the goto controller.

I have used these to goto a celestron cg5 and yes the ratios are completely adjustable, you can work them out on your scope by counting how many times you rotate the worm to get a full rotation of an axis. The cg5 is 144:1.

The only problem is couplers from the motor kit to your worm drive.I got a local engineer to make mine.

Brett

miki63au · #8 17-07-2008, 09:37 PM

Thanks everyone!

Fahim,
far as I know the Meade LXD motor protocol is a modified IC2.
So far nobody cracked it, and I'm not sure if Meade would be happy with that...

For ~$1200 and cannibalize the LXD75 for the motors and get the controller with it, I think it's still a option. You looked around, nothing come close
with economy. It's a servo, a go-to in one package.

Sure, the motors and the gearbox is not perfect, but it's work.

I did considered your offer (motors, gears, encoders), but the money is limited what I can spend...

I think I just sit back for a bit and make what my resources allow me to do.
Thanks guys.

Paullus (Paul) · #9 15-11-2011, 01:26 PM

Sorry to bump an old thread, but has anyone got recent information on obtaining the #492 kit or LXD motors from ioptron? I'm having issues with my LXD75 mount believe replacing the motors and associated boards would be the easiest and cheapest solution for me, if only I can find the hardware!

Cheers

midnight (Darrin) · #10 15-11-2011, 06:33 PM

Paul,

It's unfortunate that Star Optics are closing down as I used to get a complete RA replacement drive (motor and controller) for about $120 I think last year. I had a jerky drive and eventually worked out it was the very thin and sensitive encoder wheel at the end of the motor shaft. It is sooo easy to bend and when I got a new one, the drive was quite acceptable (in hindsight, all I needed was a new encoder disk!).

Sorry I can't help much more. The LXD55 was my 1st mount (very similar to the LXD75) and quite advanced for its time and I learnt heaps from it.

Good luck,
Darrin...

Ross G · #11 17-11-2011, 06:11 AM

Hi Paul.

I think I might have an unused kit in my garage.

I will check tonight and pm you.

Ross.

Paullus (Paul) · #12 17-11-2011, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by midnight

Paul,

It's unfortunate that Star Optics are closing down as I used to get a complete RA replacement drive (motor and controller) for about $120 I think last year. I had a jerky drive and eventually worked out it was the very thin and sensitive encoder wheel at the end of the motor shaft. It is sooo easy to bend and when I got a new one, the drive was quite acceptable (in hindsight, all I needed was a new encoder disk!).

Sorry I can't help much more. The LXD55 was my 1st mount (very similar to the LXD75) and quite advanced for its time and I learnt heaps from it.

Good luck,
Darrin...

It is unfortunate that Lex is closing down, on the plus side there are some bargains to be had. I enquired about replacement motors at the start of the year and he said they were available, kinda wish I didn't put it on the backburner until now

. I will probably need new encoder wheels as mine seem to have got bent when I took them to an electronics guru in town. I've been speaking with Adelaide Optical and they might be able to repair them for me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross G

Hi Paul.

I think I might have an unused kit in my garage.

I will check tonight and pm you.

Ross.

Hi Ross,

That would be great if you could have a look.

Cheers,

AndrewJ · #13 17-11-2011, 12:43 PM

Gday Paul

Just for a bit more info,
there is a mob who sells a whole pile of "kits"
for hypertuning EQ mounts.
Not sure how good/bad their kits are
but they do mention having encoder disk replacements
for the LXD55/75 motors.
http://www.deepspaceproducts.com/hig...4227_8668.html
May be an alternative if your units are too badly damaged.

Andrew