Randy,

NOW you tell me :-)

On my scope, the tape on the gearbox opening was still completely
sealed tight. I'm afraid I don't have the nerve to take the cover off
the box unless I need to go there as a last resort. Even though I did
regrease the RA gear and worm, the original grease was essentially in
good shape. At this point I am going to assume (I really mean "take
the chance"!) that the grease in the box is still in good shape too.

If I do end up getting back to the gearbox, is it necessary to take
the cover off to clean, inspect and if necessary, remove any
imperfections in the gears? By imperfections, I assume you mean
things like small burrs left behind that would need to be dressed up?
Is there anything else one can do to service the gears inside?

I'm still trying to work out some issues in tracking of unguided
exposures. I can get to 60 seconds or so depending on the location in
the sky, but I would like to squeeze out some additional time. I will
eventually use my ST237A as a guider on a piggyback guidescope with my
Canon digital Rebel.

Thanks,

Dave S.



James Marsden wrote:
> Dave,
>
> If you are doing guided imaging, then the gears inside the gearbox are the
> ones that need to be cleaned. Dirt or imperfections in these gears cause
> periodic and random errors at higher frequencies that require guide
> correction at rates of faster than once per second inorder to achieve good
> quality.
>
> Randy Marsden
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 5:33 PM
> Subject: Re: Flat washer LX200
>
>
>
> I cleaned the RA gear and worm hoping to eliminate that variable in
> resolving tracking issues during imaging. Since I didn't find
> anything nasty when I cleaned and regreased the RA gear and worm, I
> assumed the grease in the gearbox wouldn't be an issue since the green
> tape was still firmly attached over the opening. Now I wonder if I
> should have gone ahead and cleaned the gearbox too. Is that typically
> a potential source of tracking issues?
>
> BTW, I did recall reading in the archives that the wires leading to
> the encoder LEDs are prone to breaking off so while I was at it I put
> a gob of hot melt glue around the wires to lock them in place.
>
> Dave S.
>
>
> John Mahony wrote:
>
>>There are many reports in the archives of Meade leaving metal chips in the
>>base, which get into the grease, but that problem seemed to taper off in
>>the later years of manufacture.
>>If you want to get into the gearbox itself (between the motor and worm),
>>make sure you understand the difficulties involved with the encoder wheel.
>>There is a strip of rubber tape on one side of the gearbox that can be
>>removed to inspect and clean the gears, but don't open the metal side
>>cover without a very good reason, or you'll have to get the encoder mask
>>repositioned, which is not easy.
>>-John
>>
>
>
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