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Subject: Re: New LX200 Problem
From: Brandon Jones
Reply To: mapug@shore.net
Date: Thu Jan 25 01:47:06 1996

> Hi Everyone,
>
> Just picked up my new 10" LX200 today. I seem to be having a problem with
> it though. When I power on the unit. The declination motor starts moving
> and doesn't stop (well it stops sometimes after about 3-4 laps around and
> 2-3 minutes of waiting). I've tried fiddling with the dec cord. I've
> plugged it in both ways and wiggled the cord but same behavior. The RA
> motor works fine, i.e. I can slew in both directions. If I press either
> the N or S buttons when the unit is in this state, the DEC motor seems to
> strain and the ammeter is nearly pegged and the motor sounds like it's
> straining pretty good.
>
> Has anyone ever seen this behavior?? Does anyone have any ideas what's
> wrong and what the fix is. Guess I'll be on the phone with Meade in the
> morning. If anyone has any ideas, please CC me at spicy@best.com as well
> as reply to the group. I get the digest version so I might not get your
> response until much later.
>
> Thanks for your help and thanks for all the info I've picked up so far from
> this group,
>
> Scott

It sounds like you have the same problem that I have had on the other
motor.The scope rotates the motors to find a magnetic pickup on
the worm wheel.It also looks at the optical encoders as well most
likely.electronic impulse from these have to be read by the scopes
computer for it to set itself up to a start point before you interact
with it and give it some known coordinates into the computer.
Either the magnetic device or the optical pickup are not working
properly and consequently the computer is winding the motor
trying to find the start point.It is a Meade fix it job unless you
have electronic experience.However it is not difficult to remove and
replace the motor assembly if that is the problem and send that
back instead of the whole scope it is up to you to argue the best
path out with Meade customer relations.

Brandon S. Jones