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Subject: (Not quite) a slew disaster
From: Rick Bright
Reply To: mapug@shore.net
Date: Sat Jan 28 13:28:02 1995

It figures that I'd erase my archive copy of the message thread entitled "Slew disaster in Philly" just two days before it happens to me.

I was working with my LX-200, in my garage, taking flat fields and dark frames with my ST-7 CCD when the mount started to rotate and elevate all by itself. It was the darndest thing! It started out very slowly, barely noticable, then steadily accelerated up to full speed. Good thing I was set to the slowest slew speed or my cables might have pulled my computer right off it's table! This was the second time I'd used this LX-200.

Remembering this prior message thread (was it from you Robert?) I immediately checked the output of the 12vdc to 18vdc converter. Sure enough, the output voltage was 11.9vdc no-load and 11.4 vdc under full load. The battery voltage at the time was 12.3 vdc. I took a peek inside the converter (it looked like a converter) and got another suprise. The cover had two different sizes of screw in it. Two of them were too small and could be slid right out. Sounds like the first tripod I received. QA?

Could the originator of the "Slew disaster in Philly" please drop me a note about how the problem with your converter turned out? Meanwhile I'll have to go back to my dealer, or Meade about this.

It might be a good idea for the rest of you with relatively new LX-200's to check the output of your converters also, just in case. I expect that it should be between 18 - 22vdc (like the AC adapter's output).

Richard Bright (rick_b@fred.net)