Telescope Reviews: Is the LXD-75...

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Equipment Discussions >> Mounts

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orlyandico
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 08/10/09

Loc: Singapore

Re: Is the LXD-75... new

[Re: rmollise]
#4374025 - 02/09/11 08:45 AM

I think the goto errors on the LXD75 are due to the *BLEEP*-poor encoder wheels on the motors.

This is why Deep Space Products sells upgraded encoder wheels for the LXD75. :-)

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rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: Is the LXD-75... new

[Re: orlyandico]
#4374040 - 02/09/11 08:56 AM

Quote:

I think the goto errors on the LXD75 are due to the *BLEEP*-poor encoder wheels on the motors.

This is why Deep Space Products sells upgraded encoder wheels for the LXD75. :-)

I know they are thin, flimsy, easily damaged and separate from the motors.

I do think the LXD 75 is somewhat better than it used to be, but the last star party I was at a couple of dudes had stripped their 75 down to parade rest to try to deal with slipping transfer gears.

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Don Allen
professor emeritus

Reged: 07/07/05

Loc: Charleston, SC

Re: Is the LXD-75... new

[Re: rmollise]
#4374318 - 02/09/11 11:52 AM

Uncle Rod,

The gears were the issue with my LXD75. No matter how I adjusted them they would continue to slip.

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jgraham
Postmaster

Reged: 12/02/04

Loc: Dayton, Ohio

Re: Is the LXD-75... new

[Re: Don Allen]
#4374398 - 02/09/11 12:34 PM

Hmmm, 6 years and 2 LXD75's later mine have always given excellent service. Accurate GoTo's require good calibration and drive training, most of the problems I've seen were due to skipping the calibration step. A good power source is a big help as well. The few cases of gears slipping that I've seen were easily fixed with a spot of Locktite on the set screws. At least that has been my experience.

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DaveE
professor emeritus

Reged: 12/08/10

Loc: Long Island, NY USA

Re: Is the LXD-75... new

[Re: jgraham]
#4374481 - 02/09/11 01:12 PM

All I want is a portable mount that's goto/tracking PLUS easy enough for grab-n-go without power... take it out back, mount the scope, point and enjoy without power, aligning, or the controller, just like my Vixen porta. Only if I want goto/tracking will I bring the battery out and align it.

But this mount needs to be able to hold anything from a little 6lb 80mm refractor to a big 15lb 5" job with a piggybacked guide scope. The reason is I don't really want to spend twice on two mounts.

But what I'm finding out is you can't have it all... I need to buy a good manual alt-az for grab-n-go like my Vixen porta but one that can handle 15lbs... but then I also need to just bite the bullet and buy an Atlas too.

-Dave

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ch2co
sage

Reged: 07/28/09

Loc: Rocky Mountain High USA

Re: Is the LXD-75... new

[Re: DaveE]
#4374516 - 02/09/11 01:32 PM

My 4.25" f15 home built Jaegers scope is too much for my hypertuned LXD 75 scope to handle. Not by a lot but I wouldn't want to use it for anything but light duty viewing (public star parties etc.) I ended up getting an Atlas mount for it and WOW the difference! True the Atlas is quite a handful to carry around, but for any serious viewing or AP it was the only way to go. My C8 scope does work very well on the LDX-75 mount though.

As for slipping gears, the gear chain is one of the greatest weaknesses of the LXD-75. Replace that cobbled up mess of a cheap cheap gear train with a Warp Drive belt. You won't be disappointed. And no I am not associated in any way with WarpDrive.

Dark. Clear, Still Skies and warmer weather
Chuck the Grumpy Gator

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avarakin
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 07/13/09

Loc: Parsippany NJ, USA

Re: Is the LXD-75... new

[Re: rmollise]
#4375339 - 02/09/11 08:11 PM

Quote:

Quote:

2. Goto errors of about 3degree in the worst case
Otherwise tracking and motors were running just fine.

Alex

Three degrees doesn't constitute "better" in my book. My CG5 has placed objects on the small chip of my Stellacam since day one.

Rod, Three degrees was under HUGE load - 40 pounds of 10" F5 reflector with old fashioned thick metal tube.
Under normal load like 15 pounds of 5" F5 plus imaging gear, I am also getting my target in the center of APS-C chip.
My point was that even under such huge load, the mount was still performing reasonably well - it was stable, motors were moving the scope just fine, tracking was accurate enough for visual.
Given some effort, probably I could've solved this goto accuracy issue, just never felt that such configuration is really workable, mostly because EP is too high and rotating such tube might be not too easy even with Wilcox rings. I am still new to this hobby and at this point I dont see observing from a ladder as fun, I'd rather have my butt sitting while observing

Alex

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bardo
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 09/13/09

Loc: US

Re: Is the LXD-75... new

[Re: avarakin]
#4375384 - 02/09/11 08:33 PM

my LXD75 doesnt have gear slip. I have bought two used over the years and they always had it though. but its almost always from someone trying to hypertune that really shouldnt have bothered and put it together less than optimal. usually a quick little shim in the right places will fix any of that type of stuff. the motors like to pull themselves away from the worm gear when torqued down. really not a big deal.

i think for what the OP wants the mount would be just fine.

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ch2co
sage

Reged: 07/28/09

Loc: Rocky Mountain High USA

Re: Is the LXD-75... new

[Re: avarakin]
#4375626 - 02/09/11 11:10 PM

Alex writes: "- 40 pounds of 10" F5 reflector"
_____________________________________________________________

Woah! Way way over loaded. I know that Mead shipped this mount with a 10" Schmidt-Newtonian, but never have I seen this mount behave well under this load, 3* pointing accuracy is NOT acceptable, you will damage the mount and its driving components. Get ye at least an Atlas with this sort of load.

Chuck the Grumpy Gator

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Scott Beith
SRF

Reged: 11/26/03

Loc: Frederick, MD

Re: Is the LXD-75... new

[Re: gdd]
#4376443 - 02/10/11 11:49 AM

Quote:

I believe the LXD-75 is supposed to be similar to both the CG-5 and the Orion SkyView Pro. All of these are clones of the Vixen GP.

Gale

Correct

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rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: Is the LXD-75... [Re: Scott Beith]
#4376770 - 02/10/11 02:05 PM

Quote:

Quote:

I believe the LXD-75 is supposed to be similar to both the CG-5 and the Orion SkyView Pro. All of these are clones of the Vixen GP.

Gale

Correct

Yep...but from different manufacturers, with Synta producing the Celestron and Orion branded mounts.

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