Telescope Reviews: Thought I had ruined my Argo Navis...a warning

Hi All

While setting up for imaging last night I found that the Dec readout on my Argo Navis wasn't working.

I didn't have much time for a full investigation as I wanted to get on with the imaging but I did try swapping the dec and az leads around and narrowed it down to a problem with either the handbox or the leads as both encoders were working fine.

Anyway in the light of a new day I turned it on this morning and found that there was no display at all!

I also smelled a rusty musty smell from the handbox and immedialtely knew what the problem might be.

I took off the battery cover and yes like an idiot I had left the batteries in (for months) and they had totally ooozed and there was brown runny sticky stuff everywhere

Oh no I thought it is goosed!

So I took it all apart and thoroughly cleaned it all...some was on the circuit board as well which I throughly cleaned and dried ...must have been a drop shorting something out causing the initial dec readout problem.

All the battery contact springy wires were rotted through!

Anyway after a thorough clean I plugged it in and it all works fine

I only left the batteries in because sometimes in use the power plug had pulled out entailing a re alignment...it is always used with a power supply as it is permanently in my observatory.....I KNOW..it says clearly in the book don't leave batteries in so I know I shouldn't have done...I have slapped my own wrists

So I have removed all remnants of coroded battery springs and sealed off the wires to the battery compartment.

I have securely taped the power plug on the handbox so it doesn't fall out in use.

So have a check on your batts if they have been in any of your equipment a while and take them out when not in use!

A lesson learned.:o

BTW I am sure if I would have had to have the Argo repaired I would have got good service...I have had some excellent immediate replies from Gary at Wildcard Innovations to my questions over the years..great customer service.

Tom