6 replies to this topic

[TheDudeAbides]

Hello all,

 

First time caller not so long time listener. Last year I inherited a Meade LXD 75 mount with a 6" schmidt newtonian scope. I have had a lot of fun discovering the night sky with it and started to take a few photos (unsuccessfully) with it. This forum has been a great resource for improving my knowledge of German Equatorial Mounts and how they track objects in the sky, so thank you to all 15 years worth of posters.

 

A few months back, I was slewing to a target and the counter weight bar caught on the tripod. I wasn't able to turn off the mount for a couple of seconds and now when slewing on the R.A. axis there is a nasty noise. Following the guides posted on this site http://www.weasner.com/lxd/index.html I have been able to remove the R.A. motor housing and discovered that the horrible sound is coming from the R.A. motor. At first I thought it was the encoder wheel rubbing against the LED sensor and tried to center it between the LED and sensor.  I thought maybe I damaged the encoder wheel with my meaty paws but when I put the mount back together it was slewing properly at all speeds.  So, now I am taking apart the motor to see where the sound is coming from.

 

In the advent that something in the motor needs to be replaced or maybe even the slightly damaged encoder wheel, does anyone know where I can find parts for this 20 year old mount?

 

Sleepless in Toronto,

Mark

[Gabby76]

Contact Telescope Warehouse, they may be able to help you out. Normally good for all things older Meade.

https://telescope-warehouse.com

 

Since you are in Canada, you could take a look at the ads here. Someone may have a LXD-75 for sale and if it works well you could use it or yours as a parts mount

https://www.astrobuysell.com/in

 

The last possibility I can think of is the Explore Scientific EXOS-2 goto mount is (supposedly) a clone of the LXD-75. Perhaps you could get parts from ES or find a used one.

 

Hopefully you can get it repaired soon. 

 

 

Just found this, expensive though.

https://www.teleskop...ass-mounts.html

Edited by Gabby76, 02 December 2022 - 01:55 PM.

[charles genovese]

Hey

Most likely stripped a gear.

I have various parts. PM me

 

Charles

Edited by charles genovese, 04 December 2022 - 02:50 PM.

[TheDudeAbides]

Thanks for the links Gabby. I've started down the rabbit hole of the astrobuysell  . There is a much better market than I suspected.

 

 

Just found this, expensive though.

https://www.teleskop...ass-mounts.html

 

Charles, I think you nailed it. I took apart the motor, took some pictures, cleaned and greased the parts before putting it back together. Here is, what I believe is the offending plastic gear.

https://www.cloudyni...-squished-gear/

 

I straightened the teeth of the gear using a razor blade. It looks a little more regular and when I turned the motor manually, it seemed to not catch on the mashed gear. 

 

When I put the mount fully back together, the R.A. was running away as soon as I completed the date and time on the autostar hand set. The motor and gears sounded much better though! I was able to stop the gears by selecting align-->easy. Strangely, the display on the handset stopped displaying the alphanumerics at times. Soooo, I connected the handset to Meade's autostar suite through my computer and drove the mount that way. I was able to reset the handset and train the drive. I was then able to run the motors at all slew speeds.

 

Looking at the R.A. worm gear turn at slower slew speeds, it looked pretty smooth. No intermittent catching.

 

Of course, I created a new problem. While alternating between EAST and WEST at a slow slew speed (3 or 4) to check the backlash. There was a puff of smoke and now the mount only slews in one direction on the Right Ascension axis. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[TheDudeAbides]

To close the loop on this thread, I'm back tracking accurately across the night sky with Charles's help. I've got a "new to me" R.A. motor assembly. I swapped out mine and calibrated the motor and voila accurate goto's.

[Wigleydh]

For future reference, the even older LDX55 has most the same parts, so parts from those could help if could be found. The LXD75 has bearings but the LXD55 has bushings on the axis.

Edited by Wigleydh, 03 January 2023 - 10:46 AM.

[Drothgeb]

Contact Telescope Warehouse, they may be able to help you out. Normally good for all things older Meade.

https://telescope-warehouse.com

 

Since you are in Canada, you could take a look at the ads here. Someone may have a LXD-75 for sale and if it works well you could use it or yours as a parts mount

https://www.astrobuysell.com/in

 

The last possibility I can think of is the Explore Scientific EXOS-2 goto mount is (supposedly) a clone of the LXD-75. Perhaps you could get parts from ES or find a used one.

 

Hopefully you can get it repaired soon. 

 

 

Just found this, expensive though.

https://www.teleskop...ass-mounts.html

I have a LXD75 and an EXOS-2. They are clones kinda, but not many parts interchange. The EXOS is a belt drive.