Posts Made By: Brian Risley

Leonard,
The gear clutches operate just like the manual clutch. They have to be properly engaged to link the gear to the shaft. You say if you run the motors, you can see the gear turn on the clutch. If that is so, then you simply need to engage it. There were 2 types of clutches that I have seen, the type with a side setscrew and the type that are just just a ridged knob. I have the ridged knob style, you simply turn it till it is tight against the gear. This should then engage the motors fully. I presume tightening the screw on the other style engages them.
Make sure that the gear clutch is properly tightened to the shaft. These can work free and can be a source of backlash. With the motor removed, you should be able to move the scope by turning the entire clutch assembly. With care you can try to manually turn the gear, although you may want to use something to protect the fingers if the gear is too sharp.

Make sure that your worm gears a properly engaged and not too tight. With the motor clutches loose and the normal manual clutch engaged, the manual knobs should operate smoothly and not require a lot of pressure to move the scope. If you have to put some force in it, then you may need to adjust the worm. Make sure you are properly balanced too!

Have fun, the SP is a neat little mount.

Brian Risley
AM Celestron Moderator.

Carol learned some more from Joe's brother.
Joe died of heart and lung failure-complications from pneumonia and sleep apnea. Apparently he hadn't been well for quite some time.
Joe was cremated and his ashes will be scattered at Stellafane in May, the plans are not yet finalized.
Brian

I got out for the Io/Callisto double this evening, very nice, but short due to Callisto having started early. It was neat to watch Io leave the disk too. I also stayed out to get the GRS transit, real nice. Used both my 82 fork and 85 SP C-8's. Had a 12.5mm Circle T Ortho in one, and a 12mm Circle V ortho in the other to see what differences I could detect, not much, both well collimated! Seeing was pretty good here both Friday and tonight, we are in between the hurricanes, supposed to get cloudy/rainy here again in SWFL tomorrow with Ike.
If I have one that starts a little later in the evening, I may try some imaging, scopes were just settling down when it was over.

Brian

We always called it simply The Full Moon Clearing Effect. Very noticeable!
Brian

Does the serial # in blue match the number on the corrector? If so, then that is C's number.
Can't tell how the orientation should be, haven't had my 80 mirror our in a while, don't recall how it is marked on the back.
Brian

Be nice if I could see it.
Brian

Nothing apparent yet! This is from 10:49 EST on 11/9/2010.
Meade 2120 LX-6/Toucam
Brian

Here is another image done at 10:55pm EST 11/9/10
Meade 2120 LX-6 Toucam 740, Meade 140 barlow
About 1000 images stacked with Registax 2

Quick stack, need to filter some more frames out. Seeing was 3/5 to 4/5. There was some noticeable turbulence.

New scope setup for me. Still tweaking collimation. Mount was rock steady on the superwedge compared to my 8 OT or SPC-8. Tracks very smoothly.

Brian

James,
I only see electronic parts on their parts website. You would have to contact them and ask about the part you need. At least now they do sell the motors and boards for a variety of mounts.
Brian

Jeff,
Uncle Rod answered you in the Equipment Talk forum. My only comment is that if you are going to be on very unlevel ground, the original locked triangle tripod did not support any individual leg height adjustment. I happen to use a Criterion Golden Pyramid Tripod (the Meade tripod's were similar) and later Celestron tripods used individual height leg adjustments, some with a center spreader that tightened and some with just supports. After working with a new CPC tripod, I found that to be a very nice tripod too and it gets my recommendation. They are not cheap however nor readily available in the used marketplace. (Level is not required for wedge based work, but if you want to quickly setup repeatedly at different spots and not have to do wedge altitude adjustments, being level is important. Also, too much out of level may unbalance your setup, especially if you add additional stuff on your scope.)

Brian