8"LX-90 led lights-nothing else happens

[kb0ovy]

My 8" LX-90 has functioned well since purchasing it, but after an extenal battery died, and was replaced with a new one, I have been unable to get any response from the Autostar controller. The LED for power on the telescope fork lights, and I have 12 volts to that point. Are there any fuses, resets, or other fixes?

[John S.]

Did your old battery die or short out? If it shorted out it might have fried something. Are you sure about the polarity connection of the new battery? I am unaware of any fuses and such, I don't think there is anything like that.

Does the autostar slew the scope at all?
Have you tried a reset of your autostar or can you beg, steal or borrow another autostar and try if it would work?

One more thing, check your cable and connectors at both ends,...it could be a cable issue.

By any chance did you upgrade your Autostar firmware lately? There are two versions out there one for the "old" autostar and one for the "new" one. They are not cross compatible.

Sorry for all the questions.
 
John

[kb0ovy]

Hi John,
No problem on all the questions!

Not sure if it shorted out or just died. Polarity of the new one was correct. As with you, I don't know of any fuses, etc., but thought someone might know something I don't.

The Autostar is completely black-no beeps either.

I've been hoping to get together with someone, to try another autostar-or put mine on theirs to eliminate that problem, but not many of those in Eastern SD!

I did try re-crimping the ends of the cable, and even made a new cable-doesn't change the problem.

No upgrades of the autostar on my end.

Thanks for your response and help!

[lx90715]

My 2 cents......My LX90 came unplugged from an external source...and I plugged it back in without turning the scope off. This fried the circuitry inside and I had to send it back to Meade to replace the boards. Make sure if it comes unplugged, or battery dies......you shut the scope off before you re introduce power.


Kory

[John S.]

thanks for the two cents Kory! That's an important thing to know!

John

[kb0ovy]

Thanks for the help, John, and Kory, I suspect that something may have fried (of course hoping nothing did). Will probably modify the external power cord with velcro or something to hold it in place no matter what I actually find. Have been a bit busy, so I haven't finished the troubleshooting part that I can do yet. Hoping to work on troubleshooting maybe this weekend.