Repair Meade GoTo mount (Meade ETX-105ETC)

Product Description

Problem:
A Meade ETX-105ETC GoTo mount no longer moved in the right ascension axis, and scratching noises were also detected when attempting to control the mount.

Solution & Procedure:
In the first step, the telescope is carefully removed from the mount. With the plastic click mounts, care must be taken to ensure that nothing breaks off.

In the second step, the screws on the base of the mount are loosened – they are often located behind the glued-on anti-slip rubbers (3).

In the third step, the individual electronic components are checked to see if all connectors are jammed, cables are tight, or other problems are visible.
 This also includes grease on circuit boards and contacts. In this case, both the connector for controlling the angle axis and the circuit board had come loose from the screw connection.

In the fourth pass, the screws were secured with Loctite and the loose connector was clamped to prevent the problem from occurring again in the future.

In the fifth pass, the gear mechanism was tested, greased, and checked for smooth operation.

In the sixth pass, the test was successful: the motor ran quietly and all axes could be controlled easily via the controller.
The mount was resealed, cleaned, and new anti-slip rubbers were installed.