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instrument to excessive heat or moisture. It
is best to store the telescope in its original
box with the altitude lock knob unlocked. If
shipping the telescope, use the original box
and packing material to protect the
telescope during shipment.
When transporting the telescope, take care
not to bump or drop the instrument; this type
of abuse can damage the optics or affect
the GOTO tracking accuracy.
6.3. Troubleshooting
The following suggestions may be helpful
with operation of the SmartStar
®
E mount or
telescope.
The power indicator light on the mount
does not come on or there is no
response when pressing hand
controller’s arrow keys:
1. Verify that the power switch on the
mount is in the ON position.
2. Verify that the hand controller cord is
firmly connected to the HBX port on the
mount, or switch the cord to the other
HBX port.
3. Check the power source, which include:
o
Using the battery? Are the batteries
installed correctly? Are the
batteries fresh? How long have
they been used? (frequent slew
and GOTO will deplete battery
power very quickly)
o
Using AC or DC adapter? Check the
plugs to the mount and to the
power outlet.
o
Using extension cord? Make sure
the cord is in good condition.
Power drop along the extension
cord was known to cause the
problem. Also check all the plugs
and connections.
1. If the telescope does not respond to
commands, set the power switch to OFF
and then back to ON.
2. If the telescope does not slew after
power is applied or if the motor quits or
stalls, verify that there are no physical
obstructions that would impede
telescope movement.
Cannot seem to focus (No image
appears in the eyepiece):
1. Confirm that the dust cap has been
removed from the telescope.
2. Keep turning the focus knob. Your
telescope has a fine focusing
mechanism which allows you to focus
an image very precisely. However, this
means that you may have to rotate the
focus knob 20 to 40 complete turns to
achieve focus, particularly the first time
you use your telescope. After that, fewer
turns will be needed.
Images through the eyepiece appear
unfocused or distorted:
1. The magnification used may be too high
for the seeing conditions. Back off to a
lower power eyepiece.
2. If inside a warm house or building, move
outside. Interior air conditions may
distort terrestrial (land) or celestial
images, making it difficult, if not
impossible, to obtain a sharp focus. For
optimal viewing, use the telescope
outside in the open air instead of
observing through an open or closed
window or screen.
3. If viewing a land object on a warm day,
heat waves distort the image.
4. The optics within the telescope need
time to adjust to the outside ambient
temperature to provide the sharpest
image. To "cool down" the optics, set
the telescope outside for 10 to 15
minutes before observing begins.
Error Message “Warning! Motor driver
overloaded.”
1. Check the hand controller cord. Unplug
it and re-plug into, or plug it into another
HBX port.
2. Check the power source.
The telescope does not GOTO the right
object, or the alignment is always wrong:
