Re: Long Term Reliability of Meade/Celestron SCTs

From: RMOLLISE (rmollise_at_aol.com)
Date: 01/24/05 

Date: 24 Jan 2005 05:44:11 -0800

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
> Now recently I purchased a N11GPS with considerable electronics
content
> which has all the makings of being another keeper. The question I
have
> is how have the newer SCTs with the larger electronics content fared
> with age? The rule of thumb is the more complex an apparatus is, the
> more likely it will fail and fail often. So, how has your personal
> experience been in the murky world of SCT reliability?
>

Hi:

As you observe, the more complex a device is, the more likely it is to
fail. However, that doesn't stop us from using computers, DVD players
and the other acouterments of the technological age.

Certainly this is just anecdotal evidence, but still I see quite a few
of the earlier LX200s on observing fields. They are still going strong
a decade or more after they were purchsed. Of course, quite a few
LX200s have undoubtedly bit the dust, too.

One bright spot is that every new generation of computerized scope
design reduces the number of components used it the electronics
package, and, therefore, increases reliability. Other developments
help, too. If you don't mind using a laptop with your Celestron
Nexstar, you can eliminate the hand controller by using the program,
Nexremote. This eliminates one common failure point for goto scopes. It
also helps to always run the scope off a good DC source, and to be
careful with plugs and connections.

But, yes, eventually your goto scope will give up the ghost. What then?
Hard to say. Neither Meade nor Celestron has had a particularly good
track record when it comes to supporting no longer produced scopes. The
best solution, if your aged gotoer dies, may be just to put it on a new
mount. Computerized GEMs are getting better and cheaper all the
time...and you may be ready for all those new features in 10 years,
anyway.

The bottom line, though, is that the most critical element, the OTA
should still be fine. I have a 1973 Orange Tube C8 at the University
that I still use on occasion, and it still presents good views.
Peace,
Rod

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