Cleaning SCT

[Guest StevenWhatley]

Hi,

 

After my last trip to Badger Farm and the enormous amount of due/ice my corrector plate acquired I've come to the conclusion it needs a good clean, any tips on how to clean an Meade LX90 SCT, I'm nervous about opening it up so as I haven't really got that brave yet to try.

 

Any tips would be VERY helpful

 

PS eyepieces could do with a clean too??

Cheers

[Doc]

Eyepieces are easy just wipe with a micro cloth and Baader wonderfluid.

 

As for your corrector plate, unless it's really bad then don't bother. But if you insist make sure you mark exactly the position of the corrector plate so it goes back in the same place, then undo bolts and clean.

 

Personally I would clean the outside only with baader wonderfluid.

[Guest Tweedledum]

Hi Steven,

 

Am with Doc above. Used to have a 10"LX200. In addition to marking at least three places so that you can put the corrector plate back in exactly the same place, you also need to make sure that any pieces of packing that Meade bless their cotton socks have put in (little pieces of cork, cardboard etc) also are put back.

 

Baader wonderfluid is excellent for cleaning glass.( NOT MIRRORED surfaces). There were setter hairs and all sorts on the inside, never seemed to affect the viewing!!

 

If you do remove, lock the ota in the forks almost vertically so that nothing falls off before you have the chance to remove it. Just be methodical and don't drop the plate!!.

 

God Luck

Edited March 19, 2014 by Tweedledum

[Guest StevenWhatley]

cheers guys I will get some fluid ordered now.

 

Fingers crossed :}

[Guest CodnorPaul]

Yes I have used wonderfluid on my corrector and it comes up a treat - make sure you use a hand air blower first all over, then brush with a soft camel hair brush very carefully, then blow again, then brush again, then blow again - you don't want to drag any grit around the corrector, and don't use canned compressed gas.  Then use the wonderfluid and microfiber cloth very carefully.  I cleaned mine with great results, then looked through it and it looked exactly the same as it did before cleaning - so the moral of that story is to only clean it if you are REALLY certain it needs doing, a dirty corrector doesn't have as much impact as you would expect it too, and the risk of damage is there so it is not worth doing unless really needed.  Wonderfluid and a lens pend work a treat on EPs too (don't try to use a lens pen on the corrector plate though...)

 

Oh - and don't take the corrector out unless you absolutely must - it is a sealed unit so unlikely to be anything on the inside

Edited March 19, 2014 by CodnorPaul

[+Graham]

I am with the rest here, leave well alone unless absolutely necessary.

If you are suffering from dew on the inside get your self one of those desiccant  caps.

That will soon cure any internal dew problems.