MEADE RCX400 - Eine Leidensgeschichte (a tale of suffering)

Edit (Jan. 2022):
This video was not meant to report all the technical problems and challenges we were faced with. It was actually just made for fun. If you don`t like the music, then feel free to play your own tuba or nose-flute while watching... ;)
As its written in the description, a detailed trouble-shoot report is available (in german). Not a single request came in during the years. Furthermore all the replacement parts are listed in the discription as well.
So, take it calmly!

Yet I gonna say a few words about:
We purchased the RCX400 second hand. It was declared as "defect". Nothing worked when powered ON. first we had to replace the power supply and handcontroller. Then the big problems occured: RCX400 was still dead. We have found a couple of broken wires in the fork-mount. After connecting them, we realised, the maincontrollboard might have not survived.

MEADE support was a disaster!

It was hard to find but we bought a new maincontrollboard from someone who deforked his RCX400 16". When we installed it, we had a first sign of life and some of the routines went down well. But we were faced with new problems: Focus motors did not work. precise: the optical sensor for focusmotors were defective and blocked the motors. We purchased the "focus and collimation kit by Charlie Trump". This solved the problem (Thanks to Charlie - he did an amazing job on this kit).

By now, the RCX400 is working for visual observation. From time to time, alignment procedure fails because its not detecting the home-sensor. Usualy, power-cycling the RCX solves the problem.
Thats the story so far.

At this stage, we think about a complete new control unit for the RCX400, replacing motors and encoders and design a custom-made wedge for equatorial mount. A video with shitty music will follow ;)

after 15 months of troubleshooting, we are finally there. "First Light" with the Meade RCX400 16 Inch telescope!

replacement parts:
230AC/12DC/10A Power Supply
Autostar II Handbox
Meade Maincontrolboard
New Focus and Collimation Kit by Charlie Trump
Home Sensor DEC Axis
Sensor Board DEC Axis

if you like to see a detailed trouble report (in german!) or need some technical help with your RCX400, dont hesitate to send me a message. I`m glad to help you out.

music credits:
Mad World by Gary Jules
Baby Behold by Carvel