Meade LX200 toc 2. N/S Switch, toc 3. Ammeter, toc 4. DEC Motor Connector, toc 5. CCD Connector

CCD Connector Pin LX200 Assignment

#1#Normally Closed

#2West

#3North

#4Ground

#5South

#6East

Meade Instruments Corporation - Meade LX200 Instruction Manuals

Display reads 'Meade LX200', then the version of the software is indicated briefly before defaulting to the TELESCOPE/ OBJECT LIBRARY. Within 15 seconds, the planetary orbital calculations with their corresponding apparent sizes and magnitudes, and current stellar precession calculations are made. Every computer function is checked, and the LX200 diagnostics is complete.

[ toc ] 2. N/S Switch

The recessed N/S Switch (8, Fig. 7) converts the LX200 for operation in the Northern or Southern hemisphere, making the drive reverse its' tracking direction. Before power up, the appropriate N or S switch position should be made, as the LX200 will not recognize a change made on the N/S switch afterwards. Use a pen or small tool to slide the switch appropriately. Be sure before you travel across the equator, that you are setting the proper + or - latitude SITE entry for your final destination.

[ toc ] 3. Ammeter

The Ammeter display (1, Fig. 7) is a series of vertical red LED bars. Each bar that is fully lit represents 0.1 ampere (100 milli-amperes) of current draw. The LED Ammeter represents its' lowest value on the extreme left of the scale. During normal tracking speeds, the Ammeter will show about four fully lit LED bars and at times a fifth that is partially lit, indicating about 400 to 450 milliamps or 0.4 to 0.45 amps of current draw (when a slew in initiated, the ammeter will peg the scale momentarily showing the inertia load, this effect is entirely normal). The current draw information can be useful if you are trying to calculate how much battery life you will have during an observing run. As an example, if the ammeter has four bars lit, indicating 0.4 amps and you are using a 12 amp hour battery, then to know the approximate number of hours of life the battery would yield, you would divide 12 by 0.4 indicating a battery life of 30 hours.

[ toc ] 4. DEC Motor Connector

The DEC Motor Port (11, Fig. 7) is an 8 pin phone jack connector socket, designed to accept standard 8 pin phone jack coil cords. One end of the supplied coil cord plugs in to the Power Panel and the other plugs into the DEC MOTOR socket in the right fork arm to power the declination motor.

[ toc ] 5. CCD Connector

The CCD Port (10, Fig. 7) allows direct interface from popular aftermarket CCD autoguiding/imaging cameras with their compatible connecting cables to accomplish autoguiding for non-attended astrophotography. The CCD cameras effectively watch a star and detect slight movements. When star movements are detected, signals from the CCD electronics make drive corrections in the LX200, to bring the star to a home position.

Most CCD autoguiding/imaging cameras are supplied with a cable which is compatible with the LX200 port. If your CCD unit does not have a cable, one can be obtained from the

CCD manufacturer, or you can make your own cable using the following table of information.

[ toc ] 6. Power 12vDC Connector

The Power 12v DC connector (9, Fig. 7) is designed to accept either the AC Converter that is supplied as standard equipment with the LX200 or the DC Power Cord that is available as optional equipment. The acceptable voltage range (under load) is from 12 to 18 volts.

[ toc ] 7. Keypad Connector

The Keypad connector (6, Fig. 7) is a 4 pin phone jack connector socket, designed to accept standard 4 pin phone jack coil cords. One end of the supplied coil cord plugs into the Keypad port, the other end plugs into

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