On 12/2/2015 9:32 PM, Jeff Smith wrote:
Happy days, I can't believe I missed this. The problem is my power supply. It works like a charm if I jack it directly into my car's power point.
Glad you found the problem. An economical volt meter is a good thing to have in your tool kit. BTW, I run my 8i without any batteries in their compartment. They do not last very long, esp. in colder weather And, if you continue to run off a separate power source (recommended), you might find they have begun to corrode the next time you think about them. I also tie a simple knot in the PS cord while it is wrapped around the lower part of the support arm. That way you avoid putting excess strain on the end plug, as well as the connector on the base of the Nexstar. Even tho you set your mount to avoid cord wrap, this can happen. Radio Shack carried an exactly sized fitting to go on the end of your power cable, but since they are now deceased, I don't know where to look for them. I speak from experience, as I destroyed the tip on my cord--and not at the start-I had been using the scope for a couple of years when it happened. There is an excellent Nexstar resource site run by Mike Swanson, _www.nexstarsite.com_. He also offers a resource book, if you are interested, but most of the info is posted to the site. 73