My new Coronado SM90 is faulty

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axlefoley
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My new Coronado SM90 is faulty

Post by axlefoley »

Just a couple of weeks short of a year since I purchased it I am now told that it is useless.

Ken Harrison (Merlin66) who has been a tremendous help has it at present since it came back from Meade for repair under warranty and this is what he said.


Alan,
The SM90 etalon is definitely 100% de-contacted.
I've no idea where/ went this happened.

The attached screen shot shows
Top LHS the solar spectrum around Ha (the dark absorption feature near centre).
The associated profile shows the width of the Ha line.....
The top RHS is the SM90. You can see the transmission "bands" are not sharp.....
The bottom shows my SM60. Here you can clearly see the transmission bands and sharp gaps between them. Where the "peak" drops down shows the etalon is "on-band" sitting in the Ha line.

Let me know what you want to do. As per previous, local repair is not an option.
Sorry mate.
Ken

I am in contact with Gary from Anacortes who I purchased it from and he is going out of his way to get some satisfaction from Meade.

I will wait till Gary gets some reply from Meade as to what they are prepared to do to fix my problem before I tell the whole story and post the emails and have a total rant.

Not happy.


Alan
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Re: My new Coronado SM90 is faulty

Post by GUS »

I feel for you Alan, these things aren't cheap, I went through 3 Etalons before I got one that was okay. I hope it all gets sorted for you soon.


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Re: My new Coronado SM90 is faulty

Post by pedro »

I also had to deal with two decontacted Coronado Etalons. I also hope you get this sorted as soon as possible.


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Re: My new Coronado SM90 is faulty

Post by marktownley »

Not good :( Hope things are resolved swiftly


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axlefoley
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Re: My new Coronado SM90 is faulty

Post by axlefoley »

Meade has replied and will accept it back to fix for a second time so I'm waiting for what they call a RAN then Ken will send it back to be repaired again.
Meanwhile I'm well over $500 in postage, but It's my fault for not buying a Lunt.


Alan
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Re: My new Coronado SM90 is faulty

Post by highfnum »

i almost pulled trigger on one of these(SM90) a while back
wait time was too long
so I decided to build my own similar scope with Lunt parts
that cost me 1900 dollars US
no regrets

Larry and I did an article about it in local WAA newsletter
http://www.westchesterastronomers.org/newsletter/

select september 2014 pdf

im sure they will make good on replacement but lost time and money is no fun


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Re: My new Coronado SM90 is faulty

Post by swisswalter »

Hi Alan

I'm sorry to read that. Hope after another run they will sort out the problem. A total frust which I went trough too some years ago.


Only stardust in the wind, some fine and some less fine scopes, filters and adapters as well. Switzerland 47 N, 9 E, in the heart of EUROPE :)

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from 7.01 pm - 6.59 am http://www.wastronomiko.com some times vice versa ;)
axlefoley
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Re: My new Coronado SM90 is faulty

Post by axlefoley »

Appreciate your thoughts guys, thanks, only good thing is we have our wet season approaching for the next few months so probably won't have much sun to view.


Alan
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Re: My new Coronado SM90 is faulty

Post by axlefoley »

Well my SM90 is on its way back to Meade to be repaired again, I'm over $700 in postage now since I purchased it nearly 1 year ago.

To say I'm pi$$ed would be an understatement.


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Re: My new Coronado SM90 is faulty

Post by marktownley »

Can understand that mate :(


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Re: My new Coronado SM90 is faulty

Post by axlefoley »

Just an update on my SM90 it's 14 months now since I purchased it and it was returned to Meade for a second time to be fixed and this time they've had it since mid November and that's it,,,,,,nothing nada zip.

Still PI$$ED


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Re: My new Coronado SM90 is faulty

Post by marktownley »

I bet :o


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Re: My new Coronado SM90 is faulty

Post by GUS »

Sorry to hear that Alan, hopefully it gets sorted soon.


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Re: My new Coronado SM90 is faulty

Post by eroel »

Alan:
I know how it feels, I have changed my Solarmax 90 external etalon several times, the last one was decontacted.
The last change of etalon did it, I am now very happy with the instrument.
Hope that Meade will replace yours.
Best wishes,
Eric.


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Re: My new Coronado SM90 is faulty

Post by swisswalter »

Hi Alan

I can feel with you, but can't help.


Only stardust in the wind, some fine and some less fine scopes, filters and adapters as well. Switzerland 47 N, 9 E, in the heart of EUROPE :)

from 7 am - 7 pm http://www.nanosys.ch

from 7.01 pm - 6.59 am http://www.wastronomiko.com some times vice versa ;)
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