Advance VX Celestron Mounts

Discuss Celestron mounts.
Post Reply
arizawilliams
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2021 3:21 am
2
Location: Kings Lynn UK
Status:
Offline

Advance VX Celestron Mounts

#1

Post by arizawilliams »


Hi All,

I am not one for any form of social media, I joined to share my recent experience with a Celestron product which I felt was important to get out there.

It is by no means a complaint, but I recently have had issues guiding with my Advanced VX mount, I started looking for a new mount and came across a website that talked about micro tuning, I felt as an engineer I could do this myself and took the mount apart, my mount is still in warranty (or was) but I was really surprised, both the worm gears were done up so tight I could not move them.

My mount is just over a year old and I have never had it apart until now, I could not believe how tight both worm gears were, I have since adjusted them to a comfortable feel with no play and they now move freely.

I think my point here is straight from the manufacturer there may be a fault, the stresses placed on the motors must have been really excessive, my advice when purchasing a mount would be to discuss carefully your needs with the supplier.

I cannot believe a supplier such as Celestron would allow this through quality control, I cannot stress enough how tight the worm gears were.

My advice is be careful who you buy your next mount from, I was going to buy the CGX-L but I have decided to go with skywatcher as a result.

I hope anyone out there running an Advance VX is encouraged to get this looked at, it may be OK but there again it may not?

Regards
Dave
User avatar
turboscrew
Inter-Galactic Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 3233
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2020 9:22 am
3
Location: Nokia, Finland
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

Re: Advance VX Celestron Mounts

#2

Post by turboscrew »


I guess, these things happen. My iOptron CEM120 is being fixed for binding.
- Juha

Senior Embedded SW Designer
Telescope: OrionOptics XV12, Mount: CEM120, Tri-pier 360 and alternative dobson mount.
Grab 'n go: Omegon AC 102/660 on AZ-3 mount
Eyepieces: 26 mm Omegon SWAN 70°, 15 mm TV Plössl, 12.5 mm Baader Morpheus, 10 mm TV Delos, 6 mm Baader Classic Ortho, 5 mm TV DeLite, 4 mm and 3 mm TV Radians
Cameras: ZWO ASI 294MM Pro, Omegon veLOX 178C
OAG: TS-Optics TSOAG09, ZWO EFW 7 x 36 mm, ZWO filter sets: LRGB and Ha/OIII/SII
Explore Scientific HR 2" coma corrector, Meade x3 1.25" Barlow, TV PowerMate 4x 2"
Some filters (#80A, ND-96, ND-09, Astronomik UHC)
Laptop: Acer Enduro Urban N3 semi-rugged, Windows 11
LAT 61° 28' 10.9" N, Bortle 5

I don't suffer from insanity. I'm enjoying every minute of it.

Image
User avatar
Lady Fraktor Slovakia
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 9860
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2019 9:14 pm
4
Location: Slovakia
Status:
Offline

Re: Advance VX Celestron Mounts

#3

Post by Lady Fraktor »


I would say this is not a very common occurrence, normally the AVX is a good basic mount with the odd quirk. :)
Normally they give good service for many years.
Any issues should be addressed to the manufacturer if it is under warranty as they may decide to just replace the mount.

Celestron and Skywatcher are made by the same company though, Skywatcher is just the Synta house brand with Celestron right behind.

Personally I am preferring Vixen mounts now though I still own a Celestron ASGT (forerunner of the AVX) and a Celestron CG-5 (manual version of the ASGT)
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
The only culture I have is from yogurt
My day was going well until... people
Image
User avatar
Bigzmey United States of America
Moderator
Moderator
Articles: 8
Offline
Posts: 7548
Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 7:55 pm
4
Location: San Diego, CA USA
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

Re: Advance VX Celestron Mounts

#4

Post by Bigzmey »


Welcome on board Dave! I had similar experience with my Skytee 2 mount from SkyWatcher. It arrived with sticky grease and so tight that I could not move it on any axes at all. After degreasing and adjusting it works fine. As a customer you are right to be upset, but I don't believe overall quality control of SkyWatcher is any better than Celestron.
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.

Observing: DSOs: 3106 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2180, S110: 77). Doubles: 2382, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 255
arizawilliams
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2021 3:21 am
2
Location: Kings Lynn UK
Status:
Offline

Re: Advance VX Celestron Mounts

#5

Post by arizawilliams »


Hi all
Thanks for the responses, it was interesting to see these responses, it was surprising to see this is common, when I do upgrade I may consider voiding the warranty from the start.
This is an issue that in my view should be corrected by the manufacturer.
I'll be honest I am not upset, I fully appreciate that the employees of the manufacturer are just doing a job.
Binding of the worm gear is not something that would be immediately obvious.
In view of everyone's comments I will keep my options open, I would like to hear everyone's opinion on choosing between the CGX and the EQ8, these are my short list.
Would appreciate points of view.

Dave
User avatar
JayTee United States of America
Universal Ambassador
Articles: 2
Offline
Posts: 5619
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 3:23 am
4
Location: Idaho, USA
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Advance VX Celestron Mounts

#6

Post by JayTee »


I have personal experience with the AVX mount. Mine is an older model from 2012 and back then the mounts tended to be very loosy goosy in both axes. They were as sloppy as a hungry hobo eating soup!

We have quite a few CGX and CGX-L owners on this site and very few have reported any of the problems that have plagued the AVX mount. Something tells me that if you bought 5 AVX mounts all 5 would exhibit slightly different odd characteristics and none of those characteristics would be the same. Just MHO.

Cheers,
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°

Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."

Image
User avatar
Juno16 United States of America
Universal Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 8195
Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 3:13 pm
4
Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Advance VX Celestron Mounts

#7

Post by Juno16 »


I’m right there with JT @JayTee .

There are a few “gems” out there, but mostly the mounts are challenging to work with for AP.

I own an AVX and it is a nice mount for visual work. Beginning AP is doable as long as the copy that you have doesn’t misbehave too badly. There are several weak points that can be slightly remedied, but not easily corrected. After you get to know its quirks, they can be worked with as best as one can.
Mine ran well enough for me to get into AP and I feel that it fulfilled its purpose.
Just recently, my AVX developed “quirks” that I couldn’t deal with (I didn’t want to deal with) and I had to move on.
Jim

Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), Orion 50mm Guide Scope, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, Orion SSAG, IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
User avatar
SkyHiker United States of America
Local Group Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 2293
Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 8:40 pm
4
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Advance VX Celestron Mounts

#8

Post by SkyHiker »


That sounds a bit too negative to me. With moderate expectations the AVX is fine. Some users do excellent work with an AVX, for instance Mac (memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=495), check out his threads. The AVX is also easy to tune (worm tension, backlash compensation). While I moved on to a G11S/OnStep, I still use my AVX for wide field and have few complaints. Up to 1000 mm within the load capacity it should be decent.
... Henk. :D Telescopes: GSO 12" Astrograph, "Comet Hunter" MN152, ES ED127CF, ES ED80, WO Redcat51, Z12, AT6RC, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Mounts and tripod: Losmandy G11S with OnStep, AVX, Tiltall, Cameras: ASI2600MC, ASI2600MM, ASI120 mini, Fuji X-a1, Canon XSi, T6, ELPH 100HS, DIY: OnStep controller, Pi4b/power rig, Afocal adapter, Foldable Dob base, Az/Alt Dob setting circles, Accessories: ZWO 36 mm filter wheel, TV Paracorr 2, Baader MPCC Mk III, ES FF, SSAG, QHY OAG-M, EAF electronic focuser, Plossls, Barlows, Telrad, Laser collimators (Seben LK1, Z12, Howie Glatter), Cheshire, 2 Orion RACIs 8x50, Software: KStars-Ekos, DSS, PHD2, Nebulosity, Photo Gallery, Gimp, CHDK, Computers:Pi4b, 2x running KStars/Ekos, Toshiba Satellite 17", Website:Henk's astro images
arizawilliams
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2021 3:21 am
2
Location: Kings Lynn UK
Status:
Offline

Re: Advance VX Celestron Mounts

#9

Post by arizawilliams »


Thanks everybody
Some very useful information and mixed opinions and feelings about the AVX, I have stripped cleaned and modified mine, I have not had a chance to use it though, weather is terrible and unpredictable here in the UK.
I am lucky as I have built my own roll off roof observatory, so it's on a fixed post which is very stable, so hopefully my results will improve.
I do intend to upgrade the mount, when I do I will use the AVX as a portable.
But for now just waiting for the weather to improve.
Once again thanks everyone
Post Reply

Create an account or sign in to join the discussion

You need to be a member in order to post a reply

Create an account

Not a member? register to join our community
Members can start their own topics & subscribe to topics
It’s free and only takes a minute

Register

Sign in

Return to “Celestron mounts”