Hit exactly 5,000 hours on my telescope mount last night and it shocked me

I was out shooting the Orion Nebula and glanced at my mount's hour counter. 5,000 hours on the dot. That's like 208 full days of just sitting outside tracking stars. I bought this mount used back in 2016 for $400 and figured it would last maybe 2 years. Now I'm wondering if I should get it serviced or just keep going until it dies. Anyone else track their gear hours and get surprised by the number?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_emery24d ago

Oh wow, 5,000 hours on a $400 mount is crazy good luck! I'd say keep running it until something actually breaks, these older mounts can go forever if you keep them greased and the gears happy.

adamthompson24d ago

So wait, you’ve put 5,000 hours on a mount you bought used for $400? Man, that is some serious value right there. Honestly, I’d just keep going until it starts acting up. If the tracking is still smooth and you aren’t hearing grinding noises, you probably don’t need to service it yet. Maybe give the gears a quick wipe and some grease, but don’t tear it down unless it’s giving you trouble. These older mounts were built like tanks compared to the new flimsy stuff. Just enjoy the free time you’ve gotten out of it and save for a backup.

annaw7324d ago

Did you ever clean the gears and regrease them regularly? I had an old CG-5 that I kept alive for years just by doing a simple strip and relube once a year, and it tracked beautifully even past 4,000 hours. Honestly, if it's still running smooth, I'd just keep going and set aside some cash for when it finally gives out.