Horizontal Heavens Observatory "...From  A Galaxy Far, Far Away"
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This page was last updated on 10/08/14.

MI-250 Gemini Control Box - showing internal components

Lightning Induced Ground Surge Takes Out Gemini Controller

After a long very dry record temperature summer (2009), my observatory took an indirect hit from lightning that took out my Gemini controller and a couple of USB hubs and my PC.  The images below show the visibly fried resisters, but I also lost at least three additional resisters that still "appeared" to be normal yet measured "open" with the multi-meter.  I don't have the skills to measure the other components but suspect more defective components.  Looking at the main Gemini board, it looks like repairs would be iffy at best and a full replacement is in order.

-->PC Motherboard fried

(Below) Rev H Gemini Control Box

(Below left) Gemini memory battery.                        (Below right) F1 fuse

(Below left) RS232 chip area.                    (Below right) EPROM L4 v1.04