Hi, I have trouble with my Allen key getting the front cover off the STX with the big filter wheel right in the way so there is no room to fit anything but the short end of the Allen key into the socket screws.....using the short end then you are obstructed by the groove to the smallest bit of rotation only.....It takes hours this way.....Do I really have to take off the filter wheel to do this task or is there a better way....? a special tool available....?? Thanks. Regards, Tim
A tip for removing/installing the wheel: if you only install three of the mounting screws, you can remove the wheel without disassembling it per the instructions. Just pop out one filter, and you can access the two inner mounting screws by rotating the carousel.
Thanks Doug, This is such a pain. I would like to get a special tool made to undo those 8 socket screws to get access to the desiccant plug with out having to remove the filter wheel.... I am not at the remote site. Could you please tell me what size Allen key fits into the socket head screws that hold the front cover of my STX16803 in place? Also what is the length of the groove from the front of the casing to the socket head screw? I will get an Allen key bent to the length of the groove. Thanks. Regards, Tim
Hi Colin, This is still a work in progress. My setup is remote (3 hours drive away) so I got the Allen key bent to 1.3 inches in a machine shop before I went out there last weekend and found the bent shaft section was a bit too long - see attached photo. I have now measured the space from the filter wheel casing to the top of the screw head with a Vernier and got 1.2 inches. I will shorten the bent shaft to a fraction less then 1.2 inches and go out to the site in the coming week or so.... I am hoping that once the hex head screws are loosened a bit that they will turn by friction as they rise up and the modified Allen key gets too long for that, otherwise I will need a series of progressively shorter Allen key shafts. I will let you know soon how it goes. Regards, Tim
