SynScan PRO GOTO Version 3 Upgrade Kit for EQ5

[Jiggy 67]

Hey all,

I could really use a bit of help. I just purchased the SynScan PRO GOTO Version 3 Upgrade Kit for EQ5 for my EQ5, to use with my brand new SW 200P DS Now I know that there is some previous threads describing the setup of the upgrade to the mount as pretty easy but being new to this mount, I'm really struggling and the manual (???) is woefull, all one glossy page of it!! I can't even work out how to start. Does anyone have access to a step by step guide?? or is able to at least get me started, I can't seem to find anything on the internet. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

[jnc71106]

I have just done mine today and yes the instructions were dreadful

I just winged it in the end because I could find any instructions online someone on here sent me some pics they took when they did there upgrade which were helpful

Check my topics and you should see my thread which has the pics

Jake

[Jiggy 67]

Thanks for that jnc, I'll have to take a day off work to work it out!!! Seriously thinking of complaining to the manufacturers, they obviosly think that we all work for NASA......and yes....what is in that little white pot?!?! and what do you do with it??

[Jiggy 67]

I have just done mine today and yes the instructions were dreadful

I just winged it in the end because I could find any instructions online someone on here sent me some pics they took when they did there upgrade which were helpful

Check my topics and you should see my thread which has the pics

Jake

Jake, are you able to give a quick 1 to 10 of how you did it, understand if you havn't got the time but I'm a bit lost

[jnc71106]

If you can hang until tomorrow I will strip mine down and put it back together taking pictures for you as i go along as well so you have those for reference

And try to write some decent instructions for you too

How does that sound ?

[jnc71106]

ok here goes i hope this helps you a little bit or at least points you in the right direction

will start off with the R.A motor

you will need to remove the housing that is on the mount

undo this screw

and it slides off

now apply some of the grease that came in the white pot to all of the cogs on the motor the small seperate cog and the brass coloured axel that sticks out of the mount

take the long allen bolt and feed it through the back of the mount

there is a hole on the RA motor where the allen bolt screws into line this up and start to tighten the allen bolt, the RA motor should slot in place nicely. take the small cog with the 2 small screws on it and slide it onto the axel. the axel has a flat bit on it line up one of the small screws on the cog with the flat bit and the other on the curved part. push it on until the cogs slot together, you may need to undo that allen bolt a little to get it all in place. then tighten those 2 small screws on the cogs so that they grip on the axel becareful not to over tighten them though. it should then look like this

take the new mount hosing with all the coloured leads and plug the leads into the RA motor

then fix the other piece of housing around the mount and screw the to bits together with the 3 black screws. takes a bit of moving them around to get them flush with the mount but it should end up looking like this

last bit is the DEC motor

cover all the cogs in grease again you will need to remove the small black cover on the DEC motor to be able to get to the cogs just undo the 2 screws and it comes off leave this of while you put the motor in place as it allows you too see that everything is lined up

place the small cog on the axel the same way as before with one screw lined up with the flat part of the axel and the other on the curved bit then tighten the 2 small screws so they grip the axel

put the DEC motor in place making sure the cogs slot together and secure it to the mount using the allen bolt there is a hole in the top of the mount that the allen bolt goes through and into the hole on the DEC motor

put the piece of black housing back on the DEC motor and your done

take one of the leads plug it into the DEC motor and the other end housing on the mount that says DEC out

the other lead goes in the RA socket on the housing and then in the top of the power unit. plug the handset into the power unit power it up and check the motors work freely increse the rate to the maximum to make sure the motors dont jamm if they do you will need to make small adjustments to the cog placements like i had to. but if you follow what i have put on here you shouldnt have this problem

hope this has helped you

[Jiggy 67]

Thanks Jake thats outstanding, far more than I expected

[jnc71106]

Thanks Jake thats outstanding, far more than I expected

no worries hopefully it might help other people on this forum in the future as well so they dont have to go through the same thing as us

all the best

jake

[Chris E]

Thats brill, Ive just bought one too, and with no instructions lol, wish me luck, you're are a star JNC )))))))))))))

Edited May 12, 2011 by Chris E

[jnc71106]

Thats brill, Ive just bought one too, and with no instructions lol, wish me luck, you're are a star JNC )))))))))))))

No worries mate I have only changed one thing on my mount since then and that is the placement of the small cog on the RA motor

This bit

I have fitted the small cog the other way so that the 2 screws that you tighten on the cog are on the outside of the mount not the inside. I don't know which way it's meant to go but I had a few issues with the motor jamming a couple of times. Since I swapped which way it was on there I haven't had any issues

[FairviewSteve]

This is a great thread which I will keep an eye on because as soon as I can afford it I will be buying the uprade kit for my EQ5, though mine is white so the black plastic covers will look odd against it. I'll probably have to print this off to follow it.

Can someone answer me a question though, does this kit have a RS232 (i think it is) serial port? I'm interested in driving it from SkySafari and it needs this port to work. Also can an autoguider be plugged in?

I hope the motors are strong, I have a 8kg scope and both counterweights on it, the salesman assured me it would take the weight though.

Steve.

[dmn21]

Brilliant thread Jake - I just upgraded this weekend and it went perfectly with your instructions.

Took me longer to get the three-star alignment sorted than it did to install the motors!

Dan

[jnc71106]

Brilliant thread Jake - I just upgraded this weekend and it went perfectly with your instructions.

Took me longer to get the three-star alignment sorted than it did to install the motors!

Dan

Glad it came in handy dan

Jake

[Mr Bond]

Would this be the same set up for a CG5 Celestron mount (EQ5)?

Terrific thread btw, thanks for the time you've put in!!!

[jnc71106]

Would this be the same set up for a CG5 Celestron mount (EQ5)?

Terrific thread btw, thanks for the time you've put in!!!

Not sure tbh I know the mounts are almost identical not sure on the goto kits though

Sorry I couldn't help more

Jake

[Mr Bond]

No worries, thanks all the same Jake.

[Thelonious]

If this will be of any use, here's a few pictures I've done when I was confused and asked for advice whether or not I got the cogs right. Turned out I got them correct!

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/3646/dec1d.jpg

http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/8384/dec2h.jpg

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/5532/ra1bb.jpg

http://img806.imageshack.us/img806/9611/ra2j.jpg

[FairviewSteve]

Excellent guide, got my upgrade kit fixed to the mount now and all seems well! Have to wait though until the skies clear to check out the go-to capability!!

[jnc71106]

Excellent guide, got my upgrade kit fixed to the mount now and all seems well! Have to wait though until the skies clear to check out the go-to capability!!

Good to hear Steve glad you got on ok

Jake

[Jiggy 67]

Jake's done a great job here and put up perfect instructions. Given that the instructions that come with the kit are completely inadequate, is it possible that Admin couls make Jake's walkthrough a sticky??....they are obviously helping a good few members.

The only thing I would add is something most people would find obvious......but I didn't and had to ask on the forums....duh!!!! but for those like me.....you might have to move the positions of the RA and Dec locking levers. Mine caught and jammed on the housing whilst slewing. Just unscrew them via the centre screw and move them round on the rod so when you lock both axis and slew, they stay well away from the housings

[FairviewSteve]

Jake's done a great job here and put up perfect instructions. Given that the instructions that come with the kit are completely inadequate, is it possible that Admin couls make Jake's walkthrough a sticky??....they are obviously helping a good few members.

Seconded!

[steelfixer]

sorry just posting this so i can find it again tomorrow.

[AndyUK]

Would this be the same set up for a CG5 Celestron mount (EQ5)?

Hiya - I had an EQ5 Synscan upgrade post-fitted to my CG5 when I had one - It works a treat .

The only thing you need to be aware of (and I think it may have been alluded to in the thread above), is that the upgrade kit is also for the EQ3/2, which seems to require the cog to be fitted the other way round (and on mine, the EQ3/2 requirement was "the default". On goto's it initially flew around in some very odd places looking for stars (like looking for Vega under next door's garden ). It's simple enough to reverse the cog though...

[Cornelius Varley]

Hiya - I had an EQ5 Synscan upgrade post-fitted to my CG5 when I had one - It works a treat .

The only thing you need to be aware of (and I think it may have been alluded to in the thread above), is that the upgrade kit is also for the EQ3/2, which seems to require the cog to be fitted the other way round (and on mine, the EQ3/2 requirement was "the default". On goto's it initially flew around in some very odd places looking for stars (like looking for Vega under next door's garden ). It's simple enough to reverse the cog though...

Not quite right on the EQ3-2 upgrade bit. The two upgrades are different, they are supplied in identical boxes with a seal on the lid stating the mount upgrade version. You are right about getting the gears the right way round though, there has been a number of threads from EQ5 owners having problems after the upgrade. If you put the gear wheels on in the incorrect order/orientation the mount gearing is affected and the mount will slew too far,

Peter

[AndyUK]

I stand corrected...!