Skywatcher AZ EQ6 GT question

[lrt75914]

Hey guys,

I recently purchased an AZ EQ6 GT and while the mount feels very robust, the noises it makes seem a little bit off to me.

If you watch a couple of videos on youtube that show the thing in action you can definitely hear the high pitched noise that

stems from the motors. The difference is that I can also hear a pulsating (lower pitch) noise that is especially noticeable whenever

the mount is engaging the R.A. motor. It's not as loud as the high pitched sound yet it makes me wonder wether the drive mechanism

is not running smoothly/is damaged. It's especially annoying while tracking since all the reference video on youtube seem to be dead

quite. The scope I have mounted on it is a Skywatcher Explorer 200 PDS so the weight shouldn't be the problem. 

Am I just going insane or is there something wrong with my mount? Keep in mind that I never owned a GOTO/motorized mount so I

have no point of reference/experience with this.

PS: Unfortunately I am unable to upload any videos right now.

[Carina Lass]

Be grateful you don't have an LX90 which sounds like a coffee grinder when slewing.

I have the same top end on my mount and it doesn't sound like yours (except the high pitched bit.)

I'd say it needs a tune or relube.

Google Astrobabe EQ6 rebuild

[lrt75914]

Be grateful you don't have an LX90 which sounds like a coffee grinder when slewing.

I have the same top end on my mount and it doesn't sound like yours (except the high pitched bit.)

I'd say it needs a tune or relube.

Google Astrobabe EQ6 rebuild

Thank you for your reply Carina Lass,

I hope a relube or tune won't be necessary. The mount is 2 weeks old and hasn't seen any "real" action yet. 

I have uploaded a video though so you can se what I mean:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2fl53y_az-eq6-slewing_school

I have to warn you though, my room is dirty and I tend to overreact with those sort of things, so this might not

be as bad as i perceive it to be. 

[Carina Lass]

No, sounds like my mount.

Sounds nice compared to lx90!!

[fondofchips]

I cannot hear anything wrong with your mount from the video, remember that in the quiet of the night things sound different anyway.  I purchased my AZ EQ6 GT a year ago secondhand and it sounds just like yours.

Cheers,

Fondofchips.

[Chris]

These mounts make all kinds of noises, whirling, coffee grinding noises mainly. They can be tuned a bit which helps. Check for wobble in both the RA and Dec axis with the clutches done up, if there is excessive movement then there might be quite a bit of backlash which is easy enough to adjust without having to strip the mount.

You just have to loosen the worm carrier bolts and adjust the small worm screws above and below the worm carriers whilst waggling the axis until the wobble goes away, then back off a touch so the axis doesn't bind when the mounts running (Google Astrobaby EQ6 rebuild as said above for pictures of this process). 

If the worm is done up too tight this can also make a noise which sounds like the mount is speeding up and slowing down. I think this is because the worm gears on these mounts are not drilled perfectly concentric so when it rotates it mildly creates tight spots on the spur gears.

I've stripped and rebuilt my NEQ6 pro a couple of times so far trying to get it running better, so if you have any questions I'm sure the AZ GT version is very similar  

[Sleepy Kiki]

That sounds just like mine too.

I came from a HEQ5 and that was much noisier 

[jam1e1]

One thought is that in a closed room with no wallpaper, sound will be reflected more hence appear 'louder' than outside.

Do you balance the scope first before running it, take clutches off and ensure even balance. Could be straining motors if not balanced.

It seems setup in an odd position, the counterweights should be horizontal plane? Looks like incorrect setup, the mount head needs 90deg adjustment so horizontal

[Astro_Baby]

Bear in mind this is an Alt/Az EQ6 - I dont have a guide for that and I believe it doesn't have the same kinds of worm carriers.  Now if someone from Synta were to loan me a mount I could easily do a strip and rebuild guide for you all but I cant see that happening anytime soon. So unless my HEQ5 breaks down forcing me to replace it I can't see me ever doing a guide for the AZ EQ6.

[Joves]

Sounds perfectly normal to me. Exactly as mine sounds. Believe it or not, this is actually considered a pretty quiet mount.

[brantuk]

Sounds like mine too - nothing wrong with it. It will sound a little quieter outside without sound reflections from walls etc. And balancing it properly in both axes will also make it run at it's quietest. As it is it though, it sounds fine to me. Hth

(The axes are belt driven incidentally - much quieter than worm gear driven).

[Chris]

Still worm driven Mel, the belt is on the first stage from the stepper motors so its like a belt modded Neq6 in effect. Agree though, much quieter with no coffee grinder noise

[Geordie mc]

Sounds like mine too. Really is quiet compared to some of my friends mounts and compared to my HEQ5 Pro. Don't think you have anything to worry about. As said, balance it well before use.