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PHD2 dec runaway


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I'm having a weird problem with PHD2, after every time guiding is started (even right after calibration) it runs away in declination, it's like the mount gets a guidepulse for a few seconds before it corrects itself.

Except for the problem when starting to guide it works great, i have attached a couple screenshots.

Has anyone else had the same problem? 

My setup is: Skywatcher EQ8, QHY5L-II, Asahi SMC Takumar 300mm f/4 guidescope.

Here's the screenshot with runaway dec

post-17296-0-99984700-1424903377_thumb.p

Here it's guiding perfectly.

post-17296-0-46422500-1424903484_thumb.p

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I have something similar, but mine ran away for up to 40 arc seconds. It has happened in both DEC and RA, but the stange thing is that it will happen say twice in an 8 hour imaging session, and then not happen at all in the next session. I have never quite figured out what causes it.

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Hi Ole

Hmm... that's a strange one! Did you get any on-screen error messages? What does the guide log say?

Personally, I avoid guiding on 'clipped' stars though your guiding seems generally very good :)

It could be a bug in PHD2... A sort of overreaction to some event. I see you're running v2.3.1 - there is a 2.4.1 so might be worth trying that.

When you say 'after every time guiding is started' but presumably it hasn't always exhibited the problem?

Louise

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No error message. Guide log looks exactly like in the screenshot.

I'm using 2.3.1 because 2.4.1 had a problem with loosing the connection with my guidecam.

I think it's a bug in PHD2 too, but not an overreaction since it's moving in the opposite direction of the guide corrections....it's more like the mount stops moving or almost stops moving because of a problem with PHD2.

After meridian flip i'm having the same problem in RA and it even did the same a couple times after the first problem right after i started guiding.

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I keep having problems with runaways after doing the meridian flip so i'm gonna try PHD now.

Edit: PHD looks promising, no runaways yet :grin: I just hope those skies in the north keep their distance, looks like they are going west-east so i hope so :smiley:

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I keep having problems with runaways after doing the meridian flip so i'm gonna try PHD now.

Edit: PHD looks promising, no runaways yet :grin: I just hope those skies in the north keep their distance, looks like they are going west-east so i hope so :smiley:

Have you ticked "reverse dec output after meridian flip"?

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From what i understand PHD2  takes care of everything by itself after a meridian flip when guiding throuigh EQMOD. I belive that option is for people guiding through ST4.

Anyway it doesn't matter since i tried to recalibrate and i still got dec runaways.

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I'd agree with DEC backlash - I've had this on every Skywatcher mount I've ever owned using PHD. DEC runs away for a couple of minutes after calibrating and then is reeled back in, followed by hours of flawless guiding.

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I'd agree with DEC backlash - I've had this on every Skywatcher mount I've ever owned using PHD. DEC runs away for a couple of minutes after calibrating and then is reeled back in, followed by hours of flawless guiding.

Especially if the balance is too perfect.

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I believe i found the problem...after having polar aligned i have forgot to tighten altitude and azimuth bolts properly :embarrassed:  I don't have a central bolt either so the mount was a little loose on it's pier :eek:

There was a window earlier tonight where i got it calibrated and guiding started with no runaway :grin:

It's cloudy now, but i hope i will get to test it on both sides of the pier later tonight.

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