motor drives singles vs dual axis

[loakessg]

Hi, I'm looking to add some kind of motor drives to my eq mount. I see you can get individual ra and Dec motors or dual axis. Dual axis seems to work out cheaper for some reason and seems to give more functionality. Looking at skywatcher enhanced dual axis.

Apart from the obvious differences are there advantages and disadvantages of either?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

The sets I have typically seen are either single RA motor, (which only gives general tracking, Dec motion is done manually), or a dual motor set-up (which then allows both motors to be controlled from a single box. This means the full control is electronic and guiding is in principle possible (if the controller has the appropriate port). I have replaced my single MT-1 motor with an enhanced dual axis motor set from Sky-Watcher recently and really like the added control. It also has the required port for autoguiding.

[loakessg]

Hi, I'm looking to add some kind of motor drives to my eq mount. I see you can get individual ra and Dec motors or dual axis. Dual axis seems to work out cheaper for some reason and seems to give more functionality. Looking at skywatcher enhanced dual axis.

Apart from the obvious differences are there advantages and disadvantages of either?

[ronin]

If you buy a dual set then you can use the handset and motors to drive the mount around the sky, if you get the single then you can track (and move in RA) but to move in Dec you will have to use the cluctches and line up manually on the target.

It seems a little odd to buy a single motor then still undo the clutches in both axis and do the finding and centering manually before allowing the RA motor to track. You have to manually do both the main RA and Dec simply as you have to put the object in view.

One thing is that the dual motors do not motor around the sky at high speed, they sort of trundle slowly.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Due to the trundling bit, I tend to release clutches, move at pace roughly to the desired location, engage the clutches, and do a little trundling to fine tune position. Works for me.

[loakessg]

Thanks guys, so sounds like dual axis is best way to go and gives future upgrade options too.