Kev M

Possibly this motor https://www.amazon.co.uk/STEPPERONLINE-Bipolar-1-8deg-35x34mm-Printer/dp/B07LBH93X4 Typically out of stock

Came accross these ( on a well known auction site ) 5mm to 5mm shaft coupling...... Theoretically I could cut the shaft of the old motor and attach it to the shaft of a new motor, hence getting rid of the issue with the reduced shaft size ! Might have to fiddle about to get the length correct , but I reckon if I deliberately went "long" it would be easy enough to pack the motor back a bit on its mounting to get the cogs to line up exactly Maybe...... Back to finding the correct NEMA 14 motor ( any 5mm shaft length , as its going to be cut ) with the correct voltage/current/torque etc

Another reply back from a retailer....4 months lead time from supplier......😫

No, not yet, been to busy crying.... I suppose I should start pinging a few emails to Rowan, FLO and other suppliers.

Its 1.4 inches square …..

I would still need to source a motor of the right voltage, current, size etc etc. However am thinking along the line of how standard these motors are....could the core of the motor be swapped....it appears to be the external windings that are faulty. Also I don't think it would be that difficult to turn the shaft down....possibly could use the motor itself as a lathe..? Still wondering about the EQ6 motors if they are the same size and shaft length. Or I may just stay hidden in a corner and cry.....😪

What he said....

The HEQ5 motor appears to have been reduced to 4mm to allow the smaller cog to fit. Picture shamelessly stolen from rowanastronomy.com ( they wont mind the plug ).

OK got in touch with Optical Vision to see if they could source a replacement....they came back quite quickly. They said they would need my address to quote a price.....but delivery would be approx. 4 months.....yep .....4 months 😱 I haven't got back to them yet.....no rush. The spindles on the EQ6 steppers appear to be different have a flat on them as opposed to reduced, dont know if the length is the same either. This is not looking good.....😭

Done some further investigation. It is a NEMA 14 bipolar motor 34mm long Assumed Step Angle 1.8deg Assumed 12v ? Holding Torque ? Current ? It appears from my multimeter that one of the windings has a short circuit ( one pair is 7 ohms, the other pair is zero ohms ! ). There are lots of equivalent stepper motors as cheap as chips that would probably work fine..... However the biggest issue is the reduced shaft size at the end from 5mm down to 4mm ( approx. ) Does anyone know if these are the same motors in the EQ6 ?

Ok tried the obvious just to check, swapped RA & Dec motors, fault follows the motor. Removed motor...very easy. Motor is very stiff & grindy to turn by hand as though something is catching inside. Don't suppose anyone has a pinion extractor tool lying about I could borrow/buy/steal ? 🐼 Kev

Just checked that.....when I turn the gears by hand the shaft revolves as well. When I try to turn it using the motor the shaft doesnt move. Panic setting in.....

Typically after waiting for what seemed like months for clear skies my HEQ5 has thrown a wobbler... It makes a horrendous screeching noise as though some gears are stuck on the DEC drive. After taking the side plate off, the gears appear to be free.....I can easily turn them using my fingers ( I cant easily move the RA gears ? ). When trying to turn it using the handset it screeches like mad and none of the gears move....I assume therefore its the motor itself.....dont know what else it could be ? How easy is it to replace these motors ? Kev 😭

The distance selling Act was basically about right to cancel, goods not as described, price etc. It is no longer valid and the same issues are covered under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Citizens Advice site has template letters for returning faulty goods etc. "remember your contract is with the retailer that sold you the goods....not the manufacturer....regardless of what the retailer says... ! " ( SWMBO works for Trading Standards )

Dived straight in with my new 3D printer ( Ender 3 ) and quite happy with the results. Printed in PLA ( probably not ideal ).

I have decided to invest in a 3d printer...needed an excuse......and will give it a go.....

I dont worry too much about other peoples images if they have obvious advantages over me....location, equipment etc. the pictures may be vastly superior to mine but they dont greatly bother me. However when I see someone post a great picture from an area similar to mine using similar equipment, then I do sit up and take notice to see what he/she has done different from me, then try to learn from them to improve my own results. ( there are lots of these people on here....). I am fiercely competitive all the time......with my last images, not other peoples.

Awesome ...... 😃

I can see why you are making your own..... https://www.metcheck.co.uk/products/metcheck-met-m11-standard-size-stevenson-screen How much.... £785 .... !

Thanks Steve, very much appreciated, if no one comes back I will PM you later in the year.

I have been trying to obtain a polar scope cover for an HEQ5....with no success. However I have came accross this from someone who must have had the same problem. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2806098 Is there anyone with the skills and equipment to print one of these off....I have neither....😫 I would be more than happy to reimburse for materials and a bit extra for labour etc. As well as immense gratitude for whoever could do this. Kev

Very nice, Ron Seeing terrible up here, fogged out again last night & tonight.

Would an eyepiece not do for the 30mm ? Failing that.... https://www.surplusshed.com/

I have a party of Crazy Owls singing away all night, males spinning their heads and showing off their plumage and going Twoo...Twoo...Twoo The females just saying "Twit" That and various things being murdered in the fields....