SynScan PRO GOTO Version 3 Upgrade Kit for EQ5

[Quatermass]

Great thread Can I just ask, as I was considering upgrading, once this is done how does the upgrade perform when your imaging with a guider plugged in. I want to do this but I'm worried it wont be worth it. I was given a star-guider and this would plug into the go to st4 port once the upgrade was done which would banish those double stars and shaky misalignment I'm used to..

[bamus]

Great thread Can I just ask, as I was considering upgrading, once this is done how does the upgrade perform when your imaging with a guider plugged in. I want to do this but I'm worried it wont be worth it. I was given a star-guider and this would plug into the go to st4 port once the upgrade was done which would banish those double stars and shaky misalignment I'm used to..

all depends what kind of scope you will be using. If it is SW200/1000 then you will have problems, as mount will be on the very end of its capacity. I have got William Optics 72 Refractor on EQ5 with GOTO, and I have to say that I am very pleased how this cheap mount if performing

[kalid]

I would also like to thank you for the help this thread safe me a lot of fiddling many thanks to you all

[MalJ]

Just received my upgrade kit today so this thread is invaluable due to no instructions on how to actually do the upgrade with the kit

[Smeg]

Can you repeat that with the WHITE SW EQ5 please?

Mine isn't black

[Barry]

Hi

I have an EQ5 synscan and a CG5 manual mount. Is there any point in swapping the goto to the CG5?

Barry

[bamus]

CG5 is slightly better than EQ5, so I guess if you want to use better mount over all, swapping synscan to CG5 makes sense.

[GJBC]

Quality thread so much good info on here.

well done and cheers

[Teflon]

I have just recieved my upgrade - will be using my SW200P for visual and have a nice shiney SW 80mm refractor on the way for imaging.

Huge thanks for the step by step guide JNC - you have turned what could have been a very frustrating few hours into a quick 30 min job. Awesome work.

Now off to Maplins to get a power tank!

[Sandgrounderjen]

Jake you're a hero...

Have nominated you for a Knighthood and have sent a very sh*tty email to Skywatcher.

Just two quick queries, first of all is there a best way of securing the handset holder to the accessory tray and what is the foam square for?

[Sandgrounderjen]

...you also have the same kitchen as me ... small world

[ccbmedic]

Jake you're a hero...

Have nominated you for a Knighthood and have sent a very sh*tty email to Skywatcher.

Just two quick queries, first of all is there a best way of securing the handset holder to the accessory tray and what is the foam square for?

I'd like an answer to the 2 questions also!!

[beetlejuice]

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

Sorry I couldn't help more

Jake

I fitted this kit on a non-skywatcher/celestron EQ5. The only issue I had was that the RA housing on the mount is about 5mm greater diameter than my CG5 mount, which necessitated some time with a sharp hobby knife carefully shaving plastic to increase the diameter of the plastic Synscan RA housing so I could get both halves around the mount. Easy job if you go slow and careful.

Edited March 9, 2012 by beetlejuice

[JimBobs63]

Hi,

I've just used these instructions/photos to help me install a synscan upgrade on my newly purchased (secondhand) EQ5 - worked perfectly! Thanks so much!!

Jim

[aball28]

used this post to fit mine too, awesome. Great post, would have struggled without it.

Allan.

[jnc71106]

i'm glad my instructions are still helping people out i had forgotten all about the thread. feels like such a long time ago now

[Ludd]

...and thanks from me as well. I've just fitted the kit to my trusty old Great Polaris and, although I've not yet trimmed the plastic casing for the RA motor, it seems to run beautifully. It's a good deal quieter than I'd expected!

[papamidnight]

I have an old Great Polaris and am hoping someone else has had this issue and can make a suggestion-not that I am wishing troubles on anyone mind you

I have the synscan upgrade kit (EQ5) and see that my mount has plastic gears and the kit has brass (and of a different tooth size as well). Any advice for changing out these plastic gears?

Does the entire worm gear need to be changed or just the outer gear. Thanks!

[Ludd]

The worm stays where it is. If there are any gears mounted on the worm shaft, my understanding is that they'll have been left over from a previous set of drives and will be replaced by the brass ones that come with the kit.

[kriss13]

"

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

"

Hi

Is it mandatory to use the protective case from the GOTO kit?

I mean did you try to put back the original protective box over the instaled motor?

The GOTO case has a "funny" shape and looks out of place designwise (call me a design nut )

[kriss13]

Is it still possible to manualy guide the scope after the motors are installed? Say when the battery is dead... and no power near..

[bamus]

Is it still possible to manualy guide the scope after the motors are installed? Say when the battery is dead... and no power near..

After fitting upgrade kit, manual handling is not possible any more.

[Aenima]

Hi and many thanks to JNC - for the pics and tutorial, tremendous help.

I have just fitted the upgrade and am having trouble with the the thing stopping dead when pressing two directioanal buttons at once, like as if to go up-and-left diagonally for example. The motors stop dead and the handset seems to restart itself like the power was cut for a second.

I posted a question on the forum but wanted to post here for the sake of finding the thread and getting an update from the posters in this topic, who are knowledgable in the subject.

Any advice gratefully recieved. !

Thanks again for the guide with the how-to pics,

Regards

Aenima

[cantharis]

CG5 is slightly better than EQ5, so I guess if you want to use better mount over all, swapping synscan to CG5 makes sense.

I just cleaned an re-lubed my EQ5 following Astronomy Boy´s website http://www.astronomyboy.com/cg5/dec2.shtml. Astronomy Boy used a CG5, but the two mounts are totally identical - both made by Synta, who own both Celestron and Skywatcher.

[cantharis]

Brilliant pics and info Jake, thanks so much. I think it is appalling that this upgrade is supplied without this basic instruction - and I have written to my supplier telling them exactly that.