HEQ5 Maintenance

[obscura]

My HEQ5Pro Synscan is just a few months old but query what and at what intervals maintenance is necessary. I have avidly digested Astro Babys pages on this and in theory it doesn't look beyond my Meccano capabilities. (Nerd me built Michael Adler's Sinclair Harding nee Harrison's H1 clock in Meccano and it ticks on and on with just minor tweaks)

However, is maintenance, stripping, cleaning out swarf, greasing etc required on a regular basis or, best left alone. I don't intend to do anything until warranty expires at this time. Usage is currently light.

[Bizibilder]

I wouldn't bother with maintenance apart from a wipe down with a rag from time to time. Most machinery moves at hunders (or thousands) of rpm for hours on end - you would be lucky if a astro-mount does 100 whole revolutions in a year! As long as the thing is not allowed to get too dusty (or gritty) wear should be minimal over many years.

Some folk strip and rebuild thier mounts just to make sure that the manufacturer HAS done their job properly (and to change the rather poor quality grease that is sometimes used) but, unless there is an obvious problem, this is not strictly necessary.

My other hobby is making clocks (real ones from brass and steel) and they run for years on end - Just keep the dust off them or they will surely stop dead!!

[obscura]

I appreciate your comments and will take heed. Didn't really want to take it to bits.

(Real ones? Excuse me?) I don't have lathes, gear cutters etc. tho' much in cabinet making. In fact, as course as Meccano is, the clock just goes on. Time accuracy varies but then there are no bi metals etc. to correct. It is currently running at about a minute slow/week. This was one of four built but this is the one that remains. This one remains as the wife just likes it.

Thanks Bizibuilder

[Bizibilder]

I only meant "real" in the sense of not being a quartz box behind a plastic dial type .

Clocks are amazing mechanisms that run under the most arduous conditions, covered in dust and fluff, to an acuracy far better than the aforementioned quartz ones AND keep going for decades between services!

Meccano should be a compulsory toy for ALL youngsters!

[obscura]

No offence was taken. I have a fascination for clocks and Meccano fascilitate off the shelf parts as course as they are. I agree they should be raised in Meccano it still has a world wide following. Stands in good stead for a lifetime. If they could find time between first shooter and football that is.

I do have one other built last year which is somewhat more complex than the "H1". Christmas arrived at the point of setting it going. Perhaps it'll be completed later this year.

But I ramble on.

[Macavity]

The axes initially seemed VERY tight. Curiousity got the better of me, so I "undid a few things". <G> Then (for a heart-stopping moment!) I couldn't get one of the conical roller bearings to fit back in... My Syntrek seems to be greased (a tad sparingly, certainly!) with a rather conventional-looking brown grease. But disgression was the better part of valour? It does seem to have "loosened up" a bit now too...

[Bizibilder]

Just a thought - Our mounts only ever rotate a few degrees a night (and only when its clear!) so they never get "run in". Maybe a few hundred revolutions at a reasonable speed for a few minutes would loosen things up a bit?

[Psychobilly]

Just a thought - Our mounts only ever rotate a few degrees a night (and only when its clear!) so they never get "run in". Maybe a few hundred revolutions at a reasonable speed for a few minutes would loosen things up a bit?

As part of my mount tuning I ran the Azimuth axis my CPC800 in for two weeks (it becomes RA when its on a wedge) ..

I powered it from rechargable batteries slung under the OTA.. The CPC has the advantage that internally there no cordwrap to wory about so it could just be left running...

Result .. 30 mins subs at 1280mm are no problem...

Here's an example noisy single sub...

I have run it up 60 mins but can't find an example...

I haven't bothered doing anything with the Allt (Dec) axis ...

Peter...

[Bizibilder]

I must admit I have not "run in" my mount but I do (if I remember!) tend to have a fast slew from East to West and back again after doing an alignment and before starting imaging - Havn't a clue if it has any effect but its nice to think you have "stirred the grease"!!!!