Daft question about eq5

[Andyfx]

I have just received my new eq5 courtesy of flo but have a question about the plate that is in the saddle, do you remove this and just dump a dovetail in place or does the plate fix to the dovetail?

[James]

The plate is a Skywatcher short dovetail that gets included with lots of their mounts. You probably won't need it and if you already have a scope with a dovetail you certainly won't

James

[Andyfx]

Doh! Thanks James.

[bcfcciderhead]

Yeah you wont need it, i have one in my shed and i feel many more do

[RogerTheDodger]

I made a dual mount to get the sw200 and an ST80 side by side

[Stephen]

I made a dual mount to get the sw200 and an ST80 side by side

How does that balance?

[RogerTheDodger]

Dunno yet, but it has to better than having the ST80 on top of the 200, if it's clear tonight I'll let you know how the balance was.

[Stephen]

Dunno yet, but it has to better than having the ST80 on top of the 200, if it's clear tonight I'll let you know how the balance was.

I'd be interested to see the results, but I fear it's going to try falling over as soon as you mount it!

200PDS - 8KG

ST80 - 500g?

[RogerTheDodger]

It'll be ok, I had the St80 on top and it ran ok enough for visual, but not enough for photography.

[Stephen]

It'll be ok, I had the St80 on top and it ran ok enough for visual, but not enough for photography.

I don't think I explained myself too well. I use a virtually similar piggy back set up.

I'm talking about balance across the mount. Imagine looking at the mount in the direction of the polar scope.

If you have the 200PDS on the east, and the ST80 on the west, isn't it going to be hugely unbalanced (and liable to fall over) sideways?

[RogerTheDodger]

Ah I think I see, I'm hoping I have enough sideways movement to gain balance between them, with the 200 nearer to the center.

[Daniel-K]

I'd agree with Kh3ldar it would be close to falling over whith 8kgs on one side and a feather on the other:icon_confused:

i runn a heq5 pro synscan and that runs my imaging rig quite well for AP. let us know how you get on though

[RogerTheDodger]

Class 1 lever principle, heavy weight near the fulcrum and the light one further away. It's just a prototype and something to play with, but I'll let you know.

[RogerTheDodger]

Works just fine, I need to finish off the ST80 mount and re-balance, but as it is in the pic you can release the dec clutch and turn it to any position and it stays there.

[malc-c]

but it has to better than having the ST80 on top of the 200,

Whys that then...

Balancing this wasn't a problem....

[RogerTheDodger]

Do you have the extended weights bar? On my standard one I was nowhere near balance... still a little bit off at the moment, just looking for a bit more weight.

[Crunchard]

Thread hi-jack going on here but I've been after a dovetail for my ST80 ... if anyone wants to free up some space in their shed I'd be happy to accept

And congrats on your new mount I have an EQ5 too ... just no dovetails ... grrr

[Stephen]

Do you have the extended weights bar? On my standard one I was nowhere near balance... still a little bit off at the moment, just looking for a bit more weight.

My piggyback balances with the extended CW bar.

Thread hi-jack going on here but I've been after a dovetail for my ST80 ... if anyone wants to free up some space in their shed I'd be happy to accept

And congrats on your new mount I have an EQ5 too ... just no dovetails ... grrr

There's a wanted section if you want to put a post in there

[RogerTheDodger]

I may give the extended bar a go, I prefer the idea of less mass rotating. The side by side setup gives the advantage of some easy freedom of movement for the ST80.

[malc-c]

I too use the long weight bar.

I guess that having the mass of the tube / weights further out from the centre point of rotation can cause problems in having to start and stop that mass moving, but I always though that the ideal set up it to have the CofG and the point of rotation more or less at the same point... Trying to work out if short bar/more weights or long bar/fewer weights is best... your guess is as good as mine ?

[RogerTheDodger]

Aye