EQ6 belt drive modification

[fwm891]

If they can't hear the gears grinding when they're made the wouldn't no its turning....

[George]

Makes you wonder why a belt drive is not factory fitted....

I should imagine because its not consumer friendly, at some point those belts would either wear or snap and need replacing. Realistically how many non mechanically minded people could dismantle a mount (ignorant of the likes of Astrobabys site etc etc) to replace belts whereas gears will probably outlast the user

Commercially tho I'd imagine the belt driven route would be cheaper to manufacture.

[gary1968]

Makes you wonder why a belt drive is not factory fitted....

I wondered that too when I first read this post...... It must be cheaper to do this at the factory than to make / fit the gear train??

Gary

[malc-c]

I should imagine because its not consumer friendly, at some point those belts would either wear or snap and need replacing. Realistically how many non mechanically minded people could dismantle a mount (ignorant of the likes of Astrobabys site etc etc) to replace belts whereas gears will probably outlast the user

I'm still in the process of having a new set of parts machined for my HEQ5 trials, but on the HEQ5 mount replacing the belts (should they ever ware that much) is a simpler task as the drive train is completely exposed. Just undo the 6 screw on the cover, remove and slacken off the tension to replace the belt. Certainly for the HEQ5 re-fitting drive belts could be a consumer fit, should Synta opt for factory fitted belt drives in future

[gary1968]

These belts are pretty unbustable. I raced model cars for years and most of the 4wd models were belt driven.... belts lasted forever, and I am sure in a model car it is subjected to much more abuse that it would in a EQ mount....

[malc-c]

Have to agree with Gary. Most of my RC helicopters were belt driven.. and they never had a belt show any signs of damage

[Gina]

Well, they use belts for driving the camshaft on cars these days and that is a pretty heavy duty.

[SpookyKatt]

wouldn't there be more torque with a a mount, especially

if its over loaded ? That might cause a belt to jump.

I must confess I like the idea of a belt driven mount though.

Kathleen

Edited November 24, 2011 by SpookyKatt

[malc-c]

Kathleen, I think given the final ratio that there would be very little chance of belt slipping.

[SpookyKatt]

Oh right, cool, thanks Malcolm.

Kathleen

[fwm891]

The belts are 'toothed' and the amount of overload to make them slip would have killed the motor....

[George]

These belts are pretty unbustable. I raced model cars for years and most of the 4wd models were belt driven.... belts lasted forever, and I am sure in a model car it is subjected to much more abuse that it would in a EQ mount....

The rubber focuser grips on my ED80 fell to bits in less than 12 months, the rubber O rings that I replaced them with didn't last much longer. Im not saying these belts we have used for the modification are flimsy by any means BUT you have to remember (if its permanently mounted in a observatory) that they will be subjected to all sorts of temperature extremes (-25C here in winter 2009/10 & 45C+ in summer), I doubt RC cars and model helicopters suffer the same climatic abuse a telescope mount does

Time will tell.

[MG1]

These are industrial products, not simply rubber:

http://www.motionco.co.uk/timing-belts-timing-belts-c-25_38_27.html

Check out the operating range and material characteristic before you commit if you're worried. I think they can cope with quite a bit more than we're likely to throw at them.

[yesyes]

It's a bit like comparing the rubber tyres are made of with red Royal Mail rubber bands...

Edited November 25, 2011 by yesyes

[MG1]

It's a bit like comparing the rubber tyres are made of with red Royal Mail rubber bands...

[ncjunk]

The rubber focuser grips on my ED80 fell to bits in less than 12 months, the rubber O rings that I replaced them with didn't last much longer. Im not saying these belts we have used for the modification are flimsy by any means BUT you have to remember (if its permanently mounted in a observatory) that they will be subjected to all sorts of temperature extremes (-25C here in winter 2009/10 & 45C+ in summer), I doubt RC cars and model helicopters suffer the same climatic abuse a telescope mount does

Time will tell.

To be fair those rubber focuser grips on the ed80 are designed to fall apart at the least sign if danger....well i assume they must be designed that way as mine fell apart too and as no one could be stupid enough to put something so **** on they MUST have done it on purpose..

[dark knight]

same as on the skywatcher focuser on my 200p. They must surely be aware of this issue you would think.

[jimao22]

Hi there,

I started to make the tuning for my EQ6, same parts and same supplier like those from the beginning of the threat.

Dismantling the dec gear, I found that one of the teflon washers is missing, the former owner of the mount did some improvements by changing the grease and the bearings with some German ones. But apparently he loose or forgot one of the washers.

So, I ask you all if you know a place where I could find a ready made teflon washer for EQ6 or at least raw material for doing one by myself.

Thank you !

[gary1968]

wouldn't there be more torque with a a mount, especially

if its over loaded ? That might cause a belt to jump.

I must confess I like the idea of a belt driven mount though.

Kathleen

Kat, the torque required by a model 4x4 car or helicopter hauling its self to full speed in as little as a few seconds will create more torque than a EQ mount doing its thing. Remember a EQ mount is supposed to be balanced so the effort required to get it moving is minimal. Not to mention the environment, the models are subjected to all sorts of dirt and dust etc intheir everyday life so will see more abuse.

Gary

[malc-c]

Kat, the torque required by a model 4x4 car or helicopter hauling its self to full speed in as little as a few seconds will create more torque than a EQ mount doing its thing.

Gary

Can't comment on the cars that Gary raced (races ?) other than to hurl a couple of kg of RC car from a standing start to 40mph (or more) must put a huge stress on the belts.

Similarly, having 3kg of RC helli going from a stable hover to full pitch climb out puts tremendous amount of torque on them too... As Gary states, the torque required to get 10kg - 20kg of balanced scope moving is negligible by comparison, and may last longer than the brass gears in the lifetime of the mount

[SpookyKatt]

Cheers for the info folks, I just had thought that given model cars etc helicopters etc were small and 'relatively' light compared to a loaded mount their motors might be required to give high speeds not high torque but I guess I was wrong. Good point re the balance of a mount as well gary.

Its an interesting mod though I must say. Is there no mount manufacturer that makes a belt driven mount ?

Kathleen

[ncjunk]

Hi there,

I started to make the tuning for my EQ6, same parts and same supplier like those from the beginning of the threat.

Dismantling the dec gear, I found that one of the teflon washers is missing, the former owner of the mount did some improvements by changing the grease and the bearings with some German ones. But apparently he loose or forgot one of the washers.

So, I ask you all if you know a place where I could find a ready made teflon washer for EQ6 or at least raw material for doing one by myself.

Thank you !

Check astrobabys website under the shims section and there is an email address of someone who sells a set of shims. Mine cost $13 and arrived to Spain in 6days not bad.

http://www.astro-baby.com/EQ6-Supertune/EQ6%20Super%20Tune%20Guide.php

Or you can find some different size teflon sheets and cut your own.

Regards

Neil C

[ncjunk]

Performing this mod is fun but I hate the adjustments....

I have had a slipping belt (now have very small bits of belt dust in the mount) and trying to get more tension into it is the same nightmare I have always had with Alternator belts on cars Arrrggghhhh.

I then found that when I was running the system I was getting a little pretty heart beat in the system, seriously! I have attached the guiding photos, and so I have now taken everything down and mounted it in the spare room. I have decided to run it whilst I am working on other stuff and see If I can hear anything strange.

When I took the mount down I found the Head was loose and also the RA needed adjusting....so I had made a mistake in the RA and I am now wondering if the Head loosened because I first did it up in hot weather and now the temperatures dropped to 4 deg C.

Tracking graph.bmp

[fwm891]

Hi Neil,

I found putting a flat bladed screwdriver between the motor and body casting and twisting until it "felt right", keeping it there until the socket head bolts are tight worked. I left mine too slack to start with - may have gone the other way now...

[ncjunk]

...i didn't try twisting the flat screwdriver i may give that a go. I was levering it against the lower part of the stepper. It's quite good at the moment but i am finding it difficult to judge between the mesh adjustment and tension in the belt. I still have slight play in the Axis.