Accuracy of inclinometers and accelerometers?

[Reggie]

Hi All, I was talking to a friend with a dob the other day, he's just got himself an inclinometer, I'm asking in general how useful one might be for an EQ mount if one was suitably mounted?

Same goes for an accelerometer, I'm wondering how accurately you could achieve polar alignment using one, at least in 1 axis? Could be a fairly simple unit, setup on a PC with your latitude, with 3 lights to indicate whether you need to go up or down and the last one to indicate that you're aligned?

[MG1]

Oooh this I just have to subscribe to!

I was thinking about this just the other night...but as ever, a completely ridiculously over engineered version.

I was contemplating drilling the mount to enable a depth gauge to be used to set a mounting plate EXACTLY parallel to each axis, upon which I could mount said electronic angle indicator.

I find the whole 'place wixey on counterweight shaft' frustratingly silly, particularly measuring that angle to 0.05d when the shaft itself is probably much further out from true...same to be said for the casing!

Internal mounting should be interesting....

[Reggie]

The accelerometer I've got is very thin, it's on it's own little pcb, so there has to be a surface on the mount that's true.