Skywatcher 150PL owners. Tips and Mods

[rjc404]

Thanks for the advice about the meridian flip. I've been fortunate to have a few clear nights since I bought the scope and would already agree with you that the supplied 10mm is the weakest link in my current chain. I haven't really used the barlow yet so can't comment on that, though from a general examination of it I couldn't make out more than one piece of glass in the lens though I may be wrong.

[Parus major]

That's right, that's largely why it's pants. The plossl's I've mentioned have 4 element designs, I'm sure.

[JB80]

Here's a question.

What is the easiest way of cleaning cobwebs from the inside of the OTA which are of course all the way down the wrong end?

My plan is to stick a vacuum hose down and see, I'm really not keen on removing the mirror just yet.

[moriniboy]

I would remove both mirrors, clean out the cobwebs, flock it and mod the secondary before putting it back together, three jobs in one.

Not as hard as it seems.

Here's the modded secondary on my 200pds before flocking the tube

[Planetesimal]

Hi JB80, i had exactly the same problem, having left my 150PL in stasis over the summer months the OTA was riddled with cobwebs! I used the narrow plastic attachment on the Dyson to extract them, being very careful not to touch either of the mirrors - this actually required moving the floppy vacuum hose between "quadrants" of the spider veins to get access to each side of the mirror, with the OTA lying just slightly above horizontal so I could effectively feed the hose far enough down the tube to reach the webs. It works but you need to be careful!

I'm sure you'd need a lot of webs to degrade the image but still if you can get them out without touching the mirrors why not?!

[ardbeg74]

Hi PL owners!

Im thinking of getting the SW RA motor for the EQ3-2. Does anybody have any experience using this with the PL? Wondering how it deals with the PL's extra weight. How well does it keep tracking at higher mags... 200x +. Is there a lot of wobble induced by it, or is it smooth?

I would be using it mostly for imaging, planetary though, not DSO so just need it to keep on the sensor, not wobble too much. I would guess that if its ok for visual work should be ok for grabbing lots of frames to stack?

Any advice gratefully received.

Cheers

Mark

[turbohobbit]

Hey hey!

Is this thread still going? I've just taken the plunge and bought a 150p and dual motorised EQ3-2 from the Flea. I pay and collect a week today.... I can't wait!

[Roysten]

Hi Turbohobbit, I've been reading this thread with interest as I've also got a 150P, the joy of opening those boxes was like Christmas, enjoy getting yours!

I'm still getting used to mine and am wanting to get a bit of knowledge and experience behind me before I start upgrading bits, though new eyepieces, Barlows and tracking motors are on my list. This thread definitely has some useful insights.

[Beagleboy]

Funnily enough, I've just finished reading this thread and am hoping that it will keep going as well. I'm entirely new to amateur astronomy, having really only admired the sky during Whisky stops on winter mountain biking night rides before now. However, recently the views of Venus and Jupiter blazing away in the skies brought back memories of my favourite wall poster as a child, a detailed map of the moon. This, combined with the recent eclipse has kind of reignited that childhood interest again. A passing remark to Mrs Beagleboy saw her offering to help fund an autumn / Christmas purchase of my first telescope. With that, I've been researching what I can afford against what I want to see and I'm coming around to thinking that the Explorer 150PL with the 3-2 Equatorial mount is the telescope for me.

Any advice on extra reading, other equipment to look and consider, or to that matter, any advice in general will be gratefully received.

Really looking forward to a lot of fun that isn't as painful as mountain biking or snowboarding, although I appreciate my wallet probably won't think that!

Craig x

[Roysten]

I am very much enjoying my Explorer 150P, I was pondering the PL (is actually cheaper despite being bigger, no idea why!) because the extra focal length will increase the potential magnifications slightly, though what put me off is the fact that it would be slightly less stable on a Eq3-2. Maybe someone with experience on this might weigh in.

Which ever way you go I hope you enjoy some astronomy Craig!

[JB80]

Righto, now I am a touch disappointed but I was somewhat expecting that.

I finally received my new Crayford focuser http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p5615_Skywatcher-Dual-Speed-2--Low-Profile-Crayford-Newtonian-Focuser.html and despite the assurances that it came with all I need to attach to my 150PL it quite clearly doesn't without the addition of something else.

Firstly the base plate is not a snug fit on the OTA, it came with zero screws to screw to the OTA and quite obviously I will have to drill out new holes everywhere.

It's annoying as I did specifically ask beforehand and was told it would be fine but what I need to know preferably from someone who has the same focuser and whacked it on a 150PL is what exactly do I need to fix this focuser on my OTA?

Can anyone help me please?

[moriniboy]

As the diameter of the tube you are fixing to is smaller (6") than the replacement focusers usual diameter (8") I originally fastened a piece of approx 10mm round aluminium bar on each corner (painted black), will see if I have any photos of this.

I then found a replacement base and swapped it over, the attached photo shows it on my TAL 2.

As I reverted the TAL 2 back to stock when I sold it I still have the base, if you are interested pm me.