Experience of the FLT110 focusser, anyone?

[ollypenrice]

I know the original digital focusser on the WO FLT110 didn't make many friends but I have one visiting and would like to help its owner get it working properly. It is at once stiff and notchy in action yet slips badly, particularly on the inward movement. It doesn't seem to have the usual tension screws. Has anyone any experience of adjusting this model?

Olly

[Demon Barber]

Hi Olly,have had exactly the same problem with my 3yr old model.

Firstly any adjustments have to be very small and even,having dismantled my focuser to see actual make-up(a very easy if somewhat worrying first time ) i found a bearing had colapsed replacement supplied by w/o aprox 40 euro for a complete bearing plate with 4 bearings,i also found bearings are available from any good engineering service very cheaply.

The friction material on the tension screw assembly is nylon/teflon (slippery) not what you would expect i changed it for a rubber compound (a big improvement) but i ultimately found going to an electric focusser was the only fix.

I used a skywatcher motor with a custom(local machine shop) made adapter plate voila no more slippage no matter what is hung on it.

It is really a simple focusser in design and build and i find it hard to understand why it does not respond to careful attention.

Hope in some way these comments help!

I found a glass of wine helped. Me not the focusser.

ATB

Mike

[ollypenrice]

Thanks Mike, that's very helpful. I've also found on the net the claim that the drawtube should be racked right out before/during adjustment. How on Earth do William Optics get something so wrong?

Olly

[Demon Barber]

Hi Olly just a quick email to see if your visiting astronomer had any luck adjusting their FLT110 focuser?

Regards

Mike

[ollypenrice]

Sorry, duplicate post. See below.

Olly

[ollypenrice]

Not really, Mike. With a change in temperature it started working rather better and then we were clouded out so we never got to image with it. We did get a session in with my gear, albeit a quick one. We tried the wine idea as well!! Very effective...

Olly