Dual-Axis Motors Question

[badgers]

Hi All,

I've got the EQ3-2 Dual axis motors now fitted to my mount (last night). I've two questions.

First, the manual states that the silver thumbscrew on the Dec shaft gear (gold) can be loosened to disengage the gears, (See picture 1). This would allow the shaft to rotate without forcing the shaft or motor gears to turn.

However, this makes no sense to me. The gears on the gold DEC shaft seem to be solidly bonded to a little rubber pad underneath and tightening or loosening the thumb screw has absolutely no effect. If the gold gears on the gold shaft were loose then I can absolutely see how this would function. This shaft sits on the Dec 'n*pple' tightened with a grub screw and the motor's gears mesh into it. Regardless of the silver thumbscrew any attempt to use the slo-mo controls tries to force the motor.

Secondly, My RA motor works great, but it seems the universal joint adapter to the worm drive looks a bit stretched. Is this ok ? or should I bend the metal bracket to get them slightly closer to each other ? (See picture 2)

[badgers]

I guess my main question is that, if this is a 'slip clutch' why is there no slip.

Has the gear in picture 1 somehow become stuck to the pad underneath ? Or am I missing something crucial here.

Tempted to take a hammer to it, so please help me : )

[JamesF]

I've got to try to remember how mine worked now

IIRC, the gear on the DEC shaft extension should be loose. The DEC shaft extension itself has a rubber washer that mates with the gear. The collar then does up against the gear, forcing it against the washer and the the DEC shaft is turned purely by the friction of the gear against the rubber washer. Loosening the collar should allow the gear to turn freely meaning that the normal slow-mo controller can be used to turn the DEC axis.

I think the gear has just become stuck to the rubber washer and you should be able to loosen it.

The RA coupling does look a little stretched. I'd be tempted to loosen the grub screws at both ends to allow it to contract and then do them up again. There should be plenty of metal to bite on even if it doesn't reach the end of each shaft. It's hard to tell from the photo, but it looks like the motor could be lowered a few millimetres, too.

James

[badgers]

Sounds like I suspected. Thanks James!

The gear on the DEC shaft is extremely strongly stuck to the rubber pad, that's why I've not forced it yet.

[badgers]

Sorted now.

The rubber washer had expanded or something and become stuck.

Took quite some force to shift it with thumbs, but I didn't need to resort to the hammer.

Working as intended now, I'll adjust the RA motor later.

Thanks James

[JamesF]

Excellent news.

Once you've had some time to get used to it you may want to look at the various DEC direct drive mods. They completely remove the facility of using the slow-mo control though.

James

[badgers]

Yes thanks, I've seen at least two posted on SGL, I'm already on the look-out for an appropriate piece of steel/aluminium.

Scope cooling now.... If the clouds break I might even be able to see something tonight