Balancing OTA on CG5-GT mount?

[Stormwatch]

I've just tried to balance my C8 on the CG5 mount, using the instructions supplied by Celestron.

"Balancing the Mount in R.A" says to loosen the clutch when the tube is moved to the side of the tripod, so, I do this, leave go carefully - nothing happens. The tube just doesn't move, it's as if the mount is stiff or something. Basically it looks like the scope is balanced, no matter where the counter weight is! "Balancing the mount in DEC" is the same, no movement at all with the clutch fully disengaged.

Is this going to be a problem? Does the mount need greased or something? Apparently it's hardly ever been used, if at all, so could it just be needing a bit of use to loosen up?

[Whippy]

Hm...Can you move the mount & tube about when the clutch is disengaged? If it moves freely, then that tells me it's balenced. If not, then something's not right. Try taking your tube and weights off and then moving the mount with your hand, you should be able to do that I think.

Tony..

[Stormwatch]

Hm...Can you move the mount & tube about when the clutch is disengaged? If it moves freely, then that tells me it's balenced. If not, then something's not right. Try taking your tube and weights off and then moving the mount with your hand, you should be able to do that I think.

Tony..

Oh yeah, it all moves fine with the clutch disengaged. It just doesn't swing on it's own, which I was expecting.

I actually just put my 102 SLT refractor on it and THAT needed the counterweight moved higher up. Just seemed odd the C8 balanced no matter where the counterweight was.

[Whippy]

Hm... Interesting. You're not breaking any laws of physics are you?

Tony..

[Stormwatch]

Hm... Interesting. You're not breaking any laws of physics are you?

Tony..

You tell me!

[cygnusx1]

Hm... Interesting. You're not breaking any laws of physics are you?

Tony..

You tell me!

Storm,

Setting up my new cg-5 GT last night i had exactly the same issue!!

My 6" OTA didn't need any counterweight adjusting

Weird, looks like we both either got perfectly balanced systems or we doing something wrong

[russ]

I had the same problem with the C8-N. But it turned out that where the DEC clamp is so loose it just reclamps itself enough to stop any movement in the axis. Both the RA and DEC clamps feel like they are about to fall off yet the screw is fully tightened.

Russ