Balancing a C11 on an EQ6

[pragmatist]

Any tips would be grateful.

1) Does the latitude have to be all the way to zero so that the weights are completely vertical as per the manual or can you balance with your latitude set at 52 degrees?

2) Do you have to balance Dec first?

I have seen the Astronomy shed video on youtube, are there any different things you do with an SCT?

Any extra tips would be very gratefully received.

Thanks,

Matt

[DrRobin]

I let off the clutches, balance (once) and then mark the positions/setup. After that the scope always goes back in the right place and you can forget about balancing and just concentrate on alignment.

I balanced it with the latitude set correctly for my location.

Robin

[Zakalwe]

I need 3 x counterweights, or 2 x counterweights plus the CW extension bar to balance my C11. I do have a heavy moonlit focuser on it though.

You can balance without messing with the latitude setting. Why would you need to zero it?

[pragmatist]

I need 3 x counterweights, or 2 x counterweights plus the CW extension bar to balance my C11. I do have a heavy moonlit focuser on it though.

You can balance without messing with the latitude setting. Why would you need to zero it?

I agree but that is what the Celestron manual says, counterweight rod at it's lowest position which to do means near zero degrees.

[Zakalwe]

The Celestron manual? The EQ6 is made by Skywatcher???

[pragmatist]

I noticed that the astronomy shed says balance with Dec and RA forming a T shape when you look down on your scope but i have seen a video on youtube where the guy just balanced it with the scope in home position, everything facing towards 52 Degrees north inc the scope and it seemed easy...

Yet this version of Astronomy shed i found harder to balance...

I suppose it must differ between a long tube Newtonian and an SCT? If not then one of these guys is doing it wrong!

[Zakalwe]

Just bung it on the mount.

Rotate the RA axis until the CW bar is horizontal, and then move the weights until it balances in RA.

Then rotate the DEC axis until the OTA is horizontal. Move the OTA in the saddle until it balances in DEC (make sure to have a firm hold on it if you are loosening the clamps!!!)

Job jobbed.

A big Newt will take a bit more work due to the size of it and the fact that the focuser/eyepiece/camera is off the side of the OTA.

[DrRobin]

Hi,

I might be getting confused here between balancing and aligning. I balance my scope by manually adjusting the mount (RA & DEC) as follows:

1) Put the scope, finder and eyepiece/camera in place. I slacken off the DEC clutch and then move the scope forwards and backwards on the rail to balance along the tube. This balances the scope in DEC.

2) I then slacken off the RA clutch and move the counterweights on the shaft to balance in RA. For me, I use two weights and an extension bar, one weight is at the end of the extension and the other is close to the end of the first shaft. I do have a heavy Crayford focus attached, but even without that I doubt I could obtain balance without the extension bar.

Once balanced, I then go through the normal set up procedure for alignment, the starting point is the scope facing north with the shaft and weights facing down.

Hope that helps.

Robin

[DrRobin]

Zakalwe posted whilst I was typing, his description is the same as mine, only slightly more concise.

Robin

[pragmatist]

Yes i have followed Zakalwe and have it now perfectly balanced but i noticed an anomaly... After balancing, if you loosen the RA and put it horizontally and then loosen Dec then it still swings about wildly in Dec and i can only gauge balance by slightly tightening Dec so there is a little bit of resistance. Is this right? If it is then i am there!

[DrRobin]

Hi,

If the center of gravity of the load is exactly in line with the axis, then you can slacken the clutch and it should stay in position, regardless of the position. However, it is seldom the case that the OTA's center of gravity is exactly in line with the axis and therefore depending on the RA/DEC angle it may or may not be in balance for all positions.

I balanced mine for a typical RA/DEC, pointing towards the area of sky I view the most and accepted it was out of balance at other angles. That said, if I slacken the clutches on both axis, the scope generally stays in the same position and doesn't move unless pushed.

Robin