Rowan NEQ6 Belt Conversion?

[sbooder]

Mine was glue free when I stripped it before for a tune-up

[jackrussell0232]

The Rowan kit looks like good value to me if its well-machined.  

I think anyone who's done a decent quality belt mod to their eq5 or 6 would say that it improves the performance significantly.  If a mount costs £1000 and a £120 mod makes it at least 30% better...  

The belt mod itself can't change the element of the overall PE which comes from the worm and ring gear (which is normally the main component), but it does reduce significantly the fast 2-3 arcsecond pk-pk gear noise which is superimposed on the PE trace.  New worm bearings usually do help the worm PE though, because the worm is turning more smoothly.

I bought parts from the US and machined the worm pulleys myself (4:1 ratio).  But with the bits costing around 60 quid and the 2 hours setting up, machining, checking and cleaning up, I didn't think it was worth my time offering kits for less than 120 quid, and even then I wouldn't fight for customers!  If you can do batches by cnc then it starts to make sense commercially.  There were cheaper ways to do it, but if the pulleys were machined even slightly off centre, then this introduces more PE (although it still gets rid of the faster gear noise).

The only thing I would say, is that if you're not using the mount for astrophotography, the only improvement you'll see is that the horrible graunching noise when slewing will be gone.

Certainly not a difficult mod to do though.

[sbooder]

Well belt mod now complete and just some fine tuning to do on the worm adjusters.  The only things I found fiddly were,

1, putting on the worm shaft pulleys, there is a tendency for them to pull away from where they are seated when tightening the grub screws but I got there in the end.

2, getting the 3.5mm measurement right fitting the motor pulleys, this was mainly because I do not have a decent metal rule, all the rulers I have start with a margin before the measure.  I got around this by cutting a section out of an old tape measure I had.

3, I have quite big hands and getting the motors in so they engage the belts was quite a task especially the Dec motor which had not engaged the belt at all the first time which left me listing to the Dec motor whirring away with no movement on the Dec axis, but I did notice that when I tried again there is a definite feel when the belt sits correctly and you apply light tension.

Over all though not a difficult mod and hopefully a beneficial one.

[tich]

I looking forward to hearing the results when you use it for the first time as I'm interested in doing the same to mine, I've downloaded the instructions from the site & they seem pretty straight forward enough. What I like about this kit is that it works ok via the handset which is good for me as I don't control my mount by a laptop.

[sbooder]

I looking forward to hearing the results when you use it for the first time as I'm interested in doing the same to mine, I've downloaded the instructions from the site & they seem pretty straight forward enough. What I like about this kit is that it works ok via the handset which is good for me as I don't control my mount by a laptop.

And the other benefit is that you do not have to alter the mount either so you can always go back and no damage done.

[kingboya]

I just opened my birthday present! I hope to start work on the mount within a week. I have replacement worm bearings and also quality grease, so doing a full strip etc.

[tich]

I'll probably convert mine later next year when there's not much in the way of dark skies but I'll definitely be up for doing it. Does anyone have the size & specs for any of the bearings that I could replace? as I could get them before I strip down the mount.

[sbooder]

I'll probably convert mine later next year when there's not much in the way of dark skies but I'll definitely be up for doing it. Does anyone have the size & specs for any of the bearings that I could replace? as I could get them before I strip down the mount.

Here we go you will find them on this page  http://www.astro-baby.com/EQ6-Supertune/EQ6%20Super%20Tune%20Guide.php

[jnc71106]

this kit looks interesting, i use my laptop with eqmod to control the mount would i need to change anything as i'm not using a handset or is it plug and play so to speak ?

[sbooder]

It keeps the same ratio as the original gearing so there would be no problem at all using EQMOD.

[thanders]

Well belt mod now complete and just some fine tuning to do on the worm adjusters.  The only things I found fiddly were,

1, putting on the worm shaft pulleys, there is a tendency for them to pull away from where they are seated when tightening the grub screws but I got there in the end.

2, getting the 3.5mm measurement right fitting the motor pulleys, this was mainly because I do not have a decent metal rule, all the rulers I have start with a margin before the measure.  I got around this by cutting a section out of an old tape measure I had.

3, I have quite big hands and getting the motors in so they engage the belts was quite a task especially the Dec motor which had not engaged the belt at all the first time which left me listing to the Dec motor whirring away with no movement on the Dec axis, but I did notice that when I tried again there is a definite feel when the belt sits correctly and you apply light tension.

Over all though not a difficult mod and hopefully a beneficial one.

2. I used the back of a 3.5mm drill to get the measure.

/Thomas

[1parsec]

2. I used the back of a 3.5mm drill to get the measure.

/Thomas

Using a the shank of a drill is a good idea.

The 3.5mm dimension has a bit of tolerance. You can comfortably set this any where down to 3.0mm and there'll be no issue.

A £1 coin is 3.2mm wide which will make a nice gauge too.

Thanks,  Dave.

[sbooder]

Hi Dave,

           just for future reference will you be able to provide spares for the mod.  I noticed when mine arrived they were neatly packaged so would we be able to buy just one of them, for instance the belt and pulley pack?

[1parsec]

Hi Dave,

           just for future reference will you be able to provide spares for the mod.  I noticed when mine arrived they were neatly packaged so would we be able to buy just one of them, for instance the belt and pulley pack?

I hope it's ok for me to post the occasional comment, but In order for me to comply with the Admin rules on commercial posts etc., please can any specific queries and questions about our products be sent by e-mail.  sales@rowanastronomy.com   ( I don't want to get banned -  this is a great forum  )

An e-mail will usually receive a quicker response any way as it can be difficult to keep track of threads on forums and reply promptly to them.

Thanks very much, Dave.

(Yes we will support any one needing spares  )

[sbooder]

Quite right!

[kookoo_gr]

I decided to strip down the mount while waiting for the belt kit to arrive just to do some general cleaning and re-greasing and place all components in freezer bags while I wait.

In doing so I think I found the reason I have never been happy with the balancing of the scope during setup.

Like many others who I have read about in the past with this problem I have always found the mount to be stiff when the RA is horizontal when balancing the scope with counter weights.

What I found was some raised burrs in the RA housing in the base unit (see photo) which match scratches I found on the RA worm gear barrel.

I have now filed these down using an old diamond nail file blade and some 1500 grit wet and dry paper.

I will not be able to tell if this has solved the problem until I have reassembled the mount after conversion to the belt drive.

Watch this space!

The trick you did at your mount will make balancing the mount a whole lot easier and you will also have smoother motion at your axes. At my mount i used fine sandpaper at the housing base of both axes as weel as the large gear ( i sanded the portion that doesn't have the gears, duh) that each axis has. The performance imporved

[sbooder]

Does anyone know what the material the belts are made of in the Rowan kit please?

I want to find out about the change in length in varying temperatures.  I have sent an email to Rowan Engineering but I thought it was an interesting thought regarding changes in motor seating with the belt during different seasons of the year?

[sbooder]

Dave from Rowan Engineering has informed me that "The Synchroflex timing belts used in our belt kits can operate with ambient temperatures from -30°C to +80°C." with no need for adjustment regarding seasonal temperatures.

[perfrej]

Hmmm... Just bough one and -30 is a close call. It'll probably work OK

/per

[kingboya]

Well I started the strip down today and have regreased and installed the worm gear with belt. All went swimmingly. Reassemble tomorrow and then attack the Dec axis. Really looking forward to setting it up and testing it!

[sbooder]

Well I started the strip down today and have regreased and installed the worm gear with belt. All went swimmingly. Reassemble tomorrow and then attack the Dec axis. Really looking forward to setting it up and testing it!

I am hoping to test it under the sky tonight but it is touch and go with the sky...Quelle surprise!

[perfrej]

My kit has arrived, and an hour and a half later it was installed. This is excellent stuff and the mount is smooth as silk. Since I already did all the bearings before, the process was familiar and made sense.

I did change one thing, though. The instructions calls for disassembling the Dec axis, but I found that unnecessary. If you take out the worm bearing you can get the new belt wheel on the worm shaft without disassembling the axis, a process that is a bit complicated compared to the rest of the work.

I have the mount adjusted to silkiness and will test it in a month or so...

/per

[sbooder]

My kit has arrived, and an hour and a half later it was installed. This is excellent stuff and the mount is smooth as silk. Since I already did all the bearings before, the process was familiar and made sense.

I did change one thing, though. The instructions calls for disassembling the Dec axis, but I found that unnecessary. If you take out the worm bearing you can get the new belt wheel on the worm shaft without disassembling the axis, a process that is a bit complicated compared to the rest of the work.

I have the mount adjusted to silkiness and will test it in a month or so...

/per

Good stuff.

[billhinge]

Out of curiosity, I don't have an NEQ6, but does using a belt drive reverse the direction of tracking rotation?

If so do you use software to correct this ?

[r3i]

Out of curiosity, I don't have an NEQ6, but does using a belt drive reverse the direction of tracking rotation?

If so do you use software to correct this ?

No, the mod removes the need for the intermediate transfer gear that is in between the stepper motor gear and the worm gear.