EQ6 Mount - Problem or Inexperience ?

[John]

I'm not a regular EQ mount user so please excuse any silly questions or assumptions !

I've recently taken delivery of one of the black non-GOTO Skywatcher EQ6 mounts. It was sold as an ex-demo model and seems to be in excellent condition will few signs of use.

I've ordered a Skywatcher Power Tank for it but meanwhile I wanted to power it up and just check that it's working as the supplier said.

The model is the one with the adjustable pole finder illumination though a little kn0b on the control panel and the handset supplied is the standard HEQ5 / EQ6 oblong black one with the 2 DEC buttons, 2 RA buttons, a N-Off-S switch and a 2x-8x-16x switch.

As a power supply for testing I used the power socket in my car with the engine running and a standard power lead.

When I plugged the hand controller into the mount and moved the switch from off to N the red light on the mount came on and the illuminated pole finder light was on and adjustable though the small knOb mentioned above. The green led was illuminated in the center of the RA and DEC buttons on the handset too. So far so good I think.

When I pressed any of the RA or DEC buttons, with the speed set to either 2x, 8x or 16x nothing seemed to happen though. The green LED on the handset turned red as I believe it's supposed to but there was no sign of any motion from the mount axis or any sound whatsoever from the mount other than a small "click" when I pressed either of the RA buttons. No "click" when the DEC buttons are pressed. I tried putting the switch in the "S" position with the same result and no change at any of the 3 speeds either.

I did make sure that the axis were locked and I used the setting circles to check for any visible movement over a period of several minutes on each axis but there was nothing at all. With the mount axis unlocked the mount turns very smoothly around both the RA and DEC axis.

Could this be that the power supply does not have enough "oomph" to actually run the motors or is there possibly some more fundamental issue with the mount ?. Are there any other tests I can do ? 

Thanks in advance for any help offered 

[Stephen]

The model is the one with the adjustable pole finder illumination though a little kn0b on the control panel

Is that an after market mod?

[Cornelius Varley]

The old style EQ6 and HEQ5 were powered by a set of 8 "D" cells so a 12v car battery shouldn't be a problem assuming that the accessory socket can supply sufficient amps.. Can you remove the side cover to expose the motors and see if they turn when a button is pressed ?

[John]

Is that an after market mod?

I understand from Astro Baby's website that EQ6's were fitted with these for a while at some point in their life. It certainly looks like it was in integral part of the mount as an arrow to indicate the function is screen printed around the dimmer kn0b.

[John]

The old style EQ6 and HEQ5 were powered by a set of 8 "D" cells so a 12v car battery shouldn't be a problem assuming that the accessory socket can supply sufficient amps.. Can you remove the side cover to expose the motors and see if they turn when a button is pressed ?

I can try that Peter although I'm cautious about dismantling it too much in case it has to go back to the supplier, who is a commercial operator rather than a private individual so I have some cover if things are amiss.

I was surprised that I heard no noise at all but maybe the motors are more or less silent.

[sbooder]

Have you got anything else you can test the motors with, like an EQDirect cable to run with EQMOD or has anyone near you a handset you can test it with?  It would be odd if it was both motors that was the problem, I would test HC and cable first.

[Spikey]

Can you get the slewing speed up to a decent rate? I think those rates will hardly move the mount noticeably as you've already experienced.

[John]

Have you got anything else you can test the motors with, like an EQDirect cable to run with EQMOD or has anyone near you a handset you can test it with?  It would be odd if it was both motors that was the problem, I would test HC and cable first.

Thanks Simon (and Simon and Peter).

As a lifelong dob / alt-az user you have lost me I'm afraid. I've heard of these terms of course but don't know anything about them 

I've just been trying another power supply direct from the mains via a DC adapter and had the same results. I've had a look under the removable side panel which the power / HC / polar illuminator are set into and all the cables seem intace and lead to the RA and DEC motors. I can hear something clicking near the RA motor when I press the RA button on the HC but it's just a single click and nothing else.

16x is the fastest option I have on the HC. Maybe I'll try that again and leave it longer to see if there is any movement at all.

Thanks for the help so far - much appreciated and sorry my knowledge of these things is so limited

[Spikey]

My apologies John, I've just noticed that you've already mentioned it's a non-GOTO and I think you can't get past 16x without the synscan handset.

Isn't there a silver screw that you have to turn somewhere to engage the gears?

[Uplooker]

Have you disabled tracking, sidereal, prior to trying to slew the mount?

Ian

[John]

Have you disabled tracking, sidereal, prior to trying to slew the mount?

Ian

Ian,

How would I know ?

Sorry to sound so dumb !

[Ant]

I seem to remember that even at x16 its hard to know that it's working just be looking at the mount.

Can you put a scope on it and then look at some distant trees / houses and look through the EP so see if its moving ok.

Also try putting an ear to the mount and pressing the buttons - they are quiet mounts.

Ant

[John]

My apologies John, I've just noticed that you've already mentioned it's a non-GOTO and I think you can't get past 16x without the synscan handset.

Isn't there a silver screw that you have to turn somewhere to engage the gears?

There are 2 silver screws on the other side of the RA housing - could it be these ?.

Stop press !!!: I have just repeated my testing with my head literally pressed against the RA housing and I can hear a faint hum when I press the RA and DEC buttons !

I need to get that side off to see if the gears are turning I guess but at least something is happening deep inside the casing.

[John]

I seem to remember that even at x16 its hard to know that it's working just be looking at the mount.

Can you put a scope on it and then look at some distant trees / houses and look through the EP so see if its moving ok.

Also try putting an ear to the mount and pressing the buttons - they are quiet mounts.

Ant

I've just tried your last suggestion Ant and I can hear some humming when the RA and DEC buttons are pressed but by gosh it's quiet compared to other EQ's I've used !

I think putting a scope on it is a good plan and I'll try that out when I get a chance. 

I have a better feeling about this now I've heard that faint humming from inside the mount.

Thanks for all the help so far folks, brilliant as usual 

[Spikey]

That sounds like it's working John, it's literally imperceptible movement at the very slow speeds. 

[John]

That sounds like it's working John, it's literally imperceptible movement at the very slow speeds. 

I think you are probably right Simon 

Being such an infrequent EQ mount user I've sort of forgotten how slow 16x is and now realise how loud CG5 motors are !.

I'll get a scope on there as Ant suggests and then I should be able to see the slewing.

Thanks again folks and sorry to sound such a dimwit on these things   

[Ant]

John, I have a Dob arriving today - so no doubt will feel as lost later as you do now  

[Uplooker]

Ian,

How would I know ?

Sorry to sound so dumb !

Hi John,

Not sounding dumb at all. I am not sure myself as i do not have and am not familiar with your handset. On my NEQ6 i need to press the Guide  and Slow buttons together to either enable or disable tracking. Yours is somewhat different. there is a separte manual for my Syntrek mount but i have just looked at the SW HEQ5 / HEQ6 manual and it shows / describes the operation of a handset very similar to the one you describe.

http://skywatcher.com/downloads/EQ5&EQ6-130405V1.pdf

See Page 9

Ian

[Spikey]

I think you are probably right Simon 

Being such an infrequent EQ mount user I've sort of forgotten how slow 16x is and now realise how loud CG5 motors are !.

I'll get a scope on there as Ant suggests and then I should be able to see the slewing.

Thanks again folks and sorry to sound such a dimwit on these things   

It's all about what you get used to using John. I wouldn't know where to start with various scopes, EP's or star hopping.

[steppenwolf]

I'm rather late to the party here, John but I had this same mount and fell for the same 'issue' - mounting a 'scope and watching for movement through that will, I feel sure, confirm that all is well with the mount. Although I upgraded mine to GoTo after a couple of years, it was a lovely solid mount and was only recently replaced by my Mesu 200.

[John]

Thanks Steve,

I'm looking forward to getting it set up now 

[Marki]

Hope the eq6 is working out john - what are you mounting on it?

[John]

Hope the eq6 is working out john - what are you mounting on it?

I hope it will too Mark. Once I have it set up on the Meade Giant Field tripod I'm aiming to put the Istar 6" F/12 on it. I've decided that a driven mount is going to be a better option for the big refractor as manually tracking the 1800mm FL was harder than I anticipated.

My thinking is to reduce the need to touch the scope though the driven mount and also by using a Hyperion Zoom eyepiece so that weight at the focuser end stays the same.

I'm hoping that the massive Meade tripod coupled with the big lump of the EQ6 will handle the big refractor reasonably well. The EQ6 is taller than the alt-az approach as well - the mount dovetail will be at around 6' 6".

I said when I got the big Istar that it would be a long term project and thats how it's turning out

[Marki]

Ah, makes sense! I find that my Az-eq6 handles the weight of my f10 well enough (and is pretty quiet even under that load) -  but I'd hate to try to manually track anything! Interestingly I use my hyperion zoom pretty much most of the time with that scope, simply to not have to mess around with the balance.

I guess you must be thinking of this as a semi-permanent set up...6'6" to the dovetail would be way too high for me to even get the scope mounted! Look forward to hearing how you get on!