Frustrated with Polar Aligning

[brewaskew]

Have had my Celestron 6se for about a month now and have loved it.  I haven't had any problems setting it up and getting it aligned (short of a power issue my first night, that was quickly taken care of thanks to tips on this site).  Since getting my scope I am intrigued with better, longer lasting tracking and thought it would be a fun project to make a wedge...so I did.

Tried the wedge out last night and battled with my scope for about 2.5 hours trying to figure out polar alignment with the thing.  Basically, working on EQ north align, the hand control gives me all kinds slew limit warnings (when there shouldn't be)...also, if I try to move the scope myself with the direction buttons it will go to a certain point then stop moving (it never did this when was on its regular stand).  I did all kinds of fiddling with the slew limits and have cordwrap set to off, and I can't figure out how to get the scope to just keep moving.  Obviously because of this slewing problem, the EQ alignment is failing.  Even if I am able to get the scope to move to the stars needed, it typically fails alignment.

I was able to get it to align a couple times at which point I went on to the polar align option and then the mount align option.  It slews to the last star I used for EQ align (Vega) and I move my mount and all that good stuff and it says it is done.  All the instructions say at some point the scope is suppose to slew to Polaris (it never does).  So after it is apparently aligned I am suppose to EQ align again...I don't have this option unless I power cycle the scope, at which point the EQ align would fail.

Any thoughts, suggestions, tips would be greatly appreciated.  I just don't think it should be this hard.

Here is a shot of what I'm working with:

[CSM]

when I first had my wedge I had this same problem of it stopping slewing.  This was due to the fact that the bolts holding the mount to the wedge were too long - they weren't the original bolts.  Had to cut them down.

Aside from this you do need to have it pointed as near north as possible and the correct latitude. Yes - alter the slew limits, I think to 0 and 90 if I remember correctly otherwise that will be a problem.  This is the link to follow to get it properly polar aligned

[brewaskew]

Thanks, I'll try some shorter bolts.

[brewaskew]

yup, looks like a bolt length problem...just tried it with the bolts not screwed all the way in and it worked no problem.  Thanks, CSM!  And I'll be checking out your link as well...clear skies predicted for tomorrow night so hopefully I'll get things up and running without the headaches.

[ollypenrice]

Personally I'd dump the software alignment tools. Great when they work, a nightmare when they don't. To drift align is simple and can be software free. Since IT is the least reliable aspect of anybody's life it's a no-brainer! 

That said, the last thing in the world that I'd do for anything other than DS imaging would be put your scope into EQ mode.  Computerized Alt-Az tracking is so nice for visual use. No contortions, very little variation in EP height. It ain't broke so why are you fixing it? Of course, making and experimanting are fun, but I took my LX200 OTA off its fork to try it for DS imaging. I should have left well alone because it was no good for DS imaging and was so much better for visual in Alt Az...   GRRRR!

Olly

[brewaskew]

I'm planning on trying my hand at some photography, so just playing around with it...when it comes to just observing I will totally just keep it as the alt/az, as it has worked beautifully for me so far...heck, I even got a decent shot (in my mind anyway) of the ring nebula while on alt/az.

[Myopicus]

Sell it.

Buy a Dob.  

Simples.   

[CSM]

Glad it worked.  Nice shot of the ring nebula.  Try it with a Barlow.  I did manage something with my CCD camera last year but haven't had a chance to use it this year.