NEQ6 Play in RA after Belt Mod

[Adrian Condon]

Hi Dave,

The wobble was in the RA movement... I was able to hold the top of the mount body and move it slightly about 1/2 an inch on the first attempt.

On the second attempt of dis-assembling, we rebuilt the mount very carefully and got the wobble down to about 1/4 an inch of movement.

Neil at Tring Astronomy Centre, tightened the belt about one and half turns then released off a little. We ran the mount on a long slew and then back and forth a while.

We used SkySafari Pro 4 software through the wireless SkyFi box, this allows for a better operating experience and makes the handset a very crude instrument!

I am not very mechanically minded and without the friendly help I received it would have taken a lot longer to achieve.

Along with the others who have the Rowan Belt upgrade, I am very satisfied with results.

I would recommend that anybody getting the kit, to purchase the Bearing Ring Retainer Removal Tool

http://www.rowanastronomy.com/productsa2.htm#heq6beltkit

as I found it extremely useful.

I see you are using the Orion Optics UK mirror, I have one of their SPX 10" dob with a 1/10 Wave mirror, used with quality eyepieces gives brilliant views.

Cheers

Adrian

[sbooder]

The wobble or movement in the RA or Dec has nothing to do with the belt mod, it is all down to getting the relationship between worm mesh and float correct.

[1parsec]

Hi Dave,

The wobble was in the RA movement... I was able to hold the top of the mount body and move it slightly about 1/2 an inch on the first attempt.

On the second attempt of dis-assembling, we rebuilt the mount very carefully and got the wobble down to about 1/4 an inch of movement.

Neil at Tring Astronomy Centre, tightened the belt about one and half turns then released off a little. We ran the mount on a long slew and then back and forth a while.

We used SkySafari Pro 4 software through the wireless SkyFi box, this allows for a better operating experience and makes the handset a very crude instrument!

I am not very mechanically minded and without the friendly help I received it would have taken a lot longer to achieve.

Along with the others who have the Rowan Belt upgrade, I am very satisfied with results.

I would recommend that anybody getting the kit, to purchase the Bearing Ring Retainer Removal Tool

http://www.rowanastronomy.com/productsa2.htm#heq6beltkit

as I found it extremely useful.

I see you are using the Orion Optics UK mirror, I have one of their SPX 10" dob with a 1/10 Wave mirror, used with quality eyepieces gives brilliant views.

Cheers

Adrian

Hi Adrian,

Thanks for the information.

The adjustment Neil and Tring Astro made to eliminate the wobble wasn't to do with the belt kit but to set the mesh between the worm and gear wheel.

Setting the mesh is probably the one step that take the most time to get right and would be the same for a mount with out a belt kit too.

Re: mirror. It was one of the first SPX mirror Orion Optics made and with the Hi-lux coating. It's been out side in my obs, I think for over 10 years and the coatings are still fantastic.

Cheers, Dave.

[Adrian Condon]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the info. Not being mechanical, I automatically assumed that since I upgraded to the belt mechanism, the wobble was the result of change. Anyway, from my viewpoint the mount is now running sweetly, smoothly and silently......

I am happy.

Thanks

Adrian

PS.... Glad to hear that the SPX mirror is still in great shape, I am very happy with my dob as well.

[reddoss]

I got Grahame at Astro Tec UK to  upgraded the belt drive  on my EQ6, and he did a great job. 

[Starflyer]

Hi,

I'm sure after everything is sorted it'll be great. Maybe get it done by Graham at AstroTec uk?

Have you given up on getting yours set up right or is it more serious than that Spoon?  I see on AstroBuySell that you're on the hunt for an AZEQ6-GT now.

[Spoon]

Have you given up on getting yours set up right or is it more serious than that Spoon? I see on AstroBuySell that you're on the hunt for an AZEQ6-GT now.

Hi

I've given up I can't get it right.

I'm on the hunt for a second mount my NEQ6 will become my observing mount to take out in the garden with my 10" newt while the AZEQ6 is imaging

[mhard26339]

Hi,

I think the decision to fit the kit yourself depends on much experience you have with working with mechanical devices.

Having a look through the instructions on the website will help the decision for a self fit or getting it fitted by Graham at Astrotech etc.

Cheers,

I did investigate having the kit installed by Astrotech but I am an engineer and decided to go ahead myself and proceeded with care and unusually a set of instructions!! I think that  the Rowan instructions are OK for the installation even though some elements could have been explained better because yes I did get play on both axis. I replaced the 4 bearings on the worm shafts with quality SKF items (much easier than I thought, no press required) and set them up by feel, I guess an experience thing, not too tight, not too loose, as I said you can feel the point of stricture, if it's there just back off a tad. The main Eureka moment was when reading the hypertung sheets on Astro-baby web site on setting up. I then understood what I was doing (wrong) and from then on it was relatively easy particularly make sure that the 4x6mm RA and DEC mounting screws are only finger tight to allow the worm plate to move when adjusting with the small grub screws; when float removed and tested remember to tighten them up. I now have a very quiet, smooth running mount. One piece of advice is I found the allen keys provided too short for my stocky hands in the motor area; if you do not already own, buy a set of long allen keys (I bought B&Q £4.84 http://www.diy.com/departments/mac-allister-cr-v-steel-long-arm-hex-key-set-of-9/677408_BQ.prd),access to the motors is difficult and these together with a head-band torch made life much easier. Taking care and sorting some issues out (like forgetting to undo some of the retaining grub screws - dumkoph) my installation having never stripped the mount before took 4 1/2 hours but next time I think circa the 1.5 to 2 hours quoted here is easlliy achievable 

Regards

Mike

[mhard26339]

Hi

I've given up I can't get it right.

I'm on the hunt for a second mount my NEQ6 will become my observing mount to take out in the garden with my 10" newt while the AZEQ6 is imaging

Sorry to hear that Spoon, Coventry is a bit far to travel for me to take a look! See my above post.

Regards

Mike