First Edition HEQ-5 AsroEQ Kit Full Upgrade

[astro postman]

Hi all

I have been very interested in upgrading to Tom Carpenters AstroEQ equipment but do not find myself technically confident. Could any one who has completed this upgrade please guide me  from the start, with step by step instruction on how to do this? Any information on specific motor types, pulleys, brackets, etc would be appreciated and where/how to affix to  mount. Also, wiring and cable connecting.

I have attached photo's of my mount.

Kind regards  for your time and I have attached photos below.

[beamer3.6m]

Could you not use the standard heq5 motor upgrade to make it goto.

Maybe a little more expensive but very simple to do and you get the synscan controller and can control it via a laptop etc.

I have the black heq5 like yours.

[astro postman]

Hi Beamer3.6m

Great reports on Mr Carpenters kit. Not really interested in controller as i will control via laptop. Maybe utilise the standard motors but they do not have a connection for RJ-11 cables. If anyone knows the wiring configuration to connect cables to wiring, that would be appreciated. Thanks

[roblegion]

I can thoroughly recommend Tom's Astroeq, Last year I upgraded an EQ5 from basic to fully goto with eqmod. As far as I know you keep the standard motors with an HEQ5.

Unfortunately I can't help with adding ST4 to an HEQ5. As a last resort  try emailing Tom through his TCWorld site, however I'm sure a good search will get the info you need. I'll keep looking and let you know if I find anything to help.

Rob.

[roblegion]

Hi again, have a look at this timtrott.co.uk/upgrading-skywatcher-heq5-synscan-goto/  (sorry you'll have to cut and paste, not too good with links).

It looks like you'll have to replace original motors with steppers (probably NEMA 17) the you can directly wire the motor cables to ST4 sockets which are also known as RJ11 connectors.

[jonnopfc]

Whilst i use Tom's excellent piece of kit on my eq5 (not much use at the mo) have you thought about using HitechAstro EQDir along with eqmod (which you will need anyway with either option) as then you only need to purchase the cable from FLO to connect your laptop to your mount.

Edited January 7, 2016 by jonnopfc

[jonnopfc]

Might also be worth cleaning all that old grease off and using a silicon based one have read something somewhere about stripping a mount down and regreasing.

[astro postman]

I can thoroughly recommend Tom's Astroeq, Last year I upgraded an EQ5 from basic to fully goto with eqmod. As far as I know you keep the standard motors with an HEQ5.

Unfortunately I can't help with adding ST4 to an HEQ5. As a last resort  try emailing Tom through his TCWorld site, however I'm sure a good search will get the info you need. I'll keep looking and let you know if I find anything to help.

Rob.

Thanks Rob

can you post some pics of your set up so i can see where/how the motors are attached to your scope and can you provide details of motor model and pulley/gear sizes so i can purchase the correct equipment?

[astro postman]

Are there any other AstroEQ setups that can give me info or direction?

[roblegion]

Hi again, I can post pics but they wont be much use to you as I have the EQ5 and not the HEQ. If you google Astroeq and find Tom's site (TCWorld is probably the best) or go the forums page at Astroeq you should find the info you need.

As for using the Eqdir method it will work if you have the handset but you won't get anything like the slew speeds you get with the steppers and Astroeq.

Rob.

[roblegion]

Horses mouth and all that, instead of me guessing and googling, I have just e-mailed Tom for the definitive answer, will let you know when he replies.

Regards

Rob.

[astro postman]

Thanks Rob

[roblegion]

Hi again, no reply from Tom yet, though I do know he is working abroad, you got any further yet?

Rob

[astro postman]

Still waiting for Tom to let me know when he has an AstroEQ ready. Like you i think he is extremely busy.

Kev

[Starlight 1]

I was hoping to go out side tonight , so I will ask do you have the Heq5 synscan upgrade kit before  i can take you thouth taking it apart.

R.A motor

DEC motor

control board & pcb

 power cable

there is 2 or 3 more bit in the kit

hand control

power cable

hand control cable

 new gears in the kit go go with the new motors

if you have all this I start the run down on Thursday.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Have you also considered upgrading the drive train to belt mod e.g. http://www.beltingonline.com/eq6-telescopebelt-mod-drive-kit-12220?zenid=0vl1sf1003vcqq5a7g0e9u6rr0 these replace those greasy cogs....

[roblegion]

You can for it for less if you're willing to wait for pulleys to come from China. Don't wish to do UK companies out of  their pennies but that's a lot for what's included!

[astro postman]

I know this topic is extremely old but it’s been a project in process. Due to lockdown my interest in astronomy has been revived. My question is can I replace my stepper motors to speed up slewing? The original motors are too slow to slew and I would like some more speed. I want to keep the board and the gears but just change the motors. I think they maybe nena 17? Information on motor sizes, power and dimensions would be appreciated.  Is this possible?

[malc-c]

The slew rate is hard coded into the handset  0-9 are the speed settings.  It's not possible to change the rate unless you do away with the handset, modify the mount to use belt drives with custom pulleys that have a closer ratio and use EQMOD to allow you to input the new ration so that whilst the slew rate is improved the tracking rates are adjusted to maintain sidereal rate.  

My claim to fame was following discussing some ten years ago I experimented converting my HEQ5 pro goto to belt drive (way before Rowan came along and made it commercial, or SW brought out factory fitted mounts with belt drive)

https://youtu.be/dh3F1xkdj98

The video above gives you some idea of the slew rate using 4:1 ratio (60t worm, 15t motor) - using the preset now built into EQMOD

 

[astro postman]

It’s basically a full upgrade kit then? Thanks for your help.