Polar scope illumination? HEQ5 Pro? How?

[robmichael81]

I cant seem to find where to turn the polar scope illumination on/off. Looking at the online manual it says under point 8.10 that it should be within the utility function menu, however there doesn't seem to be any option to switch polar scope LED on/off. I'm guessing this is because i'm running an older version than the manual I have however I am sure I can see the LED when I look down the polar scope which tells me there must be a way of switching it on somehow?

From my V3 handset I am running the following;

H.C. Firmware ver. 03.28

Motor Controller ver. 01.06.01

H.C. Hardware ver. 03.03

Database ver. 03.28

Any help much appreciated,

Rob 

[Interstellarshaw88]

I didn't know you could turn it on or off I know there's a dimming setting I can't tell you how to do that tho but mines always come on when the mounts been switched on,

hope you sort it out

 

 

[Tinker1947]

There is a dimming option in the handset, not sure what firmware it came in, there is in the latest 3.37  Polar Align option using Stars from a scrolling list, does save getting on your knee's to look through the Polar scope.....That's a Syscan handset

[robmichael81]

I have had a read around and some forums seem to suggest the LED in the old HEQ5's used to be too bright and I am guessing this is why there is now an option to dim? I obviously could be wrong on this. Would they have installed an LED prior to this being an option to use via the synscan handset i.e. do I need a later version/update? Could it be that what I am looking at isn't actually the LED and my HEQ5 Pro doesn't have an illuminated polar scope?

It looks like two small wires and attached to a small round piece of plastic in the center of the polar scope column. What else could it be?

Baffled.

Rob

[metalman]

Could it be that the polarscope illumination is actually on, but at a very low setting (i.e.it looks turned off in daylight)?

I haven't used the handset since I switched to EQMOD, but seem to remember that I had to use the handset to increase the illumination to maximum...because I couldn't see the etchings on the reticle to do the alignment.

Have you tried increasing the illumination to full?

Steve

[Cornelius Varley]

On 01/02/2016 at 22:52, robmichael81 said:

I cant seem to find where to turn the polar scope illumination on/off. Looking at the online manual it says under point 8.10 that it should be within the utility function menu, however there doesn't seem to be any option to switch polar scope LED on/off. I'm guessing this is because i'm running an older version than the manual I have however I am sure I can see the LED when I look down the polar scope which tells me there must be a way of switching it on somehow?

From my V3 handset I am running the following;

H.C. Firmware ver. 03.28

Motor Controller ver. 01.06.01

H.C. Hardware ver. 03.03

Database ver. 03.28

Any help much appreciated,

Rob 

I think the older boards don't have this facility, I'm sure mine doesn't  It could be that the LED has failed, it should be possible to replace it with a new LED from Maplins. If all else fails there are DIY options for an illuminated polarscope ie  a small torch with the glass painted with red nail varnish or cover in red cellophane or 

Googling "diy polarscope illuminator" will give you some more ideas.

[robmichael81]

On 2/5/2016 at 13:46, metalman said:

Could it be that the polarscope illumination is actually on, but at a very low setting (i.e.it looks turned off in daylight)?

I haven't used the handset since I switched to EQMOD, but seem to remember that I had to use the handset to increase the illumination to maximum...because I couldn't see the etchings on the reticle to do the alignment.

Have you tried increasing the illumination to full?

Steve

Hi Steve, I am going to try and update the firmware in my handset because there isn't even the option to increase/decrease the polar scope LED (within utility function). What I can't get my head around is why there would be an LED built within the mount that you couldn't control i.e. without having a later version of firmware?

Rob

[robmichael81]

On 2/5/2016 at 13:56, Cornelius Varley said:

I think the older boards don't have this facility, I'm sure mine doesn't  It could be that the LED has failed, it should be possible to replace it with a new LED from Maplins. If all else fails there are DIY options for an illuminated polarscope ie  a small torch with the glass painted with red nail varnish or cover in red cellophane or 

Googling "diy polarscope illuminator" will give you some more ideas.

Thanks Peter, been using a small red light to shine down the polar scope for the time being. Given my poor DIY skills it might end up being the permanent solution.

Rob

[JemC]

Hi Rob

Not sure if this is any help to you?

I have just installed today the Heq5 upgrade kit which comes with a polar scope illuminator,
Firmware version 4-37-03,
Polar scope illumination is under point 8.9 in the manual that came with it, it is set to 100% when first turned on, taking this setting down to 0% effectively turns it off

to quote the manual point 8.9 it says,

This function applies only to certain Sky-Watcher’s equatorial mounts that are equipped with a polar scope illuminator.
1. Access the menu “Utility Func \ Polar Scope LED” and press the ENTER key.
2. Use the Left/Right direction keys to adjust the illumination level. Press the ENTER key to confirm and exit.

if you can access this see if its turned down to 0%

regards
James