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HEQ5 and Synscan Power


H22A

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Hi all

A while back I picked up a second hand HEQ5 and Synscan controller. It was demonstrated working. I have no documentation nor manuals.

I recently set the mount up for the first time in ages, connected everything as I remembered, but the synscan controller is not turning on.

The power supply is a modded ATX PSU with 5V,12V and GND phono outlets. I have connected the mount power cable to the PSU and the red light on the mount comes on when I switch it on.

The Synscan controller is connected to the Hand Controller port on the mount, but it just seems dead. It does have it's own power socket, but I don't remember anything being plugged into it.

Any advice please? Is there a button I should hold down on the controller to turn it on or some way of testing?

Many thanks

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It's pretty easy to find the manuals online - just do a Google search for them.

In my experience the HEQ5 is quite susceptible to a poorly regulated or noisy power supply. The best and purest form of power is a 12V Lead Acid "car battery" type. However, even with that there can be significant voltage drops if you use cheap cables that only have crimped connections and thin conductors.

Some ATX power supplies also won't supply Volts until they detect a motherboard. You should use your multimeter to check there is actually power being supplied. If you haven't got a meter, I would suggest buying one. They are only a few £££s on eBay

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Thanks I'll have a look for the manuals.

I don't think it is a power issue - since posting I have set up EQMOD on my PC and connected the mount and it is moving the mount fine using the PSU as the power source. 

Does anyone know if the handset should power up with 12V connected directly to it and no connection to the mount?

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OK it seems that it should power up connected directly as that's how one would do a firmware update.

So it appears that I have a dead handset. Googling this suggests it's not uncommon, however also not repairable.

Decision is now either buy a new V4 handset (~£150), source a secondhand one (rare as hen's teeth it seems) or use a laptop and software. After just laying out £1k+ on a Starwave 80 ED Triplet and basic guiding set up it's an expense I could well do without. Grrr!!!!

 

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Hi,

You're right that it connects directly without power. There's an outside chance that it's the cable or connectors, in which case a good clean of the connectors might help, or a new cable- but you could be investing a few quid for no reason if the handset itself is knackered.

Another alternative would be this widget: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/sky-watcher-synscan-wifi-adapter.html

This would enable you to use your phone or tablet as the handset, it's only £59 and it gets time/date/position from your phone saving time and effort keying this in. If you're like me then the effort saving is doubled because I usually key something in wrong and have to start again, so I'd really recommend this as an accessory regardless of whether your handset is working.

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I have to say that the Wifi widget looks interesting. Would it have the same functionality of allowing one to slew directly to objects of interest? I assume that some sort of app on the phone would be required if that was indeed possible...

And yes, many times I've entered something wrong on my old Synscan enabled EQ5. Also "polar" aligned to Kochab more than once, but we don't talk about that ;-)

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We've all done that! My usual trick is reversing the day and the month even though I know it's US format

Yes- there's a Synscan app and that's exactly how it works. It replicates all of the functionality of the handset. I've only used mine twice but my experience is that it works very well. I originally bought it because I have 2 mounts and only one handset, but it has become my preferred one to use. Then again I love a gadget!

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Hmmm.. Forgive me for jumping in. I was thinking of (read: I had decided on) buying this mount and reading this thread has made me think twice about it.
Would you not recommend this mount then? If not, could you guys agree on a suitable alternate?

Thanks.

Pete.

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4 minutes ago, Redscouse said:

Hmmm.. Forgive me for jumping in. I was thinking of (read: I had decided on) buying this mount and reading this thread has made me think twice about it.
Would you not recommend this mount then? If not, could you guys agree on a suitable alternate?

Thanks.

Pete.

Absolutely, :happy11: The HEQ5 is a very good mount, i used to have the standard one then upgraded it to the synscan goto, never had a problem with it,

Yes occasionally things can/do go wrong but that's just not limited to astro stuff :happy11:

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3 minutes ago, JemC said:

Yes occasionally things can/do go wrong but that's just not limited to astro stuff :happy11:

Very true indeed. I spent 15 years as a service engineer. :) 
Thanks for the vote of confidence in the mount. Always good to hear from people who have one already. 

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Absolutely love the HEQ5 mount no worries there at all. I had the standard EQ5 before this and in comparison this thing is a beast :-)

The Synscan controller is the element that failed on mine - as with any box of electronics these things do go wrong time to time. Fortunately, the relatively inexpensive remedy in this instance was the WiFi dongle, which in my opinion is a brilliant upgrade.

Honestly, I'm sort of please that the Synscan controller failed as otherwise I wouldn't have even been considering the WiFi solution (nor did I even know it was an optional retrofit just a week or so ago!!!).

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I think I am right in saying you will not be able to use EQMOD and  Synscan Wifi adapter as EQMOD is its own ASCOM serial COM driver and so it will clash with Sky Watcher Wifi as this uses UDP connection (wireless ) not serial . The Synscan app which runs on Windows/Android/Apple does provide a serial connection but not to the Wifi Adapter (unless you know differently !!) .

So you will be loosing some good bits(IMHO) Eqmod guiding and Eqmod continuous N point tracking.

But there again you will be able to control your HEQ5 mount wirelessly from your phone/tablet/PC and do 3pt alignment etc etc. 

You could of course purchased EQDIR (or equiv) to replace the handset and kept your EQMOD set up.  

Clear Skies with your Wifi Adapter - enjoy.

Who knows EQMOD  the good people might alter EQMOD to connect to the WiFi Adapter !!!!   

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Thanks for that info Stash.

I'm pretty new to this so will take heed of all advice from those who "know more about these things"! 

My plan now is to use the WiFi/Tablet control for general convenience with visual and some basic AP using the mount's built in tracking.

Part of the secondhand bundle I bought included an EQMOD box, and I have recently acquired a GP-Cam too. My plan being that when time permits (I have to set up from scratch each time) I want to do some better AP using the GP-Cam and 50mm guide scope for autoguiding.

From what I'd been told, I was under the impression that I wasn't going to be able to use the handset anyway when doing autoguiding sessions anyway - maybe I misunderstood the chap in the Astro shop, but this was how I understood that it all connected together (before I bought the Wifi dongle) :

  • EQMOD box connects to "Hand Controller" RJ45 port on Mount and USB on the laptop, use software (Stellarium, Cartes du Ciel etc) to find targets
  • GP-CAM connects to "Autoguider" RJ11 Port on Mount and USB on the laptop
  • Use PHD2 software to control the guiding

Like I say, maybe I misunderstood, but that was the impression I had. Any more info or correction/clarification would be most appreciated.

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