Where to mount Pegasus Ultimate hub & rpi3

[LightBucket]

I have recently bought a Pegasus Ultimate power hub, and have to say its superb, all software controlled, and also have switched over to using a Raspberry PI to control all my kit with Indi and Kstars / Ekos software, and that is also superb, my issue was where to mount these items, which are pretty small considering what they achieve..

Well the following pictures show what I came up with, bearing in mind I have a piggybacked Altair 80mm guidescope so could not just sit them on top of my main scope on a Losmandy dovetail as I have seen others do. So the guidescope fits as normal to the top L plate.

So this is what I did, using two 8” Losmandy plates and four 40mm stainless steel M6 threaded spacers, which fit perfectly into the recessed holes on the bottom L plate, (see last picture) ...the two items are fixed with a disc of heavy duty Velcro to the underside of the top L plate, works very well and all very solid

 

[Jkulin]

That's tidy, where did you get the 40mm M6 threaded spacers from as I am always looking for different sized spacers and I don't have access to a lathe.

I'd probably drill and tap the tube rings and mount the dew controller (Now a much larger Kendrick job) and the USB Hub and that way could have shorter wires and less risk of drag.

 

[LightBucket]

51 minutes ago, Jkulin said:

That's tidy, where did you get the 40mm M6 threaded spacers from as I am always looking for different sized spacers and I don't have access to a lathe.

I'd probably drill and tap the tube rings and mount the dew controller (Now a much larger Kendrick job) and the USB Hub and that way could have shorter wires and less risk of drag.

 

Here you go, other sizes available, the Pegasus hub  is 30mm high so with the 5mm in the L plate recess that leaves a 5mm gab below, so perfect really..the L plates are Revelation Astro branded at £32 each..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/A2-STAINLESS-STEEL-ROUND-STUDDING-CONNECTOR-NUTS-THREADED-ROD-BAR-COUPLERS/322977293562?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=512115797072&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

[LightBucket]

Using the rpi3 as control for all my kit, there is only 1 wire to the mount, that is 12v power, as the rpi3 has its own network to connect too, all my kit is then controlled with one software package from my windows 10 PC indoors with INDI drivers, KStars / Ekos, so no Ascom , USB or serial port issues to deal with, simplicity and it just works every time...

Pegasus are still building the Indi driver for the Ultimate power hub, should be ready in a couple of months...

[Jkulin]

Thanks LB, I too only have one power lead going to the mount, it is the USB leads that are causing untidiness.

I use a Polemaster for my PA and I have thought about using a rpi but I would be stuck not being able to view a screen and confirm alignment, otherwise apart from using my bahtinov mask I don't need to go out in the garden to control my imaging. I can't see away around not having a screen as although I have a permanent pier I have to take my mount off after each session.

I use VNC to control my laptop under a portaloo tent that works really well.

I may well have a look at using some of those extensions to put the USB Hub and Dew Controller on a flat sheet on the side of the Tub rings as that would reduce things down even more.

You lost me with: -

2 hours ago, LightBucket said:

INDI drivers, KStars / Ekos

 

[LightBucket]

48 minutes ago, Jkulin said:

Thanks LB, I too only have one power lead going to the mount, it is the USB leads that are causing untidiness.

I use a Polemaster for my PA and I have thought about using a rpi but I would be stuck not being able to view a screen and confirm alignment, otherwise apart from using my bahtinov mask I don't need to go out in the garden to control my imaging. I can't see away around not having a screen as although I have a permanent pier I have to take my mount off after each session.

I use VNC to control my laptop under a portaloo tent that works really well.

I may well have a look at using some of those extensions to put the USB Hub and Dew Controller on a flat sheet on the side of the Tub rings as that would reduce things down even more.

You lost me with: -

 

Indi is a driver library for astro applications, see here:

http://indilib.org/

and KStars is an allin one programme that included a full planetarium, and full equipment control, and does all and more than SG Pro, here:

https://edu.kde.org/kstars/

also the polemaster can be used with KStars, you do have a screen it’s just not connected to the rpi3 but that is only a scope server where the Indi drivers sit, the work is dont on the remoter machine on windows with KStars...

it would be like having all your equipment Ascom drivers on the Rpi3 and not on the remote machine and then SGpro on your remote machine controlling it all...