Hi tech focus master

[P.Rees]

Dear All

I have a Altair 80mm refractor. I use the atik 314l and filter wheel.

I bought the hi tech focus master at Astro fest . The kit does not include a motor and bracket for my telescope.

Does anyone know which motor and bracket I can use which is compatible with the hi tech focus master?

many thanks Peter

[Zakalwe]

You will need a stepper motor. Robofocus is the traditional source for these and are pricey, but good (about £140 for the motor and a couple of brackets). Lakeside Astro (via Ian King) do a similiar system and it's £130 for a motor and a bracket. You can either buy a full kit, or the motor and mounting kits or go down a DIY route.

Teleskop Express also do variants: https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p6774_USB-Focus-stepper-motor-for-payloads-up-to-1-5-kgs.html  TS also have loads of universal brackets and coupler kits to mount the motor to the focuser body.

You can go full DIY if you are handy with a soldering iron, then you can pick up suitable stepper motors from eBay for under a tenner.

If you are DIYing the mounting, then you will need a flexible couple to connect the motor shaft to the focuser shaft. There's loads of them available on Amazon or anywhere that sells parts for remote control cars. You should be able to pick one up with the correct internal diameters to match the relevant shafts. They look like this:

 

Altair Astro also do kits from Pegasus, which includes the motor and mounting gear. https://www.altairastro.com/Pegasus-FocusCube-Universal-Refractor-SCT.html

This does include the controller, so you wouldn't need the Hitec Focusmaster.

 

[P.Rees]

Many thanks for your replies. I have contacted Altair Astro and  they say my focus master is not compatible with The Pegasus motor?

Also Ian King tells me the lakeside is not compatible either?

As I have paid for the focus master I am better getting the robofocus and making use of the focus master ?

Many thanks 

[Zakalwe]

57 minutes ago, P.Rees said:

Many thanks for your replies. I have contacted Altair Astro and  they say my focus master is not compatible with The Pegasus motor?

Also Ian King tells me the lakeside is not compatible either?

As I have paid for the focus master I am better getting the robofocus and making use of the focus master ?

Many thanks 

No problem...happy to help.

I use a Robofocus motor with a Hitec FocusMaster and it works well.

 

[Zakalwe]

1 hour ago, P.Rees said:

Many thanks for your replies. I have contacted Altair Astro and  they say my focus master is not compatible with The Pegasus motor?

The Pegasus has the controller built in.

[RayD]

I would have thought the Pegasus Motor Focus Kit will work as it is just a unipolar stepper without a controller.  It comes with a universal bracket and flexible coupler.  You would have to make a RJ45 to DB9 lead (I think Hitech use DB9 still), but this is simple enough.  Could be worth dropping the guys at Pegasus a line to get their thoughts, they are very helpful and will confirm for sure.

The new Focus Cube has the controller built in, so that definitely won't work.

The Lakeside supplied motor would also be compatible, but I think Ian only now sells them as a complete kit with the controller, only supplying additional motors and brackets if you have already bought the complete kit.

As noted above, Robofocus will work and it is the compatible standard of the others mentioned (add Moonlite also).

[Zakalwe]

53 minutes ago, RayD said:

I would have thought the Pegasus Motor Focus Kit will work as it is just a unipolar stepper without a controller.  It comes with a universal bracket and flexible coupler.  You would have to make a RJ45 to DB9 lead (I think Hitech use DB9 still), but this is simple enough.  Could be worth dropping the guys at Pegasus a line to get their thoughts, they are very helpful and will confirm for sure.

Yeah...I would have thought that that would do the job. It looks to be a bit cheaper than a Robofocus motor, but as you said you'd have to mess about with getting an adapter cable made up.

 

<edit>
Looks like an adapter cable is available for Altair.

" Robofocus & Rigel USBnStep compatible connector pin out. Motor output is fully compatible with “Robofocus ©” pin out. Please contact Altair Astro for the special adapter cable. "

https://www.altairastro.com/Pegasus-USB-Dual-Motor-Focus-Steppers-DC-Servo.html