Help with Nexstar mount!

[Nerf_Caching]

Hello, sorry to bother you with another Nexstar se mount question, but, a bit of background. I have been using my 5se with a nexyz phone adapter, which meant a bit of strain as it makes the scope rear heavy. I could hear it in the alt motors as it makes kind of a straining noise when moving at full slew. I tested the pointing accuracy after that with auto 2 star and a star chart app hopefully to somewhat gauge the slewing accuracy to "objects" in the night sky(in the app; in AR mode piggybacked to scope.). I've started to notice that the alt motors don't produce a consistent whirr when moving at full slew. It sounds as if it is straining against something(even though i have nothing attached to the back of the scope). Moreover, my scope is inaccurate when slewing to objects, even with auto 2 star align. Not sure if this is the most accurate way to gauge the accuracy of my mount, but according to my star chart app, the scope doesn't seem to plant the object dead center. The scope seems to know where the object is, but sometimes it is way off. Is the motor noise related to the mount being inaccurate? or is it something that i shouldn't be worrying about. Thanks.

[Peter Drew]

What power supply are you using for the mount.?

[Stargazer33]

I wouldn't be too worried about a mobile device planetarium app disagreeing with your mount. I can hold my phone up with Google Sky or Sky Safari and it can be nearly 90° out!

If your 'scope is tail heavy can you not move the dovetail forward a little to compensate? 

As Peter is alluding to, is your power supply too low to properly run your mount? If you are running on regular batteries, or a car battery etc, are they low or not charging fully. If you are running on mains power, does your PSU provide enough voltage AND current?

[Klitwo]

7 hours ago, Nerf_Caching said:

Hello, sorry to bother you with another Nexstar se mount question, but, a bit of background. I have been using my 5se with a nexyz phone adapter, which meant a bit of strain as it makes the scope rear heavy. I could hear it in the alt motors as it makes kind of a straining noise when moving at full slew. I tested the pointing accuracy after that with auto 2 star and a star chart app hopefully to somewhat gauge the slewing accuracy to "objects" in the night sky(in the app; in AR mode piggybacked to scope.). I've started to notice that the alt motors don't produce a consistent whirr when moving at full slew. It sounds as if it is straining against something(even though i have nothing attached to the back of the scope). Moreover, my scope is inaccurate when slewing to objects, even with auto 2 star align. Not sure if this is the most accurate way to gauge the accuracy of my mount, but according to my star chart app, the scope doesn't seem to plant the object dead center. The scope seems to know where the object is, but sometimes it is way off. Is the motor noise related to the mount being inaccurate? or is it something that i shouldn't be worrying about. Thanks.

As a suggestion...be sure and check your altitude and azimuth clutches/gears first to make sure they are adjusted properly (not too tight/loose or lack lubrication -  dry).  I found the following website source helpful and helped me solve the problem when I had a slewing problem with my Nexstar 4SE....>   http://www.fixya.com/support/t24748187-correct_slew_limits_warning_nexstar

P.S.  If the slewing problem(s) persist with "No" solution in sight...then seek the help of Celestron's Technical Service Dept.

Klitwo

[Cosmic Geoff]

I wouldn't worry too much about overloading the mount with a phone adapter.  If you search the American 'Cloudynights' site there is a series of posts about hanging stuff on the (admittedly bigger and heavier) Celestron C8.  The consensus of this was that various people had had their C8s working for years with DSLRs and other unbalanced loads hung on them.   The OTA is meant to be pushed well forward in the clamp (as shown in the stock sales photos) and you don't have to 'balance' it.  So long as you don't unbalance it so much that the altitude clutch slips, the gear train will hold it and it will work. 

The noise from the gear train does vary a bit during a slew.  The drive (on the SE 6/8) is rather noisy.   The external power connector is a known source of problems and one should check that the plug is making good contact, and also fit a cable anchor so that the wire does not pull on the plug.  If you are using internal batteries ... well just stop doing that and get an external power supply.   When working properly the GoTo (on the SE6/8 mount) once aligned according to the manual is accurate enough to drop the object into the field of  the low power eyepiece.  Don't expect it to be dead centre each time.

I don't know why you are testing its accuracy with a phone app - it's probably more accurate than a phone app and compass.  What I usually do is to make it slew to an object I am going to recognize when it shows up in the eyepiece - a planet or distinctive deep-sky object.

[Nerf_Caching]

I am using a power tank to power the scope.

[Nerf_Caching]

Just to add to the motor noise: The altitude motor didn't sound like this before. It used to be a smooth whirr, but now, it seems to have become a bit noisier and with some vibration. Doesn't sound quite pleasant to me XD

[K4PDM]

My 8SE was off-balance at first with a heavy eyepiece, focal reducer, and Star Sense camera. It was very jerky in altitude and not accurate in slewing. After I slid the OTA forward, all seems well.

[Nerf_Caching]

9 minutes ago, K4PDM said:

My 8SE was off-balance at first with a heavy eyepiece, focal reducer, and Star Sense camera. It was very jerky in altitude and not accurate in slewing. After I slid the OTA forward, all seems well.

Mine sometimes makes a noise like shaking a can of marbles. Not sure if I broke something in the motor or gears. Also tried calibrate goto. Been using(and slewing) my mount a lot lately.