Equinox Rotating Focuser

[A McEwan]

Hi.

I'm worried about the rotating focuser on my new Equinox 120. The feature is operated by loosening a locking collett, then rotating the focuser body to the desired position, and retightening the collett.

Except, the collett always binds and squeeks when I try to loosen it. Then, rotating the focuser results in more squeeking and grinding noises, not at all smooth like in my Baader rotatable focuser. Finally, when I think I've locked the collett again, the focuser body will still rotate, unless I tighten it up REALLY hard - which makes it hard to undo again next time!

Anybody else have this problem?

Anyone have a fix for it?

As it stands, I'm put off using the feature as it is simply not very reassuring to use. Any comments welcome please. Thanks!

Ant 8)

[vlebo]

Same problem exactly . Steve has said it is a common production fault so I do not know if it can be fixed

[FLO]

Yes, they do tend to squeak when being rotated. Pity they couldn't have put some grease on the mechanism during manufacture. Everything else about the focuser should be nice and smooth.

[A McEwan]

Yes indeed. The coarse focus is a little bit rough, but the fine focus far outshines it in its smoothness. I intend to have a close look at the focuser and see if I can femove some of the 'lumpiness' in the coarse focus motion. The rotation feature is just a shame. I suppose theoretically one could completely dismatle the machanism and insert some lube (if one had the skills and was brave enough), but would there be enough space to insert some? Was it manufactured with enough tolerance to allow grease to be applied? It could be an expensive gamble...

Ant

[vlebo]

You are a braver man than I am. Good luck

[FLO]

Ant, please don't dismantle anything. The coarse focus is naturally less smooth than the fine focus so it would be a shame to dismantle anything (which would void your warranty) unless necessary. And if it is necessary then we would be a warranty repair - we would repair it under warranty. Are you attending SGL 4? If we meet at SGL4 then I can see it for myself and assess it.

[A McEwan]

Understood Steve! :salute: Er... at risk of sounding foolish, what's SGL 4?

[FLO]

The fourth SGL Star Party, there is a thread running somewhere I think.

[A McEwan]

Can't find a definitive venue/date but have to say it's unlikely - would be a very long way to travel from north Scotland!

[adamsp123]

Hi Antony,

Excellent review in the Equipment reviews section and obviously a nice instrument but I am a little concerned that the focuser problem is possibly a general fault of the product because, as you know, I was seriously thinking about getting one of these but now... the rest of the scope just seems excellent I wonder if more Equinox owners' have had a problem with this or is it a limited batch fault? Contamination in the mechanism or wrong tolerance???

I definately would not take it apart but if you can part with your new "toy" I would get it fixed under warranty, clearly if the clamp ring on the rotating focuser is not working it could cause bigger problems later.

Well I really hope you get it all sorted OK.

pete

[FLO]

.... is it a limited batch fault? Contamination in the mechanism or wrong tolerance???

It is none of those things, the focusers tend to squeak when they are rotated, they all tend to do that. We could say that if they changed the design slightly or used some grease ... but we can't describe it as a fault.

.... I would get it fixed under warranty, clearly if the clamp ring on the rotating focuser is not working it could cause bigger problems later.

If the clamp ring does not clamp/unclamp the focuser then it is faulty, otherwise it is not.

So far, other than one with a blemish on its objective, we have yet to see a faulty Equinox.

[A McEwan]

Thanks Pete.

I've heard a couple of other comments about the same problem online now, so I suspect it's normal for this scope? Which does leave me with a dilemma.

If it is normal, as Steve says (and this does make perfect sense) there is no point in sending the scope off simply to find that nothing can be done to improve the binding.

I firmly believe though that the lumpiness in the coarse focus can be removed, and have seen instructions online to do so, but that would invalidate the warranty so it's not something I would want to do without being authorised to.

If the rotation feature is the same on all of the scopes I can only hope that they remedy the problem for the next batch so that other owners don't have the worry of a squeeky focuser twist thingy! I'm sure they will - Skywatcher do tend to learn from their mistakes and improve things for their customers.

If I were able to have the coarseness in rough focus removed I would be happy, and would just put up with the rotation squeek/binding and think of it as a non-rotatable focuser.

But yes, otherwise the scope is an absolute dream and I would still very strongly recommend it. The price for what you get is just great and the performance of the optics is first class. And lets face it, it still comes to focus perfectly well and still holds the eyepieces firmly, so I'll still get a lot of pleasure from it.

Of course, there's always the Moonlite option....

Ant 8)

[FLO]

Keep an eye on it Ant, compare it with others if you get the opportunity, and let us know what you'd like us to do.

If you genuinely feel it is faulty then we'll have it back for repair in a heartbeat.

If its simply that its design irritates you then we'll still take it back and refund you in full.

HTH

[A McEwan]

Oh no no no no no no!!! Refund - no chance! :shock: You're not getting this scope off me that easy!

Thanks for the offer of assist though, and yes I'll keep you advised after I've used it some more.

Ant

[FLO]

[Solar B]

Ive got a few probs with my E100 focuser as well...it tends to slip a bit and then sometimes wont travel back up...the rotator appears to be okay but to be honest i havnt used the scope much as i bought it to use with a Herschel wedge...its apparently an F9 planet killer but there are no (few) planets to view :mrgreen:

I,ll fiddle a bit more with those grub screws and see what happens.

I can forgive its focusing foibles as the optics are perfect and its just great to look at 8) Brian

PS there may be some variation in their focusers as the E80 i flogged was perfect

[FLO]

Ive got a few probs with my E100 focuser as well...it tends to slip a bit and then sometimes wont travel back up...

It just needs tensioning. It is very easily done.

I posted a picture somewhere, I'll see if I can find it then post it here.

[FLO]

Here y'go

Tension is adjusted with a single central hex screw, you'll need a 2.5mm hex key. Just run the focuser in-out while gently turning the key clockwise, it only needs a fraction of a turn. Let us know how you get on.

[A McEwan]

Steve, see in that pic, right at the top there's another recessed allen screw? What does that adjust? Any idea?

[Solar B]

Thanks Steve ive been fiddleing with them off and on for a couple of months.

Ant i dont think theres a grub screw in that there hole.

Brian

[A McEwan]

There is on mine. It's a 2.5mm allen screw. Might be fairly tight to start with, and you need to be spot-on when inserting the key to get it to shift, but it does make a difference to the tension on the drawtube. HTH,

Ant

[Solar B]

Ooooh Phanks Ant that could be just what im looking for i,ll have a play with it later

(and the grub screw) Brian

[A McEwan]

You're welcome! Just be careful while playing with it...

[adamsp123]

My main concern would be if I owned this scope costing near on a Grand would be the grinding noise, a squeaky noise, no bother, but a grinding?? I suppose there is grinding up to a GRINDING sound, obviously it is a very good sign that Antony doesn't want to part with it.

But if the locking ring doesn't lock properly then... but as I don't own one YET!! so I am guessing somewhat on how much of a real problem it is.

I wonder, Steve of FLO, has any of this been fed back to Synta? In my experience the Chinese seem to very professional about problems and fixing them, but they do need know first there might be a possible QA problem with the focuser/build.

Just a thought

pete

[Darren B]

When I first got my Equinox 66ED, I had to tighten that grub screw as tight as possible as I had the same problems as Solar B. Recently I checked the other grub screws and found the four chrome screws to be loose as well. I un-tightend the recessed grub srew and tightened up the chrome grub screws fully and un tightend a little. I then turned the recessed grub till the focuser stop slipping and could support the weight of the scope without moving. I can still tighten the recess grub screw even further if I wanted to. Unfortunately the course focus is still a bit lumpy, but somehow feels a bit more solid. I would now try this scope out in the field to see how it performs.