EQM-35 Pro

[Miguel1983]

Hi,

just received this mount today and mounted my scope and accessories, as i was trying to get everything balanced i immediately noticed the RA and DEC aren't smooth at all even at almost full load (see pic) , not handy for balancing i would say.

Other than that everything seems Ok, the motors do make a short cracking sound wen start and stop slewing, but that's normal i guess, it's not belt driven so..

Got it running via EQMOD too so HC remains in its package.

Maybe a little point of criticism, SW should have made the motor cables more flexible.

Also strange that the counterweight shaft of this tiny mount is 20mm and the shaft on my EQ6R is 18mm.

I need to check if my EQ6 polemaster adapter fits this mount, let's hope so.

If anyone has this mount to i'd like too hear if RA and DEC are also not smooth and if a fix is possible.

Thanks

 

Edited January 9, 2020 by Miguel1983

[Miguel1983]

Found the problem for the stiff RA and Dec axes.

The thumb screw above the polarsope needs to be loosened it seems, and i loosened the bolt that holds the mount head just a bit and voila smooth action 🤗

[Miguel1983]

Hi,

i have tried this mount now for 2 times and both times failed to make it guide.

The first time i've connected it to my laptop via EQDIR cable, so no HC, and used the HEQ/EQ6 option in the EQMOD telescope chooser, calibration in PHD2 failed time and time again ==> "Star didn't move enough" i tried different values for the microsteps, in the end i adjusted some value's in the EQMOD toolbox guide settings, calibration did finish then, but wit questionable results.

Decided to give u that night...

 

Yesterday i tried again, this time claibration stopped after not even a second and phd promted "guiding stoped mount slewed"

At that time i had enough and decided to go old school so plugged in the HC and St4 cable, helas, "Star didn't move enough" no succes with calibration.

I've just about had it now with this mount and i'm kicking myself not getting the HEQ5 as a second mount.

Suggestions ?

Thanks

[Captain Scarlet]

I think you shouldn’t have loosened that big nut inside the housing. The little thumbscrew yes, but that loose bolt may now be allowing things to move that are not supposed to.

The axes do not have bearings as such, they have bushings, which means they seem a little less smooth in their motions than if they had roller bearings.

i have this mount, I really like it, though I am visual not AP.

Magnus

Edited February 7, 2020 by Captain Magenta

[MarcusH]

11 hours ago, Captain Magenta said:

The little thumbscrew yes, but that loose bolt may now be allowing things to move that are not supposed to.

This was my initial thought too, espescially as the mount started to have guiding problems.

It sounds like you have (inadvertently) introduced a slip in one of the axis by loosening the bolt. The motor tries to move the axis but something is slipping giving you the "star didn't move enough" error. And when it finally manages to move, it can only do that for a little while before slipping back to the original position, giving you the "mount slewed" error.

[Miguel1983]

7 hours ago, MarcusH said:

This was my initial thought too, espescially as the mount started to have guiding problems.

It sounds like you have (inadvertently) introduced a slip in one of the axis by loosening the bolt. The motor tries to move the axis but something is slipping giving you the "star didn't move enough" error. And when it finally manages to move, it can only do that for a little while before slipping back to the original position, giving you the "mount slewed" error.

I'll adjust it back to original state, but that mount will be stiff again and almost impossible to balance.

I realy didn't loosen that bolt a lot, and i don't see the relation to that bolt tension and and the RA slipping, isn't the RA clutch resposible for that ?

As for visual use, i've done a 2 star alignment when i was running it with the HC, first star was way of, second star only needed adjustment of 1 axes, it was almost dead on.

[Miguel1983]

Hi all,

a small update here, the eqm-35 didn't work out for me, it just kept working against me so i have sent the mount back to FLO and they were so kind to fully refund it so super big thumbs up for FLO !

The same day i received my discount code i've ordered the HEQ5 pro Rowan mod, that was last Saturday, i'm crossing my fingers this mount will be way better than the EQM-35, but i'm sur it will.

[jtheprogenitor]

I started doing astrophotography last year, and this is my first mount. In March, SW had to send me a replacement control box, and just last night, the RA motor broke, so I've opened my second support ticket with SW. With the pandemic affecting global supply, I'm not expecting to be back up and running any time soon.

[Robindonne]

On 29/12/2021 at 17:50, jtheprogenitor said:

I started doing astrophotography last year, and this is my first mount. In March, SW had to send me a replacement control box, and just last night, the RA motor broke, so I've opened my second support ticket with SW. With the pandemic affecting global supply, I'm not expecting to be back up and running any time soon.

The fastest way is probably overseas, south of Mongolia. Not that expensive and probably within two weeks a new motor  

Edited January 3, 2022 by Robindonne

[Miguel1983]

On 29/12/2021 at 17:50, jtheprogenitor said:

I started doing astrophotography last year, and this is my first mount. In March, SW had to send me a replacement control box, and just last night, the RA motor broke, so I've opened my second support ticket with SW. With the pandemic affecting global supply, I'm not expecting to be back up and running any time soon.

Sorry to hear this.

My experience with this mount wasn't good, imho the minimum required mount for AP is the HEQ5, the 35 looks good on paper, but it isn't sadly.

 

 

[jtheprogenitor]

On 06/01/2022 at 01:34, Miguel1983 said:

Sorry to hear this.

My experience with this mount wasn't good, imho the minimum required mount for AP is the HEQ5, the 35 looks good on paper, but it isn't sadly.

 

 

Thank you. Two things ended up happening: 1) I reached out to Sky-Watcher support so I'll be getting a replacement motor from them. 2) Someone alerted me about FLO having the EQ6-R in stock, which I'd been wanting to upgrade to either way, so I bought it, especially being on backorder in the US until around June and it's been marked up from US$1675 to US$2025! Still managed to get it cheaper from FLO even with int'l shipping cost.