Chinese drive systems.

[mikeDnight]

I bought a SW RA & DEC drive about a year ago, which worked fine initially, but a couple of months ago the on/off switch became temperamental, cutting the power for no apparent reason. Today I decided to open it up to see if there was anything I could do to improve the contact. It turns out that its a cheap, nasty little switch that can't be removed without unsoldering the circuit board connections. I'm reluctant to buy another hand control as they aren't exactly cheap cost wise, but it will be just the same cheap electronics inside. So, does anyone have any idea where to buy a GOOD quality drive system that will be compatible with a GP mount? I'm happy with either RA & DEC or just RA, but I'm not interested in goto.

[John]

I have one of those units - I'll have to watch out for that switch. I don't use mine much so maybe it will last a bit longer ?

I thought that the Bresser Mon-2 drives might be compatible with the GP mount ?

https://www.bresser.de/en/Astronomy/BRESSER-RA-DEC-Motor-Kit-Duo-for-EXOS-2-and-EQ-MON-2.html

Don't take my word for it though - see if someone who has tried one pipes up.

 

[mikeDnight]

Yours will definitely last longer if you don't use it John.   I wouldn't mind so much if it actually stayed on once switched on, then I could have installed an inline switch, but it doesn't. I remember the days when some used home made hand controls, which has me wondering if I can adapt it with some DIY. I'd really like an old clock driven Unitron mount, then I'd probably fall asleep with the gentle tick, or spend more time watching the governor spin. I'm easily distracted!

[dweller25]

27 minutes ago, John said:

I have one of those units - I'll have to watch out for that switch. I don't use mine much so maybe it will last a bit longer ?

I thought that the Bresser Mon-2 drives might be compatible with the GP mount ?

https://www.bresser.de/en/Astronomy/BRESSER-RA-DEC-Motor-Kit-Duo-for-EXOS-2-and-EQ-MON-2.html

Don't take my word for it though - see if someone who has tried one pipes up.

 

Another 👍for those drives

[Stargazer33]

You could just bridge the switch contacts with solder or a short piece of wire and then install your in-line switch of a decent quality. Saves buying new if the unit works well enough for you. 

[F15Rules]

Mike,

Couldn't you just find some used Vixen kit if you're using a GP mount? The drives and handsets do come up for sale fairly often..😊

Dave

[mikeDnight]

3 hours ago, F15Rules said:

Mike,

Couldn't you just find some used Vixen kit if you're using a GP mount? The drives and handsets do come up for sale fairly often..😊

Dave

Possibly Dave, but I have an RA drive that came with my GP when I bought it Second hand, but its temperamental.  I also have a second hand Vixen RA motor but that too is intermittent, so buying yet another second hand Vixen motor and hand control doesn't fill me full of confidence. I really like a tracking mount, but I don't want goto, and I love my Vixen GP mounts. I'll keep my eye out for another Vixen RA drive but I might also have a go at bridging the switch as Bryan suggests.

[John]

If you bought it new you might be able to get it replaced if it's just a bit out of warranty Mike ?

 

[AdeKing]

6 hours ago, John said:

I have one of those units - I'll have to watch out for that switch. I don't use mine much so maybe it will last a bit longer ?

I thought that the Bresser Mon-2 drives might be compatible with the GP mount ?

https://www.bresser.de/en/Astronomy/BRESSER-RA-DEC-Motor-Kit-Duo-for-EXOS-2-and-EQ-MON-2.html

Don't take my word for it though - see if someone who has tried one pipes up.

 

I have had problems with the same handset that I have Mike, but with mine, the direction keys sometimes respond and sometimes they just don't 

I've just managed to locate a set of used MT-1 motors and a DD1 controller, but these Bresser ones are what I was looking at before I found the Vixen set.

The Bresser ones look like a direct clone of the MT-1 motors and DD3 controller.

[Alan White]

Thread resus, ok its only 3+ years old, so still fair to restart it, honest.

What was the solution you found @mikeDnight?

and those using the Bresser unit, how has that lasted? @dweller25

I ask as I have taken to my GP again but wish for a RA drive, the SW unit as Mike mentions above did feature on my old GP2, but the quality was poor.
 

[mikeDnight]

11 minutes ago, Alan White said:

Thread resus, ok its only 3+ years old, so still fair to restart it, honest.

What was the solution you found @mikeDnight?

and those using the Bresser unit, how has that lasted? @dweller25

I ask as I have taken to my GP again but wish for a RA drive, the SW unit as Mike mentions above did feature on my old GP2, but the quality was poor.
 

I was reluctant to spend on a new drive for some time and just used the manual slow motion until recently. A few weeks ago a friend gave me a SW RA & Dec drive. I just wish someone would make a old fashioned RA drive built like a tank and with adjustable tracking speed that's indestructible.  I think Tak mounts are reportedly some of the best, but £££££

[Carbon Brush]

An idea. Put the PCB into a larger box.
Connect half decent switches by flying leads from the box lid to the PCB.

Those ten-a-penny slide switches are well known for being troublesome.
The annoying thing is they all seem to be different pinning, which makes obtainng replacements difficult.

[Roy Challen]

1 hour ago, mikeDnight said:

 old fashioned RA drive built like a tank and with adjustable tracking speed that's indestructible.  I think Tak mounts are reportedly some of the best, but £££££

Like this one Mike? It really is very good, but often I don't bother with it, it adds quite a bit of weight 😀. Silent in use and certainly accurate enough for even high mag visual use, runs on regular batteries as well as mains.

[skybadger]

You can buy onstep systems ready made nowadays .... That will do the job. 

[mikeDnight]

1 hour ago, Roy Challen said:

Like this one Mike? It really is very good, but often I don't bother with it, it adds quite a bit of weight 😀. Silent in use and certainly accurate enough for even high mag visual use, runs on regular batteries as well as mains.

That has a vintage look to it Roy, and is probably the kind of thing I was meaning. Being Tak though, I suppose it probably wouldn't work on a non-Tak mount such as a Vixen GP?

[mikeDnight]

52 minutes ago, skybadger said:

You can buy onstep systems ready made nowadays .... That will do the job. 

Do you know of a source?

[dweller25]

2 hours ago, Alan White said:

Thread resus, ok its only 3+ years old, so still fair to restart it, honest.

What was the solution you found @mikeDnight?

and those using the Bresser unit, how has that lasted? @dweller25

I ask as I have taken to my GP again but wish for a RA drive, the SW unit as Mike mentions above did feature on my old GP2, but the quality was poor.
 

Sold mine to a happy SGL customer - but I always liked them 👍

There is always the SW GOTO for the EQ5 to consider…

[skybadger]

1 hour ago, mikeDnight said:

Do you know of a source?

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/145087426619?hash=item21c7e2703b:g:cmkAAOSw4r1kbtNB&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4M4xTRle%2BlYmGkyHRgUjuAHr311TP7g1OUn4wsYtQf3N5YYbt5VWjn58x6RppT4ojAHmtkXDLCvT32pLsncU7cnwCIWd6PvVRQeR%2Fe4kdOt%2BI8hRrc9%2BvXX%2BDv6q9xT%2BwgQvAl%2BYft%2BxaXZPzr8LU%2FvCI648W6m1kfeMOTfvorIzYd09bxxLBYKin313gJbUxHhJvJeUaRBijSls7l3M4vfDl%2FqX8d%2BoLJA882zBYcaUDrczZNpwnrLCBcY0NRLCREUvhukHdCx9RBO1BvADCps%2FnKaOIBsMm5nTlOsu0Je8|tkp%3ABFBMyMyA249i it's from china but if you look on the onstep groups.io board, there are official resellers on there in the US too. 

Also see https://www.terransindustry.com/en-gb

Edited June 2, 2023 by skybadger
Expansion

[Roy Challen]

9 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

That has a vintage look to it Roy, and is probably the kind of thing I was meaning. Being Tak though, I suppose it probably wouldn't work on a non-Tak mount such as a Vixen GP?

It would likely not be a bolt on fit, however if the worm gear on the RA axis of the GP is the same as my mount, I see no reason why it wouldn't work.

[Alan White]

15 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

I was reluctant to spend on a new drive for some time and just used the manual slow motion until recently. A few weeks ago a friend gave me a SW RA & Dec drive. I just wish someone would make a old fashioned RA drive built like a tank and with adjustable tracking speed that's indestructible.  I think Tak mounts are reportedly some of the best, but £££££

Is the gifted drive the same control box or the black faced one @mikeDnight?

[mikeDnight]

9 hours ago, Alan White said:

Is the gifted drive the same control box or the black faced one @mikeDnight?

It's the black box not the red one. What I'd really like is a brand new Takahashi EM200, but Takahashi are reluctant to sell me one at a price I can afford. 😟

[Alan White]

Oh yes a new EM200 would be very nice indeed, like you the price they require is not equal to my means at present, you can but dream of course.

Meanwhile the GP would benefit an RA drive, watch this space.