Issues when aligning mount

[Ryan Adams]

Hi there,

So I got a Skywatcher Skyhawk Bk1145 AZ Syn Scan GOTO telescope a few years back as a birthday present.

I decided to get it out again and after setting it up with perfect sky’s, during alignment the scope keeps slewing vertically upwards or downwards until it physically cant any longer and it won’t align no matter what I try. I have tried a constant power supply, reassembling the mount and a bunch of other things. I have triple checked I’ve been entering the correct information but no matter what I try the scope will always skew vertically until it physically can’t any longer due to it pressing against the mount.

Has anyone had problems like this and know what to do about them??

Thanks in advance,

Ryan

[Cornelius Varley]

What are you using to power the mount ? A lot of issues with goto mounts can be due to an inadequate power supply ? What numbers did you enter into the handset for your co-ordinates ? If you have an android phone download SynscanInit2, this will give you the correct values for location, date and time.

[Cornelius Varley]

Another question. What method of alignment are you using ? Brightest star or 2-star ?

[Ryan Adams]

1 hour ago, Cornelius Varley said:

Another question. What method of alignment are you using ? Brightest star or 2-star ?

I have tried both methods with the same result - the scope trying to go past 90 degrees

[Ryan Adams]

1 hour ago, Cornelius Varley said:

What are you using to power the mount ? A lot of issues with goto mounts can be due to an inadequate power supply ? What numbers did you enter into the handset for your co-ordinates ? If you have an android phone download SynscanInit2, this will give you the correct values for location, date and time.

I am using a 12 v 1 A dc power supply with positive tip and I have triple checked that I have entered the correct coordinates along with the date and time.

[Cornelius Varley]

Just now, Ryan Adams said:

I am using a 12 v 1 A dc power supply with positive tip and I have triple checked that I have entered the correct coordinates along with the date and time.

A 12v 1A psu might be insufficient. I had a similar problem using a 1A psu, changed to a powerful one and have had no problems.

[Ryan Adams]

1 hour ago, Cornelius Varley said:

A 12v 1A psu might be insufficient. I had a similar problem using a 1A psu, changed to a powerful one and have had no problems.

What is the voltage and current on the power supply that you are currently using, thanks ever so much.

[Cornelius Varley]

The one I use for my Merlin mount is 12v 1.25A. For the bigger mounts 12v 5A.  This one is the psu I would recommend for your mount.

[Shimrod]

2 hours ago, Cornelius Varley said:

The one I use for my Merlin mount is 12v 1.25A. For the bigger mounts 12v 5A.  This one is the psu I would recommend for your mount.

The manual for that mount does only specify a 1A power supply, 11-15 volts.

3 hours ago, Ryan Adams said:

What is the voltage and current on the power supply that you are currently using, thanks ever so much.

Have you used the power supply successfully before? You could try a factory reset on the mount in case there is a wonky setting in there somewhere.

[Cornelius Varley]

3 minutes ago, Shimrod said:

The manual for that mount does only specify a 1A power supply, 11-15 volts.

That is the minimum requirements. As I stated early, I was using a 12v 1A psu and had similar problems. Using a psu with a slightly higher output cured this.

[bruno]

You may have the right co-ordinates but the wrong way round?  sounds more like a firmware issue other than a power issue, have you made sure all your connections are pushed in H/set , main board connections (main have a connection between RA & Dec, check that the motors go the right way when you just the handset N S E W.

hope this helps 

[Ryan Adams]

21 hours ago, Shimrod said:

Have you used the power supply successfully before? You could try a factory reset on the mount in case there is a wonky setting in there somewhere.

No matter whether I use 8AA batteries or the 12V 1A DC power supplly I get the same result I hav1e also tired a factory reset to no avail.

[michael8554]

Hi Ryan

I think it would help if you posted the actual figures you entered for Lat/Long, Date, Time, Daylight Saving etc.

As you've eliminated Runaway due to power problems, it's back to the all too common incorrect data  entry.

Michael

 

[Ryan Adams]

17 hours ago, michael8554 said:

Hi Ryan

I think it would help if you posted the actual figures you entered for Lat/Long, Date, Time, Daylight Saving etc.

As you've eliminated Runaway due to power problems, it's back to the all too common incorrect data  entry.

Michael

 

Hi there,

For lat/long I enter 3 12 W, 52 54 N, time I enter the exact time on my phone and likewise with the date in american format. I also have set daylight saving to yes.

Thanks in advance,

Ryan

[michael8554]

Looks okay

Time Zone ?

Do you have to enter leading zeros ?   eg  003 12 W

For Brightest Star you have to enter a Select Region eg Northern Sky ?

For 2 Star, you have to centre the first star with the HBx, so the mount shouldn't be making any vertical moves on its own ?

Michael

[Ryan Adams]

2 hours ago, michael8554 said:

Looks okay

Time Zone ?

Do you have to enter leading zeros ?   eg  003 12 W

For Brightest Star you have to enter a Select Region eg Northern Sky ?

For 2 Star, you have to centre the first star with the HBx, so the mount shouldn't be making any vertical moves on its own ?

Michael

My time zone  is set at 0, I'm from UK.

When entering coordinates I make sure to enter the 0's.

With both alignments you are correct but the scope when slewing to the second alignment star wants to go past 90 degrees vertically.

Ryan

[michael8554]

Well it was worth a look.

Did it ever work correctly ?

Michael

[Ryan Adams]

4 minutes ago, michael8554 said:

Well it was worth a look.

Did it ever work correctly ?

Michael

As far as I can remember we never managed to align the mount correctly and only used it for some Lunar imaging and recording which came out pretty well and I was pleased with it. However, I'm starting to think I might just have to get a better mount and upgrade the scope while I'm at it.

Ryan

[Demonperformer]

I don't know this precise mount, but features state that the firmware is "upgradeable via the internet". Is that worth a try in case there is a glitch in the programming on your handset? Not a high probability, but you seem to have addressed all the common issues. It sounds to me like it is confusing N/S, but why it would do that I have no idea.