Set up is now unbalanced

[5haan_A]

Hi,

After a recent purchase of a camera and filter wheel my scope, esprit 100, has become very unbalanced in Dec on my mount- eq6 pro.

 

I dont think I can buy any more weights and to be fair in RA my scope is balanced perfectly fine. The issue is that due to the scope design I cant push the OTA anymore forward. Im concerned that this will cause guiding issues. Is there an easy way to rectify this?

 

Picture of the scope and mount.

 

[RayD]

You can put on a longer dovetail plate and put a weight on the front to help.  This is what I do with mine and it works well.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adm-counterweight-kits/adm-dovetail-counterweight-kit-dual-v-and-d-series.html

Depending how far out you are, you may only need the longer dovetail and shift the whole lot forward a bit.

Edited July 1, 2020 by RayD

[Astrosharkey]

I use one of these with extra lead attached to get balance on my scope

 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/counterweights/baader-dovetail-bar-levelling-counterweight.html

[5haan_A]

Ill look into the longer dovetail. That seems to make perfect sense.

Im not sure how that front weight works and where it gets attached to? Could you share a picture of it in action? 

[5haan_A]

2 minutes ago, 5haan_A said:

 

Im not sure how that front weight works and where it gets attached to? Could you share a picture of it in action? 

Don't worry I just got it! 😂

 

Took me too long to process. 

[Stuart1971]

2 minutes ago, 5haan_A said:

Don't worry I just got it! 😂

 

Took me too long to process. 

That weight will only work if you use a vixen type bar, it won’t fit on a losmandy.... 👍

edit, the Losmandy version is the second one on the list marked as 3”

Edited July 1, 2020 by Stuart1971

[RayD]

They do a dual type which will work on either.  Handy to have if you swap over OTA's.

[michael8554]

Just move the guidescope onto the empty position on the imaging camera rings .

Michael

[5haan_A]

I bought a bigger losmandy bar. It's about 5 times bigger than the one that I originally had.

 

Its fixed the problem perfectly, I'm looking forward to a clear night to see what guiding improvements have been made.

Thanks,

[Miguel1983]

It's to bad that most smaller refractors always come with short dovetails, it's OK for visual, but once you get some AP gear on the back you're pretty much unable to get balance as i also experienced recently on my new TS 76EDPH.

Stock and no balance, even with that Baader 1Kg weight up front.

 

After a Primalucelab treatment ( 🤑 )

 

Edited July 4, 2020 by Miguel1983

[spillage]

If you have a local engineering shop you can get them to cut a slot in a length of aluminium bar. Bolt this to the top of your tube rings and then use a weight with a hole in it and use a bolt and butterfly nut so it can be moved up and down the bar as needed.

[Starflyer]

See if you can bolt your guidescope directly on top of your tube rings, it'll be much more stable there and may move the weight forward enough to solve your balance problem.