EQ 5 setup...

[Astrid]

My 200P just arrived and oh my God... I have been trying to wrap my head around the mount for 4 hours.

The manual didn't really help so I decided to go on youtube, but again, I didn't find any good and detailed videos so I decided to ask here if there is any video or perhaps blog post that might help me set up the mount. 

Thank you very much! 

*by the way, is the EQ5 supposed to have slow motion cables? I only got 2 knobs (not cables) and I'm not sure if there is something missing or not... sorry, this is the first time I've used a serious equatorial mount or telescope. 

Thank you very much!

[DaveL59]

Hi Astrid

I think it varies as I have both SloMo cables on one EQ5 and knobs on the other.

 

[michael8554]

Hi Astrid

Which steps in the assembly are you having trouble understanding ?

Michael

[Astrid]

8 hours ago, michael8554 said:

Hi Astrid

Which steps in the assembly are you having trouble understanding ?

Michael

Hello! Thank you very much! 

 

1. I'm not really sure if the RA and DEC lock knobs are in their right position. I saw some videos online where the knobs (clutches), tightened, were like this:

 

But the clutches are locked for me in this position: 

 

Should I unscrew those two and put them into the correct position? Or it should be fine? 

 

2. Where on Earth should these two slow motion knobs go? They don't fit in those RA and DEC spaces (shown in the above mount pic ↑)

 

3. What is the purpose of this bar? The OTA already came with a Vixen/Dovetail bar... I'm assuming that this is for cameras, though I'm not entirely sure If I need it to attach the OTA.

 

*I know those are a lot of questions, but I didn't find anything regarding those online. Thank you very much! *

Edited October 4, 2020 by Astrid

[PeterCPC]

Does this help

 

[DaveL59]

hi Astrid

that last short bar is the originally supplied part that comes with the mount. As you already have a long dovetail on the OTA then you can just put this short part aside as you won't need it. It may come in useful later on if you get a short OTA scope or want to run a camera directly on the mount.

For the SloMo control knobs the pic below shows where they are on my mount. You might notice I'm using the short bar here too, to mount the wood carrier for this particular scope which is a vintage one 🙂 

I did reset the clutch levers so they lay "level" or at least within the boundary of the moving part, saves the lever colliding with other parts of the mount as you rotate the axis. Easy to do, lock it tight, undo the screw and lift the lever off, reposition as desired and refit the screw.

[Astrid]

Thanks to everyone! 

I managed to finally put the control knobs. They apparently only have 1 way to get it in and daaamn those are secure af.

As for the clutch thing, I called the retailer from whom I purchased the telescope and he said that the clutch orientation doesn't matter and that the SW EQ5 mount is fine and that's how they work.

I did play a bit with the clutch. Didn't manage to put it where I wanted, but I untightened them a bit and it works amazing. I really love the EQ5 and I cannot wait to buy the RA/DEC motors. 

But until then, I gotta get my DSLR

 

 

[Astrid]

Edit: Just used my EQ5 mount and I noticed that the slow motion knobs (especially the DEC one), don't really work, they work only sometimes and when the clutches are tightened, it works but midway stops, etc etc, etc. Do you guys have any idea or tip?

I checked and those knobs seem to fit perfectly (so I don't think it is that I didn't put them ok or something). I was thinking about tightening the screw on the RA/DEC clutch.

Should I return the mount and get a replacement though? Or do you guys have any advice?

Thanks

Edited October 6, 2020 by Astrid

[DaveL59]

are the clutch lock levers snagging against the body at the point where they stop being able to turn the axis?

Being a new mount it could be a little stiff I guess, but another thing to check is the adjustment on the worm clamp screws as they may bind if too tight (pressing the worm gear into the toothed gear on the axle). This can be adjusted if you have suitable allen keys and are accessed here

First undo a little the silver screws and then use an allen key to adjust the screw in the centre hole. Adjust the centre one a little at a time and check motion then once the axle runs as you need it then tighten the silver screws back up. You don't want it too slack tho or you may cause faster wear on the gears, likewise if too tight.

There's a similar arrangement under the box section for the RA axle, the box section is secured by a screw at the bottom IIRC.

It's worth trying to run the axles through the range of movement with the clutches locked in daylight so you can see what's snagging before doing the above.

[Alan64]

On 03/10/2020 at 09:50, Astrid said:

My 200P just arrived and oh my God... I have been trying to wrap my head around the mount for 4 hours.

The manual didn't really help so I decided to go on youtube, but again, I didn't find any good and detailed videos so I decided to ask here if there is any video or perhaps blog post that might help me set up the mount. 

Thank you very much! 

*by the way, is the EQ5 supposed to have slow motion cables? I only got 2 knobs (not cables) and I'm not sure if there is something missing or not... sorry, this is the first time I've used a serious equatorial mount or telescope. 

Thank you very much!

In that a Newtonian was bundled with the mount, you received knobs.  Had you ordered a refractor-kit, you might have received cables, or knobs.  If you find that cables are needed after all, and with a Newtonian, they can be purchased separately.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5tfQ7v3GL0