Motor Drive Problem

[chn]

I took delivery of a Bresser Messier MON1 motor drive and have been unable to get it to work.

I'm very new to this, but I have followed the instructions exactly and found the website with some more http://www.astronomylog.co.uk/2007/08/30/attaching-ra-motor-drive-to-mon1-mount/

The motor is attached, the cogs are aligned and work when on. The cogs attach to the drive shaft with screws and I've I've checked that the shaft is moving along with the cogs (i.e. the screws are tight enough and are moving the shaft). The scope does not move at all on either 2x or 32x even though everything else appears to be.

If I remove and attach the flexy adjuster the scope moves perfectly???

Any suggestions, am I doing something really stupid?

[Kai]

Bear in mind that the scope will move very very slowly when tracking the stars , most people mistake it for not moving at all at first.

[chn]

You should notice movement on 32x though shoulldn't you?

[chn]

Oh dear, now I feel like a berk!

I've just sat and watched the end closely on 32x and its moving, very slowly as you say but its moving. I thought on 32x it would be wizzing back and forth?

[Kai]

Dont feel bad

I have made that mistake myself (even knowing that it moves slowly )

[barkis]

Well, at sidereal rate, (Star Rate) the polar shaft (RA shaft) will rotate at .000696 rpm very very slow. If you multiply that by 32, your max slew speed, it is still quite slow, but the movement will be amplified a bit at your scope.

Ron.

[chn]

Cheers guys, can someone hide the thread???? lol

[Kai]

:laughing3: :laughing3:

[barkis]

You are forgetting the plusses chn. You learned something :mrgreen:

Ron.

[chn]

Thats true.

[ianmwatson]

Easily done, glad there's no problem with the mount drive. Just imagine at the same rate a point at the earth's equator has a velocity of around 1000mph!

[chn]

Hi guys

Not had much time to try the motor out yet due to the weather, and the instruction manual isn't the best for actually using it. If I have the motor just switched on should it just sit there and adjust the tracking or do I manually need to move it with the 2x and 32x buttons? I only ask as I left it on without touching it and found Venus was moving out of range within a couple of minutes?

[barkis]

That will depend on how accurately your polar axis is set. Venus is a planet, and as such has an orbital rate of it's own, and being near to the sun it will be perceptible through a telescope at high magnification though slight.

Try to determine if the shift is in declination, or Right Ascension.

Ron.

[chn]

deffo declination, quite quick too looking at Venus

[barkis]

If the drive is straying in declination, then I would suggest you need the polar axis aligned better.

Could you post a picture of the mount with the motor in place, so we can have a look see.?

Ron.