Sky-Watcher EQM 35 Pro RA motor not working

[Nicola Fletcher]

Hi everyone,

I just got a new EQM 35 Pro Mount and set it up on Saturday. The RA motor doesn’t move the mount at all when I try to move it with the hand control, even though I can hear the motor working. The declination motor works fine. I’ve taken the counterweight and telescope off, and loosened the RA setting circle knob, but it still doesn’t move. I reckon the wheels within the motor are not connecting, similar to the problem described here: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/690145-help-eqm-35-ra-engine-problems/. Manually moving the RA axis with the clutch loosened is stiffer than the dec axis (not sure if this is contributing to the problem at all).

So the supplier contacted Sky-Watcher and they said I won’t void the warranty by taking the motor cover off and I should loosen the motor and reposition it closer to contact the mount gear. I must have used bigger words than I intended when explaining the problem because I really don’t know how I should go about this. There are some videos on YouTube and instructions online but these seem to be mainly for the HEQ5 mounts, to correct backlash. Could anyone that might have done this before be able to give me some pointers - to say I’m not a DIY type is an understatement!

Thank you in advance - any help is very much appreciated!

 

[koningmokum60]

2 hours ago, Nicola Fletcher said:

Hi everyone,

I just got a new EQM 35 Pro Mount and set it up on Saturday. The RA motor doesn’t move the mount at all when I try to move it with the hand control, even though I can hear the motor working. The declination motor works fine. I’ve taken the counterweight and telescope off, and loosened the RA setting circle knob, but it still doesn’t move. I reckon the wheels within the motor are not connecting, similar to the problem described here: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/690145-help-eqm-35-ra-engine-problems/. Manually moving the RA axis with the clutch loosened is stiffer than the dec axis (not sure if this is contributing to the problem at all).

So the supplier contacted Sky-Watcher and they said I won’t void the warranty by taking the motor cover off and I should loosen the motor and reposition it closer to contact the mount gear. I must have used bigger words than I intended when explaining the problem because I really don’t know how I should go about this. There are some videos on YouTube and instructions online but these seem to be mainly for the HEQ5 mounts, to correct backlash. Could anyone that might have done this before be able to give me some pointers - to say I’m not a DIY type is an understatement!

Thank you in advance - any help is very much appreciated!

 

It's a new mount and under warranty.  It's their problem to fix, not yours.  Plus as you're not sure of what you're doing, you could accidently damage something else and void your warranty.  Have you got written permission from Sky-Watcher to tinker with the mount?  You could be opening up a whole can of worms by trying to fix it yourself.  I'd send it back and let them fix it.  It's what the warranty is for.  Good luck 😀!

[Scooot]

I thought mine wasn’t working at first either, but then I realised the speed was set too low to notice any movement. 

[John]

8 minutes ago, Scooot said:

I thought mine wasn’t working at first either, but then I realised the speed was set too low to notice any movement. 

Yes, I've been caught out like that as well !.

At low tracking rates (ie: 1x, 2x etc) the motion is not really obviously visible.

Try one of the faster tracking rates (I believe the mount slew at up to 800x) and you should see it moving.

 

Edited February 9, 2021 by John

[Nicola Fletcher]

2 hours ago, Scooot said:

I thought mine wasn’t working at first either, but then I realised the speed was set too low to notice any movement. 

I thought that might be the problem but the speed was definitely set to 9. You can hear the difference between it and the dec motor- it’s like the cogs aren’t engaging or something. 

[Nicola Fletcher]

2 hours ago, John said:

Yes, I've been caught out like that as well !.

At low tracking rates (ie: 1x, 2x etc) the motion is not really obviously visible.

Try one of the faster tracking rates (I believe the mount slew at up to 800x) and you should see it moving.

 

I wish that was the problem but I can see the dec motor slewing - but not the RA motor at a speed setting of 9x. Here’s a quick video of it. 

[Nicola Fletcher]

3 hours ago, koningmokum60 said:

It's a new mount and under warranty.  It's their problem to fix, not yours.  Plus as you're not sure of what you're doing, you could accidently damage something else and void your warranty.  Have you got written permission from Sky-Watcher to tinker with the mount?  You could be opening up a whole can of worms by trying to fix it yourself.  I'd send it back and let them fix it.  It's what the warranty is for.  Good luck 😀!

It’s a good point but I do have written permission from Sky Watcher to remove the cover on the motor - if it is a quick fix like they say I’d prefer to check before shipping the mount back to them. They said:

”The customer will not void the warranty if he removes the cover.

 Please ask him to try and visually check that the motor gear is turning (sounds like it is). It is probably the simple task of loosening the motor and repositioning it closer to contact with mount gear”.

[Scooot]

23 minutes ago, Nicola Fletcher said:

I thought that might be the problem but the speed was definitely set to 9. You can hear the difference between it and the dec motor- it’s like the cogs aren’t engaging or something. 

It sounds as if you have the clutch off? There is a black clutch release knob for each axis. If you can move it by hand you have.

Also, 9x is very slow, if I’m trying to slew mine I have it on 600x, unless I’m trying to centre a star or target.

Edited February 9, 2021 by Scooot

[Seelive]

Looking at the video, the RA worm shaft does not appear to be turning (although the clip of it was very short). If you turn it by hand presumably the RA axis moves?  So it appears to be the spur gear train between the motor shaft and the RA worm gear shaft.  I had a similar problem on my DEC axis which was an easy fix but I've never had the RA motor cover off (if you do you I would suspect that you need to be careful so as to not the damage any of the motor wiring).

[Nicola Fletcher]

1 hour ago, Seelive said:

Looking at the video, the RA worm shaft does not appear to be turning (although the clip of it was very short). If you turn it by hand presumably the RA axis moves?  So it appears to be the spur gear train between the motor shaft and the RA worm gear shaft.  I had a similar problem on my DEC axis which was an easy fix but I've never had the RA motor cover off (if you do you I would suspect that you need to be careful so as to not the damage any of the motor wiring).

Yes, you’re right, the RA worm shaft doesn’t turn. So do you think that might indicate that there is more to the problem than just mis-alignment? If you move it by hand, the RA axis does move but it feels a bit stiff (with the clutch off). I’ve tightened the clutch when trying to move it with the hand control but it doesn’t move at all.

Edited February 9, 2021 by Nicola Fletcher

[Scooot]

I’m sorry it’s more of a problem than I foolishly suspected. I don’t think you should have to attempt to repair it yourself, shouldn’t the supplier just replace it, although that’s a bit of a pain to say the least. 

[malc-c]

From the video it sounds like the gearing on the RA isn't engaging. It could have been like that when manufactured, or slipped out of alignment in shipping.

I would suggest contacting the supplier.  They will confirm if the mount needs to be returned / collected under a warranty claim, but as these goto systems for EQ3/5 are "bolt on" they can take you through steps to check and re-alight the motor.  You may find it's easier than you think, and may simply be a case of tightening up a grub screw on a gear.

  

[CraigT82]

Really sounds like the motor gears aren't engaging with the worm shaft gear. That graunching sound you can hear sounds to me like the motor spur gear is just about touching the worm spur gear but not engaging. 

I'd have a go at fixing it if it were me. If it doesn't work then you can send it back warranty protected as per SW instructing you to have a go,  but if it does work you don't have to send it back and wait for repair, plus you've learned something about your mount and how it works and gained confidence that you can do this kind of stuff.

If it helps it's pretty easy to do, well on my EQ6 it is at least. Just 4 screws to release the cover plate with the control board attached (careful with this). Then two screws holding the motor in place, loosen those, gently push motor down toward the worm gear, then tighten motor screws to hold it there. Replace control board/cover and your done. Maybe this works or maybe it doesn't!

Of course your mount is probably different in terms of the procedure to do this than it is on my mount but won't be that much different I'm guessing. If you are really uncomfortable with opening up the mount then its probably best to just send it back and wait for repair/replacement 

 

Edited February 9, 2021 by CraigT82

[Nicola Fletcher]

59 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

Really sounds like the motor gears aren't engaging with the worm shaft gear. That graunching sound you can hear sounds to me like the motor spur gear is just about touching the worm spur gear but not engaging. 

I'd have a go at fixing it if it were me. If it doesn't work then you can send it back warranty protected as per SW instructing you to have a go,  but if it does work you don't have to send it back and wait for repair, plus you've learned something about your mount and how it works and gained confidence that you can do this kind of stuff.

If it helps it's pretty easy to do, well on my EQ6 it is at least. Just 4 screws to release the cover plate with the control board attached (careful with this). Then two screws holding the motor in place, loosen those, gently push motor down toward the worm gear, then tighten motor screws to hold it there. Replace control board/cover and your done. Maybe this works or maybe it doesn't!

Of course your mount is probably different in terms of the procedure to do this than it is on my mount but won't be that much different I'm guessing. If you are really uncomfortable with opening up the mount then its probably best to just send it back and wait for repair/replacement 

 

Ok, that's really helpful. I'm happy to have a go since SW said it won't void the warranty. It sounds like they think it's simple enough. I will report back!

[CraigT82]

Looking at the pics of the EQM 35 it loos like its a couple of black screws to remove the black plastic motor cover, which should reveal the motors and the brass spur gears.  It should be obvious which screws need undoing slightly in order to move the motor towards the worm, but if not posting a pic up here will help.

[Nicola Fletcher]

16 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

Looking at the pics of the EQM 35 it loos like its a couple of black screws to remove the black plastic motor cover, which should reveal the motors and the brass spur gears.  It should be obvious which screws need undoing slightly in order to move the motor towards the worm, but if not posting a pic up here will help.

Fixed. It was very straightforward, just as you said. I removed the motor cover, being careful not to stretch the wires underneath. I could then loosen two screws at the back of the motor and adjust the cog so it engaged with the worm. The gap between them was very visible once the cover was removed. I then just tightened the screws and replaced the cover. 

I've attached a photo of the cogs before I adjusted them, just in case anyone else has this problem. You can see the gap just above the blob of grease. 

I really appreciate your help Craig and everyone who offered advice. What a great forum this is!

[Seelive]

Glad you managed to get it sorted. Doesn't say much for Skywatcher quality control though!

[malc-c]

There ya go... a simple fix.

3 minutes ago, Seelive said:

Glad you managed to get it sorted. Doesn't say much for Skywatcher quality control though!

There could be 1001 reasons the gear wasn't engaging correctly.  At any stage in transportation (factory to docks, dock to ship, transit by ship, ship to dock, dock to distribution, distribution to OVL, OVL to retailer, retailer to customer) the box could have taken a knock... or it could have been one that slipped through the QC... I doubt that they QC every single mount off the production line... 

[CraigT82]

Excellent! Score 1 for the SGL community 👍

[Nicola Fletcher]

9 minutes ago, malc-c said:

There ya go... a simple fix.

There could be 1001 reasons the gear wasn't engaging correctly.  At any stage in transportation (factory to docks, dock to ship, transit by ship, ship to dock, dock to distribution, distribution to OVL, OVL to retailer, retailer to customer) the box could have taken a knock... or it could have been one that slipped through the QC... I doubt that they QC every single mount off the production line... 

Thanks so much for all your help

I was initially a bit disappointed at their lack of QC too, but as you said, it could have happened during shipping. I am so glad I didn't have to send it back for repairs - I would have had to hoist my lovely new refractor onto someone's shoulder just to have a look through it!

[Nicola Fletcher]

5 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

Excellent! Score 1 for the SGL community 👍

Definitely! Legends! 😎

[Seelive]

48 minutes ago, malc-c said:

There ya go... a simple fix.

There could be 1001 reasons the gear wasn't engaging correctly.  At any stage in transportation (factory to docks, dock to ship, transit by ship, ship to dock, dock to distribution, distribution to OVL, OVL to retailer, retailer to customer) the box could have taken a knock... or it could have been one that slipped through the QC... I doubt that they QC every single mount off the production line... 

OK, so the gear wasn't aligned correctly in the first place, or the screws weren't correctly tightened sufficiently or the packaging was insufficient to protect from the rigors of transport?.  Quality control does not necessarily imply checking every single item off the production line, but it at least means having procedures in place to prevent the likelyhood of such things happening and I fully admitt that this could just be one of those that 'slipped through the net' (but I suspect it may be a net with a large mesh!).

[Nicola Fletcher]

1 hour ago, Seelive said:

OK, so the gear wasn't aligned correctly in the first place, or the screws weren't correctly tightened sufficiently or the packaging was insufficient to protect from the rigors of transport?.  Quality control does not necessarily imply checking every single item off the production line, but it at least means having procedures in place to prevent the likelyhood of such things happening and I fully admitt that this could just be one of those that 'slipped through the net' (but I suspect it may be a net with a large mesh!).

I agree that the QC may not be everything it should be. The box wasn't damaged and the mount head is within an inner box with polystyrene around it. The screws weren't loose or anything when I took the motor cover off. It's a shame because I like the look and versatility of SW mounts and they are clearly very popular. I am, however, very glad that the SGL community is so willing to help and hopefully this was a simple solution to a (rare?) problem with what seems to be a very nice mount. 

Edited February 9, 2021 by Nicola Fletcher

[JaseA318]

To update this thread...

I received my EQM35-Pro about a week ago and I also had no RA drive. With permission from the vendor (FLO) I was permitted to have a tinker and had time to look at it yesterday.

The RA would move in both directions using the manual spur drive with no problem, but there was zero drive using the handset and motor. 

In the above zoomed photo, you can see a slight gap between the gears, but to my old eyes they looked to be in contact, confirming my bias with the manual spur drive. I then suspected a wiring problem, but couldn't see any issues and I could hear the motor turning on command from the handset so that was a dead-end. Back to square one, suspecting a gap, but not seeing anything obvious-even from the photo above it wasn't obvious on my phone screen that there was a slight gap, less than 1mm.

I decided to adjust the motor housing to see if that helped...bingo...

It was fairly obvious to me which screws needed to be adjusted, but I've circled them in red above in case it's not obvious to you. I moved the motor housing about 0.5mm-1mm and retightened the screws. The RA drive worked as it should've done out of the box.

I was still puzzled why the manual spur worked and the handset didn't in the first instance. I thought I'd perhaps imparted a lateral force on the spur, moving the drive gear ever so slightly to engage with the other gear, but I couldn't detect any play so I still don't know why the RA would move using the manual spur drive and not the motor. Ho hum; you can't knock success I suppose and in the end it doesn't really matter-it works now!

The screws were tight before I loosened them so I'm almost 100% certain it left the factory like that rather than a knock, but I guess there's still a small chance of that being the cause..

Final photo of the gears engaged. It was just a case of putting the cover back on and screwing the 3 small screws to secure and a final test run, which was fine.

It probably took me 15mins max to remove the cover, investigate, sort and close up and initially I wasn't really sure where the problem lay.

Hopefully this'll help someone else in a similar position. And hopefully SW will improve their QC...

ATB

Jase.

[Nicola Fletcher]

Glad you got it sorted Jase - it’s a lovely mount and mine is still perfect!