Tack tack sound on my az gti mount

[AstroNebulee]

I've had my az gti mount since the 12th January and gets a good but of use since then. Every now and then I hear a tack tack sound when tracking an object, I tighten both clutches (how tight do these have to be) sometimes I can loosen them off a bit and the noise stops but then how well is it tracking? I used to reliably get 30 sec subs with star trailing in az mode as I don't have wedge or counterweight yet for eq. I get the bubble in the centre on the mount whilst setting up and get scope level and North, it gotos very well and that part is perfect. Just this tack tack. I have some white lithium grease coming and will probably have a look inside to see if the spring is to loose or tight as this could cause it maybe. Just wanted to know if others encountered this. It's a beautiful mount and I love it to bits for my circumstances for portability with my sw 72ed. Clear skies and thank you reading this. 

Edited May 2, 2021 by AstroNebulee

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

@AstroNebulee My first azgti's tracking and gotos were all over the place so it was replaced under warranty...

I had the tak tak sound develop with my second unit and it also had azimuth binding so I sent it back. My third unit started off with the tak tak but the sound disappeared so I kept it. Fine since.

I believe it's the altitude worm gear but could be totally wrong lol. This should fix any  "tak tak" or binding issues. The first vid is azimuth only but the altitude is the same process.

 

Regarding the clutches, just tighten "finger tight". Tightening all the way in doesn't seem to make a difference and will increase wear.

Edited May 2, 2021 by ScouseSpaceCadet

[AstroNebulee]

Hi Peter 

Thank you for that links. I've not seen the first video but have seen lazy geeks one. It's due to be cloudy, wind and rain for the next week, so I think when my lithium grease arrives I'll give the gears a regrease and check if there's binding and use a plastic washer. Maybe I was tightening the clutches to much the past few sessions as not had the tak tak before and getting regular 30 subs and satellite trails were straight lines, some of the trails in the past 2 sessions had slight wavyness. At least I wasn't the only one to experience tak tak 

Thank you again 

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

No probs. Please let us know if a regrease alone works. If so I may do a prophylactic grease up now mine's out of warranty.

 

[AstroNebulee]

1 hour ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

No probs. Please let us know if a regrease alone works. If so I may do a prophylactic grease up now mine's out of warranty.

 

Will do. I can't feel any movement/backlash when inserting an m12 bolt and trying to move it so maybe a good bit of grease will help but maybe a plastic washer under both lock nuts in both axis. What's prophylactic greasing? 

Edited May 2, 2021 by AstroNebulee

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

24 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

 What's prophylactic greasing? 

That totally depends on what field you work in...

[AstroNebulee]

On 02/05/2021 at 18:29, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

No probs. Please let us know if a regrease alone works. If so I may do a prophylactic grease up now mine's out of warranty.

Hi. I've done the regrease and plastic washer, I've posted my reply there so I won't type it here again but here's a link to the relevant thread I followed the instructions from. I think the regrease alone may of been sufficient bit added the plastic washer for good measure, the grub screws may be the cause of binding. 

 

Edited May 7, 2021 by AstroNebulee

[AstroNebulee]

 

An update on this thread my first light after the regrease is here, I shan't lost again here but if interested follow this thread. 

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/322909-azgti-stiff/?do=findComment&comment=4085906

[Drbaek]

My az gti has the same noise tak tak.

Is there any one who solved the problem??

[AstroNebulee]

6 hours ago, Drbaek said:

My az gti has the same noise tak tak.

Is there any one who solved the problem??

If you follow the links above shoukd help you solve your tak tak sound, it did mine. Only if your competent opening up your az gti or if it's still in warranty you could send it back. But its easy to do as long as your careful. 

Cheers 

 

Lee 

[Drbaek]

14 hours ago, AstroNebulee said:

If you follow the links above shoukd help you solve your tak tak sound, it did mine. Only if your competent opening up your az gti or if it's still in warranty you could send it back. But its easy to do as long as your careful. 

Cheers 

 

Lee 

I've tried loosen the grub screws a little. but it has still tak tak sound

I have made a plastic washer. I'll try it to my Az gti. Hope this will be the solution. 

Thank you !!

Edited June 20, 2022 by Drbaek

[AstroNebulee]

22 minutes ago, Drbaek said:

I've tried loosen the grub screws a little. but it has still tak tak sound

I have made a plastic washer. I'll try it to my Az gti. Hope this will be the solution. 

Thank you !!

No problems. Whilst your in there check the meshing of the RA /AZ worm and gear to check for any binding too. 

Cheers 

Lee 

[Drbaek]

I replaced a plastic washer. but It' was not affective.

(It still has tak tak noise but R/A is smoother than before )

I presume the tak tak noise which is can hear after slew for 3~5seconds and disappear comes from the spring or worm and gear.

Perhaps it is the sound made when the gear moves quickly and the force acting on the gear or spring slowly loosens and finds its place.

It's just my idea and I don't know the answer. I will stop tuning any more. In fact, if I put up with the noise for a few seconds after GOTO, there seems to be no problem with tracking and shooting stars.

Thank you for your help!!!

[AstroNebulee]

1 hour ago, Drbaek said:

I replaced a plastic washer. but It' was not affective.

(It still has tak tak noise but R/A is smoother than before )

I presume the tak tak noise which is can hear after slew for 3~5seconds and disappear comes from the spring or worm and gear.

Perhaps it is the sound made when the gear moves quickly and the force acting on the gear or spring slowly loosens and finds its place.

It's just my idea and I don't know the answer. I will stop tuning any more. In fact, if I put up with the noise for a few seconds after GOTO, there seems to be no problem with tracking and shooting stars.

Thank you for your help!!!

I'm pleased your RA is smoother now but the sound still persists. 

It could be the the meshing of the worm and gear making the sound as I said previously. It sounds like settling after the goto like you say and as long as it tracks and gitos fine, the sound may even disappear with more use. 

Cheers 

Lee 

[bomberbaz]

Hi everyone. Last night I stayed up late gathering data and I have defaulted back to my evoguide. My tracking is about bob on in dec but RA persists in being a little awkward to control. It is getting better but given how good the skies and conditions were last night, I would have hoped for a little better. I am not sure if some of this is down to the mount stability overall. The star adventurer wedge is not the best at all and I am sat wondering whether I might be better looking out for a WO wedge, they just look much more substantial.

Anyway, I only had a limited amount of time to work with and so didn't get a ton of data, I hope to add to both of the subjects I took data of last night later down the line. 

So the one I have had time to do a half decent process of with limited (40 minutes) of data is the crescent. TBH I think even now I have overdone the stretching a little, had to round some of the larger stars with py-astro but this is a big improvement from where I was a week or so back when I could have thrown the entire rig into the bin at one point. 

 

cheers all

steve

Edited June 23, 2022 by bomberbaz

[bomberbaz]

upped the gradiant levelling tool parameters.

[AstroNebulee]

1 hour ago, bomberbaz said:

Hi everyone. Last night I stayed up late gathering data and I have defaulted back to my evoguide. My tracking is about bob on in dec but RA persists in being a little awkward to control. It is getting better but given how good the skies and conditions were last night, I would have hoped for a little better. I am not sure if some of this is down to the mount stability overall. The star adventurer wedge is not the best at all and I am sat wondering whether I might be better looking out for a WO wedge, they just look much more substantial.

Anyway, I only had a limited amount of time to work with and so didn't get a ton of data, I hope to add to both of the subjects I took data of last night later down the line. 

So the one I have had time to do a half decent process of with limited (40 minutes) of data is the crescent. TBH I think even now I have overdone the stretching a little, had to round some of the larger stars with py-astro but this is a big improvement from where I was a week or so back when I could have thrown the entire rig into the bin at one point. 

 

cheers all

steve

Hi Steve 

At least you got out gathering data last night 😊. 

Do you want this post to be moved to the az gti owners thread instead of here? 

Is your horizon 60 Ed a no go on your AzGti now, seeing as your back with the trusty evoguide 50ed 👍

It's a nice image for the amount of data you've gathered and as you said you can always grab more the next time and build on it, the star colours are nice. 

The WO is much studier and hefty for mounting the az gti and you'll see vast improvements if you can get one and be nicely paired with your sturdy tripod too. 

Lee 

Edited June 23, 2022 by AstroNebulee
addition

[bomberbaz]

3 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

Hi Steve 

At least you got out gathering data last night 😊. 

Do you want this post to be moved to the az gti owners thread instead of here? 

Is your horizon 60 Ed a no go on your AzGti now, seeing as your back with the trusty evoguide 50ed 👍

It's a nice image for the amount of data you've gathered and as you said you can always grab more the next time and build on it, the star colours are nice. 

The WO is much studier and hefty for mounting the az gti and you'll see vast improvements if you can get one and be nicely paired with your sturdy tripod too. 

Lee 

Just realised this is in wrong thread, please can a mod move it to the AZ Gti owners thread please.

[bosun21]

On 02/05/2021 at 19:54, AstroNebulee said:

What's prophylactic greasing? 

It’s a greasing done to the equipment as a preventative safeguard against any problems that may otherwise arise. Like a prophylactic medicine is a medicine you take to prevent you falling ill 👍