The Sun - 1st October 2021

[David Smith]

Tried to get a session in today, not very successful. After the rain cleared the skies did too, setup the AR102 and grabbed a white light full disk. Got setup for Calcium and the laptop battery died! Grabbed an extension lead and the charger and thought all was good only for the mount to start playing up. Turns out the drive on my CG-4 has taken a turn for the worst so had to call it a day whilst I try and repair it. So just a white light full disk today.....

 

 

Not sure what I'm going to do with the broken CG-4 drive as they are not even made any more! The drive itself seems ok but the flexi-joint to the worm-wheel has sheared.

 

[Rusted]

The flexible joint is probably a standard item if you poke google with a sharp enough stick.

Try something like: skywatcher flexible motor drive joint.

21 Euros + similar freight charge from a famous German dealer.

Get one free with every skywatcher DC drive motor purchase.

[David Smith]

Thanks for that Rusted. Have to admit I had not really looked very hard other than finding the CG-4 is not made any more.

[Rusted]

You can use fuel hose or rubber hose as a "universal joint" in a shaft drive.
The problem is finding a small enough [hose?] clamp for each end.

[johninderby]

Loads of shaft couplers on Amazon and eBay.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=shaft+connectors+flexible&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

Or look for model boat propshaft couplers.

Edited October 2, 2021 by johninderby

[David Smith]

Thanks Both. Removed the drive from the mount this morning and measured the diameter of the spindle on the drive and the worm. Reckon one of these should do the trick.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09138PZPR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And at £6 it's no great loss if it doesn't.

[johninderby]

And you will have it tomorrow. 👍🏻

[David Smith]

Well that seems to have fixed it. Unfortunately by the time Amazon Man had arrived and I had fitted it the sky had clouded over but seems to work well enough.

[johninderby]

At least it’s sorted now. but the clouds just know when you're ready to get the scope out. 😁

[David Smith]

Very true. Typically it had been clear much of the day today after yesterday's deluge.

[Ibbo!]

19 minutes ago, David Smith said:

Well that seems to have fixed it. Unfortunately by the time Amazon Man had arrived and I had fitted it the sky had clouded over but seems to work well enough.

Typical weather