Alternatives to Skywatcher HEQ5 or EQ6-R Pro?

[rnobleeddy]

My old EQ6 may have tracked it's last star, and so whilst I work out if I can fix it, I'm wondering what I might opt for if I get a new one.

I'm pretty well versed with the Skywatcher gear and would choose either a HEQ5 or EQ6 based on the trade-off between payload and portability. I don't have an observatory but am able to leave the mount under a heavy duty cover in the garden.

Is there anything else worth considering at a sensible price? I realize a mount should be a long term investment, but I probably don't want to spend a great deal more than a new EQ6-R Pro at ~£1400.

I'd be after no less payload than the HEQ5, and will be primarily imaging, so accurate tracking is the most important factor. Compatibility with ASCOM + INDI/EKOS are the only other requirement.

 

Edited October 26, 2021 by rnobleeddy

[wimvb]

If you got the funds, go for the eq6-R. It works great and can carry a lot.

[GoldTop57]

I recently purchased an EQ6R Pro recently and have been very pleased with it. I also considered the Ioptron's CEM26, GEM28  and  CEM40 but opted for the Skywatcher because of availability.

[malc-c]

What's wrong with your current mount ?  Bearings can be replaced, motorboards can be repaired and reprogrammed.... 

[vlaiv]

I would look into iOptron offerings, but those that are in Heq5/Eq6 range tend to be more expensive.

Skywatcher models are really affordable for what they offer and if you base your budget on them - it is unlikely that you will find better match (at that price point).

I would still consider going iOptron way. I have now Heq5 mount, but looking into getting CEM120 (or possibly Mesu 200 next).

In my experience, SW mounts can be made to work good but it requires a lot of fiddling. Mechanical finish of these mounts is very rudimentary. I have sense (and also what I gather from feedback on internet) - iOptron is much better in that regard.

There are couple of features with iOptron mounts that make them better in my opinion. I don't care much for iGuider / iPolar / EC and all that iFancy stuff, but I do like that they have magnetic floating worm which is rather good solution for backlash. They also have belt drive (something that is after market addition on SW mounts - except for EQ6-R and AZEQ6 models). Stepper motor resolution is good (better than SW mounts).

[GoldTop57]

And the Ioptrons tend to be lighter too - I guess that could be a pro or con depending on your point of view.

[rnobleeddy]

2 hours ago, malc-c said:

What's wrong with your current mount ?  Bearings can be replaced, motorboards can be repaired and reprogrammed.... 

It's perhaps 15 years old, and on taking it apart to fit the belt mod, I've found a number of parts have seized together, and it appears at least one bearing has failed. It's a black EQ6 with the words Heavy Duty on the plastic label, which appears to predate most of the strip down guides I've seen. It's similar with the exception of the polar scope, and less PTFE shims.

I did get it apart, but on reassembly, one axis has wedged halfway back in to the mount. I'm making progress one hammering it out one session at a time, and the only definite casualties are some PTFE shims and some bearings that I can easily replace.  So I will see.  It's something similar to this https://www.astro-baby.com/EQ6 Demon/EQ6 Rebuild Case Study.htm ! 

I don't know if it'll go back together (assuming it comes apart) as I'm a little lost as to how the fit can be so tight, but I'll certainly give it a go. 

 

[rnobleeddy]

6 hours ago, vlaiv said:

I would look into iOptron offerings, but those that are in Heq5/Eq6 range tend to be more expensive.

Skywatcher models are really affordable for what they offer and if you base your budget on them - it is unlikely that you will find better match (at that price point).

I would still consider going iOptron way. I have now Heq5 mount, but looking into getting CEM120 (or possibly Mesu 200 next).

In my experience, SW mounts can be made to work good but it requires a lot of fiddling. Mechanical finish of these mounts is very rudimentary. I have sense (and also what I gather from feedback on internet) - iOptron is much better in that regard.

There are couple of features with iOptron mounts that make them better in my opinion. I don't care much for iGuider / iPolar / EC and all that iFancy stuff, but I do like that they have magnetic floating worm which is rather good solution for backlash. They also have belt drive (something that is after market addition on SW mounts - except for EQ6-R and AZEQ6 models). Stepper motor resolution is good (better than SW mounts).

I'll look around and see if I can get an idea of how well people find the iOptron mounts guide.

I'd prefer to buy something that works out of the box, but I'm not averse to fiddling with the Skywatcher mounts if needs must - despite the issues with my old EQ6, I understand the design and the fact they're widely used means there's lot of help online.

The CEM26 and GEM28 models appear to compete on price with the HEQ5, so will probably do some research on those.

[rnobleeddy]

5 hours ago, GoldTop57 said:

And the Ioptrons tend to be lighter too - I guess that could be a pro or con depending on your point of view.

I guess I'm still not convinced that carrying a mount like this in the car to setup in a far away field and rely on batteries is my idea of fun. However, the EQ6 is prohibitively heavy (IMHO) so at least with the HEQ5 and lighter mounts it's an option!

[900SL]

I'm looking at a Vixen SXD2 for my first mount with the SB10 goto interface.

Overbudget but you are paying for decent quality machining, QA/QC and the SB10 goto functionality

 

[andyrawlins]

On 27/10/2021 at 11:12, vlaiv said:

I would look into iOptron offerings, but those that are in Heq5/Eq6 range tend to be more expensive.

Skywatcher models are really affordable for what they offer and if you base your budget on them - it is unlikely that you will find better match (at that price point).

I would still consider going iOptron way. I have now Heq5 mount, but looking into getting CEM120 (or possibly Mesu 200 next).

In my experience, SW mounts can be made to work good but it requires a lot of fiddling. Mechanical finish of these mounts is very rudimentary. I have sense (and also what I gather from feedback on internet) - iOptron is much better in that regard.

There are couple of features with iOptron mounts that make them better in my opinion. I don't care much for iGuider / iPolar / EC and all that iFancy stuff, but I do like that they have magnetic floating worm which is rather good solution for backlash. They also have belt drive (something that is after market addition on SW mounts - except for EQ6-R and AZEQ6 models). Stepper motor resolution is good (better than SW mounts).

You have piqued my interest there vlaiv. thanks  .  EG6 pro is too heavy for me (dodgy knees) so was going HEQ5 Rowan but that is getting tight for my 10Kg OTA plus camera.  Now looking at GEM28.  Do you/anyone have any information on them in use.  CEM26 looks interesting but slightly lower payload.

Cheers

Andy

[vlaiv]

46 minutes ago, andyrawlins said:

You have piqued my interest there vlaiv. thanks  .  EG6 pro is too heavy for me (dodgy knees) so was going HEQ5 Rowan but that is getting tight for my 10Kg OTA plus camera.  Now looking at GEM28.  Do you/anyone have any information on them in use.  CEM26 looks interesting but slightly lower payload.

Cheers

Andy

I don't really know how they perform. Based on specs - they should perform fine but we can't be sure without first hand experience.

[newbie alert]

I can vouch for the quality of ioptron..I own a cem 60 which I've owned for about a year and it's never missed a beat. Both axis are extremely fluid and no matter if I put my esprit 80 or my 8 inch sct on it,  it doesn't flinch..I'm sure I can mount both at the same time and it wouldn't miss a beat 

[rnobleeddy]

16 minutes ago, newbie alert said:

I can vouch for the quality of ioptron..I own a cem 60 which I've owned for about a year and it's never missed a beat. Both axis are extremely fluid and no matter if I put my esprit 80 or my 8 inch sct on it,  it doesn't flinch..I'm sure I can mount both at the same time and it wouldn't miss a beat 

One of the difficulties I've found is comparing mounts - the skywatcher mounts are used frequently enough that you can get a reasonable read from comments online, but I don't think that's true of any other brands/models. 

Based on what I have read, my expectation of an ioptron would be that it will probably guide as well as a decent example of an equivalent skywatcher mount, but that the quality control should be better, so I'm less likely to need to get out the toolkit on the first night.

Edited November 1, 2021 by rnobleeddy

[newbie alert]

1 minute ago, rnobleeddy said:

One of the difficulties I've found is comparing mounts - the skywatcher mounts are used frequently enough that you can get a reasonable read from comments online, but I don't think that's true of any other brands/models. 

Based on what I have read, my expectation of an ioptron would be that it will probably guide as well as a decent equivalent skywatcher mount, but that the quality control should be better, so I'm less likely to need to get out the toolkit on the first night.

Never touched mine, wouldn't know what it looks like internally as I've never had to look

With skywatchers more or less everyone takes them apart, either to belt mod, re bearing or relube.. the older mounts are known for the sticky glue/ grease.. broken or modify the alt bolts.. even the new eq6 r pro has a puck that makes the scope sit at a funny angle( I'd say that's a design fault)

Before I purchased mine I did plenty of research,  and nothing flagged up on the cem 60..

 

[andyrawlins]

6 hours ago, newbie alert said:

Never touched mine, wouldn't know what it looks like internally as I've never had to look

With skywatchers more or less everyone takes them apart, either to belt mod, re bearing or relube.. the older mounts are known for the sticky glue/ grease.. broken or modify the alt bolts.. even the new eq6 r pro has a puck that makes the scope sit at a funny angle( I'd say that's a design fault)

Before I purchased mine I did plenty of research,  and nothing flagged up on the cem 60..

 

Have you got yours on their 1.75" tripod?  Their mounts seem to come by default on a 1.5" but FLO recommended the 1.75" even for the GEM28 which puts the price up.

[newbie alert]

2 hours ago, andyrawlins said:

Have you got yours on their 1.75" tripod?  Their mounts seem to come by default on a 1.5" but FLO recommended the 1.75" even for the GEM28 which puts the price up.

No , my cem 60 is on a fixed pier ...the tri pier looks good, but so it should for £500+