Skywatcher AZ GTI mount owners thread

[DusknightbyFatma]

@Elp @knobby  @AstroNebulee

 

Hello 

Thank you all for your replies. 
I can connect the mount to windows through wifi, I have no issue. However, the Synscan app is ‘Device not found’ or ‘Cannot connect’. 
DeviceHub through (ASCOM) shows a green sign and all other softwares are on ON mode. Once I choose the target, it says ‘slewing’ from the software such as NINA or APT but the mount is NOT.
 

I will check the device manager port, I will also uninstall ascom and reinstall. 

I will get back to you when it works out. 

Thank you. 

[OK Apricot]

So I've been out in the daylight trying to see if this mount will sit level. I've tried:

-levelling the tripod

-leveling the head

-not using extension pillar 

-not using rubber pad between mount and tripod/pillar

Whatever configuration I have, the mount will not sit level - the bubble on the mount changes position when turning through 360°. It's no wonder I can't get a decent go-to. One last time, before I call FLO, is there anything I'm doing wrong, or anything else I'm not doing that I should be? I believe there could be something wrong with this mount 🤔

[AstroNebulee]

2 minutes ago, OK Apricot said:

So I've been out in the daylight trying to see if this mount will sit level. I've tried:

-levelling the tripod

-leveling the head

-not using extension pillar 

-not using rubber pad between mount and tripod/pillar

Whatever configuration I have, the mount will not sit level - the bubble on the mount changes position when turning through 360°. It's no wonder I can't get a decent go-to. One last time, before I call FLO, is there anything I'm doing wrong, or anything else I'm not doing that I should be? I believe there could be something wrong with this mount 🤔

You can give flo an email anyway, they are very helpful and will do their best. When used to spin the mount around it would alter its level. After the az gti has done a good 2 or 3 star alignment it should get better and better after that with gotos. 

[StevieDvd]

If you level the tripod with a good sprit level, so it's level N/S & E/W, to confirm the tripod is level first. Then add the mount and put the spirit level in the dovetail plate adapter, rotate that so it's horizontal & level, then rotate the mount and check the level (ignore the bubble on the mount) is it still out?

The small level indicators are not very accurate so I'd check it against a known working spirit level first.

 

[AstroNebulee]

1 minute ago, StevieDvd said:

The small level indicators are not very accurate so I'd check it against a known working spirit level first.

I found the bubble levels to be out a fair bit too they aren't very well put in. 

[OK Apricot]

Have just checked the above and yes, against a good spirit level, it remains relatively level through a rotation, with maybe a slight deviation N/S. I've just noticed that it isn't smooth around the azimuth axis like the alt is - there is a definite "sticky spot" - I wonder if the extra resistance is throwing things off during alignment? 

[badhex]

3 hours ago, OK Apricot said:

So I've been out in the daylight trying to see if this mount will sit level. I've tried:

-levelling the tripod

-leveling the head

-not using extension pillar 

-not using rubber pad between mount and tripod/pillar

Whatever configuration I have, the mount will not sit level - the bubble on the mount changes position when turning through 360°. It's no wonder I can't get a decent go-to. One last time, before I call FLO, is there anything I'm doing wrong, or anything else I'm not doing that I should be? I believe there could be something wrong with this mount 🤔

Just in case you haven't tried this combo, try just levelling the tripod using the spirit level and ignore whatever the *mount* itself shows, then do a North-level alignment. If the tripod is level, the az base of the mount will also be level, so this should rule out any levelling issues. 

[Elp]

How off are the gotos? I've found in alt az mode with just the az gti and synscan it's not exactly 100%, I'd have to nudge the view a little to centre the target (if the alignment is correct in the first place, mine usually isn't). Using an Asiair in EQ mode the goto is pretty much bang on with usually only 1 minor iteration adjustment when plate solving. Regarding levelling and star alignment though it's good practice to level the tripod first then mount it makes more sense to finalise this once your whole imaging/viewing train is fully mounted as any added weight post levelling may knock it out. I assume you're setting up on solid ground too?

Edited March 12, 2022 by Elp

[OK Apricot]

Yep, good solid ground. My gotos are just out of FOV a lot of the time. I'm only going to objects I know the location of at the moment so it's bearable, however when it comes to more discrete ones I don't know the whereabouts of, that's when I want the go to to be in the fov. I did get a lower power EP to help give the mount a chance to get objects in the fov but as yet haven't had a chance to use it. Also I'm not imaging (yet), just visual. 

[LaurenceT]

I don't know if this has been mentioned but I use a photography levelling base to level my tripod. It's something I've used for years as part of my landscape photography.

[OK Apricot]

While I'm here, is this sort of "twitchiness" normal during tracking? 

 

 

[RayWUK]

3 minutes ago, OK Apricot said:

While I'm here, is this sort of "twitchiness" normal during tracking? 

 

I'm no expert but at that magnification i would say yes.

[Elp]

Any wind or vibration of any kind will do that depending on the quality of the tripod/mount head. As @RayWUK has mentioned, high mag will make it more apparent.

[AstroNebulee]

37 minutes ago, RayWUK said:

I'm no expert but at that magnification i would say yes.

I used to get aot of that at high magnification, maybe to do with backlash or the gears and worms in the motor not meshing properly 🤔 superb view of moony 👌

Edited March 12, 2022 by AstroNebulee

[OK Apricot]

I guess I'm getting a little paranoid 😅. No clear skies to try getting results from this mount is driving me mad! Cheers for the support guys 👍

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

7 hours ago, OK Apricot said:

Have just checked the above and yes, against a good spirit level, it remains relatively level through a rotation, with maybe a slight deviation N/S. I've just noticed that it isn't smooth around the azimuth axis like the alt is - there is a definite "sticky spot" - I wonder if the extra resistance is throwing things off during alignment? 

After the first time trying to use the mount spirit level I didn't bother again! If using the aluminium kit tripod stick with the tripod level. If I'm using a steel tripod, then out comes the cheap DIYer's spirit level. When using point and track (for instance a lunar only session) I just step back and guess. 😮

The twitchiness in your video to me just looks like a stiff breeze is catching the telescope?

Varying degrees of azimuth binding is one of those common faults. My first mount had that too and was returned. However there is a user fix:

Take note of the 6000 views. Suggesting this a very common problem?!

Edited March 13, 2022 by ScouseSpaceCadet

[OK Apricot]

Yeah, I'm going to ignore the head bubble level from now, it's clearly not accurate. Point and track was pretty good earlier today. I've said earlier in this thread, the tracking is great, it's just the lack of goto accuracy. 

Not a stiff breeze at all, barely any leaves rustling. The movement is from the mount alone. Even a tiny tap on the tripod gave a distinguished shudder. 

Wouldn't like to go diving in at this stage if I'm honest. I do like to fiddle but I'd rather make use of the warranty if this is going to be an issue. 

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

2 minutes ago, OK Apricot said:

Yeah, I'm going to ignore the head bubble level from now, it's clearly not accurate. Point and track was pretty good earlier today. I've said earlier in this thread, the tracking is great, it's just the lack of goto accuracy. 

Not a stiff breeze at all, barely any leaves rustling. The movement is from the mount alone. Even a tiny tap on the tripod gave a distinguished shudder. 

Wouldn't like to go diving in at this stage if I'm honest. I do like to fiddle but I'd rather make use of the warranty if this is going to be an issue. 

The mount azimuth stiffness does vary - some are a little looser than others, however the binding in one spot is a definite fault so unfortunately this is a warranty job if you don't fancy diving in. If it wasn't windy It's likely the twitch is being caused by the binding mount and it's also possibly having a negative impact on gotos. Reading your previous posts they read like you're doing everything right.

 

[OK Apricot]

7 hours ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

The mount azimuth stiffness does vary - some are a little looser than others, however the binding in one spot is a definite fault so unfortunately this is a warranty job if you don't fancy diving in. If it wasn't windy It's likely the twitch is being caused by the binding mount and it's also possibly having a negative impact on gotos. Reading your previous posts they read like you're doing everything right.

 

Thank you. Any more takers before I talk to FLO? 

[AstroNebulee]

29 minutes ago, OK Apricot said:

Thank you. Any more takers before I talk to FLO? 

I'd just send an email off to flo about it all if I were you and don't want to go tinkering with the mount. I had the binding issue and followed the video suggested by @ScouseSpaceCadetand mine was just the grub screw to tight rather than fitting a plastic washer.

I just remembered on the leveling. I used to put a spirit level on my scope and get it level that way. 

[OK Apricot]

Cheers, yeah I'll get in touch and see what we can do. Must admit I'm losing a little faith but with the good following this mount has, it's got to be that I've got a 'bad one' 🤔

[AstroNebulee]

7 hours ago, OK Apricot said:

Cheers, yeah I'll get in touch and see what we can do. Must admit I'm losing a little faith but with the good following this mount has, it's got to be that I've got a 'bad one' 🤔

Keep the faith, it will get sorted for you. Like saud before the binding is a common issue and easily rectified, I'm sure flo will sort this for you and your az gti will perform admirably 👍

[AstroNebulee]

On 08/03/2022 at 10:54, AstroNebulee said:

Whilst on a day off waiting for the the ground workers to address my mains water leak I decided to tune the Dec (alt) motor in my az gti as I was suffering with a lot of movement when the clutch tightened up and also when guiding the Dec would take ages to settle after calibration and after a dither be erratic. 

I'm showing the before and after of the movement on the motor. Its much tighter now and regreased it up with some white lithium grease, tested and appears no visual binding anyway. It'll need a test which I'm hoping to tonight. 

I have opened the mount before to solve the stiff RA (az) axis and previously tightened the spring loaded motor to the worm so the spring is obsolete. On inspecting the Dec spring loading motor is was meshed tight too (from the factory) so in an experiment I've altered this to have the spring working. Maybe together with the tighter meshing on the motor gears and the spring activation my Dec guiding will be better (probably be worse haha) if tis I shall do away with the spring loading and mesh again. 

Just thought it was worth putting on here to see the workings. 

And yep the after video has rotated, I'm a baffoon. 

Just an update on my tinkering now I've had two small sessions with my setup. The Dec behaves so much better now, after a calibration it soon snaps into place and the same goes for after a dither too. Now I shall have to do the same to the RA motor and mesh the brass gears tighter and maybe re-engage the spring loaded part, as the RA which before was great in comparison to the Dec is now needing a tinker. Had a go at imaging the owl nebula, very tiny and the moony not helping it. 

Edited March 14, 2022 by AstroNebulee

[Elp]

Productive session last night but also frustrating (there's always something). Finally got the OAG working (works wonders for guiding, got typically around 0.8 whereas 120mm guidescope is 1.5+). Alas it wasn't to last for some unknown reason the stars disappeared from the guidecam fov, much tinkering later and no luck. So ripped off the OAG put the guidescope back on, was my focus still there, no. Spent 1.5 odd hours trying to get the damn thing into focus (it's not the most intuitive way to focus and the threads were making a sqeaking noise on every turn). Finally sorted it and continued with 3 more hours of imaging.

[AstroNebulee]

8 minutes ago, Elp said:

Productive session last night but also frustrating (there's always something). Finally got the OAG working (works wonders for guiding, got typically around 0.8 whereas 120mm guidescope is 1.5+). Alas it wasn't to last for some unknown reason the stars disappeared from the guidecam fov, much tinkering later and no luck. So ripped off the OAG put the guidescope back on, was my focus still there, no. Spent 1.5 odd hours trying to get the damn thing into focus (it's not the most intuitive way to focus and the threads were making a sqeaking noise on every turn). Finally sorted it and continued with 3 more hours of imaging.

With 0.8 rms on the oag sounds great if it can be tamed. At least it was a bright moony night, be much more frustrating with a new moon. Hopefully you can cure the disappearing stars with the oag 👍