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EQ5 Deluxe Mount Motorising Options?


Ian McCallum

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21 minutes ago, Ian McCallum said:

I'm just going to order the Enhanced  Dual Axis Motor Drives, as I can't justify the cost of the SynScan.  RVO has them in stock at the moment. Thoughts?

Its looks like the next best thing. I doubt you will be disappointed. You can still image. I did this unguided, with one basic motor with a 4.5 reflector,and a planetary camera no reducer at F8

Orion Nebula 4.5 newtonian F8.tif  50.tif b.png

Edited by neil phillips
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The enhance kit has an ST4 port.  You can get a USB ST4 "cable" that can connect to a windows laptop / computer and use with any guide camera and as its ASCOM compliant can be used with PHD2 etc.  In theory you might be able to use it in a similar way to an EQDIR cable / synscan unit to control the mount from a PC.  This gives you the option of imaging on  budget later on if you so wished.  The main advantage of the goto system is that its a mini computer in the handset that has the database to enable you to see (in theory) tens of thousands of targets without the need to learn the night sky, or to use an external computer which is what makes the price difference.  They also use slightly higher precision motors in the goto option, but as others have said, depending on what you want to see / image goto may not be something you need form day one.  Granted buying the non-goto mount and then later buying the synscan goto as an option will cost more than buying the goto EQ5 from day one, but not buy a huge amount.

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On 05/12/2021 at 11:34, Ian McCallum said:

I eventually want motorise the EQ5 Deluxe mount that I have, but would welcome suggestions on how to proceed.  This is mostly for visual observing...

Hi Ian, if it's just for visual tracking I have a spare single axis RA motor, clutch, handset and battery pack that is for the EQ5. PM me if of interest, doesn't owe me much.👍

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4 minutes ago, Franklin said:

Hi Ian, if it's just for visual tracking I have a spare single axis RA motor, clutch, handset and battery pack that is for the EQ5. PM me if of interest, doesn't owe me much.👍

Thanks for the kind offer, but I've just pulled the trigger on the Enhanced kit from RVO.

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5 minutes ago, neil phillips said:

Thought so i bet i cant get that fixing 

You could probably drill a hole in the RA bracket to coincide with the bolt hole on the DEC assembly but it would need a thread because I don't think there would be room to get a nut on it.

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1 minute ago, Franklin said:

You could probably drill a hole in the RA bracket to coincide with the bolt hole on the DEC assembly but it would need a thread because I don't think there would be room to get a nut on it.

Ok cheers Franklin. will have to check see whats possible

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Just now, Ian McCallum said:

Thanks for the kind offer, but I've just pulled the trigger on the Enhanced kit from RVO.

No worries Ian, good luck with the dual axis. I've got dual drives on one of my mounts and it's handy for centering stuff. I think for getting into imaging and guiding with the EQ5 you may have to tweek the worms a little to remove as much backlash as possible

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1 minute ago, Franklin said:

No worries Ian, good luck with the dual axis. I've got dual drives on one of my mounts and it's handy for centering stuff. I think for getting into imaging and guiding with the EQ5 you may have to tweek the worms a little to remove as much backlash as possible

I may go for a modified webcam or something similar, not sure at the moment.  I really want to get to know the mount, before adding loads of stuff to it.  My rationale is to get to know a bit of the kit first, rather than get overwhelmed by trying to take everything in mentally and physically at once...

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Sorry, been away from this thread... 

Just to be clear, the dual axis motor kit - whether it is the standard or enhanced - does not give you goto... As commented previously, you need 'brains' in the handset to map the sky and know where you are pointing, and these don't have it (and the motors would not be practical for goto either) 

St-4 guiding should be possible (your guide scope is connected to the pc and handset, and your camera is connected to the pc and between them all they work out the tracking correction instructions to give the 'dumb' handset.)

Granted you can never rule out an amazing technical breakthrough while you weren't watching, but when I wanted guiding I sold my enhanced dual axis kit and went for the 'diy synscan' option. 

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On 10/12/2021 at 11:36, neil phillips said:

Depends what your imaging and if you want goto ?

I do just fine on lunar and planetary and even bright deepsky unguided with only one motor (RA) and the cheapest one too.

got two motors ( both used as RA one made a ticking noise, the other silent ) For 50 quid on here. Seems to track ok with reasonable polar alignment 

I image Lunar and Planetary fine with my single axis motor that "ticks" and is fine for camera lens deep sky too. I am confused though why the std motors are often quoted as being "DC" when they are still crystal controlled stepping motors albeit with a lesser spec?

Alan

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18 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

I image Lunar and Planetary fine with my single axis motor that "ticks" and is fine for camera lens deep sky too. I am confused though why the std motors are often quoted as being "DC" when they are still crystal controlled stepping motors albeit with a lesser spec?

Alan

Dont know the answer to that. But for the accuracy i need. They certianly work well enough

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18 hours ago, Ian McCallum said:

I wasn't that bothered about the goto option, as it was more "it would be nice to have".  The cost put paid to that...

Perfectly sensible approach 👍 - I just thought the general flow of the comments, mixing guiding and goto terms, might be confusing to a beginner reading this thread.

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Back to the drawing board, as RVO doesn't have any in stock at the moment. It'll be a few days before they get new stock. 

I got an email from them to inform me about this, even though they told me that they have the EQ5 Enhanced kit in stock. That's why I ordered it from them.  I've asked them to cancel the order,  they've emailed me back to say they will. 

I've never had this problem with FLO. 

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52 minutes ago, Ian McCallum said:

Back to the drawing board, as RVO doesn't have any in stock at the moment. It'll be a few days before they get new stock. 

I got an email from them to inform me about this, even though they told me that they have the EQ5 Enhanced kit in stock. That's why I ordered it from them.  I've asked them to cancel the order,  they've emailed me back to say they will. 

I've never had this problem with FLO. 

Given the current situation it's not unheard of for stock to change quickly.  They may have had one in stock when you made the original call, and then someone purchased it moments after...  Happened to me just this morning with an item from Argos.  It was shown as in stock at my local store on their website, but when I turned up this morning all stock was sold.  Moral of that... should have purchased it online at the time !

But didn't you say FLO were out of stock anyway ? - That's why you called RVO ?

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2 hours ago, malc-c said:

Given the current situation it's not unheard of for stock to change quickly.  They may have had one in stock when you made the original call, and then someone purchased it moments after...  Happened to me just this morning with an item from Argos.  It was shown as in stock at my local store on their website, but when I turned up this morning all stock was sold.  Moral of that... should have purchased it online at the time !

But didn't you say FLO were out of stock anyway ? - That's why you called RVO ?

Correct, otherwise I would have ordered from FLO.

 https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/387348-eq5-deluxe-mount-motorising-options/?do=findComment&comment=4180476

What I find most disappointing about it is they waited till late this afternoon to tell me.  I put the order in on Friday, last week.  Surely, they could have let me know a bit earlier, rather than late in the day before the scheduled delivery.🤔

Edited by Ian McCallum
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