14 inch SCT on EQ6 for visual? Experiences?

[ollypenrice]

I know the theory but what I'm interested in is the practice. I have a 14 inch SCT (Meade) and its LX200 mount is acting the goat. It's over 20 years old. I don't do enough visual observing myself, or have sufficient visual guests, to justify (easily) an EQ8 and I already have a couple of EQ sixes. I've just tried a 10 inch SCT on an EQ6 and it is far more stable than the LX200 mount, which is like coil spring at best. I know the EQ6 would make the 14 inch under-mounted but it is already grossly under-mounted on its official LX200 mount, even for visual. You can still enjoy it, though. Has anybody tried a 14 inch SCT on an EQ6 for visual? I don't want to de-fork mine without knowing how I'm going to mount it.

Thanks in advance.

Olly

[Peter Drew]

I have run a 12" Meade SCT on an EQ6 Pro and found it to be just adequate.  I think you would find the 14" a bit OTT, you would need a pretty substantial rail to attach the OTA one sided and possibly a cw bar extension to fit the necessary number of counterweights.  To load and remove the OTA stand it corrector downwards on a platform just the right height so that the OTA can be slid into a vertically positioned puck and then tightened.      🙂     

[CraigT82]

I’ve loaded up an old EQ6 with a SW300p weighing in at over 30kgs and 1.5m long for planetary imaging and some visual.  
 

Tripod is key, I used a cut down wheeled pier. 
 

if you have tracking and an electric focuser- removing the need to touch the scope during observing - you’ll be fine. 

[ollypenrice]

On 28/05/2022 at 20:45, Peter Drew said:

I have run a 12" Meade SCT on an EQ6 Pro and found it to be just adequate.  I think you would find the 14" a bit OTT, you would need a pretty substantial rail to attach the OTA one sided and possibly a cw bar extension to fit the necessary number of counterweights.  To load and remove the OTA stand it corrector downwards on a platform just the right height so that the OTA can be slid into a vertically positioned puck and then tightened.      🙂     

Thanks Peter. Great idea for loading it up. Once there I wouldn't be moving it!

On 28/05/2022 at 20:47, CraigT82 said:

I’ve loaded up an old EQ6 with a SW300p weighing in at over 30kgs and 1.5m long for planetary imaging and some visual.  
 

Tripod is key, I used a cut down wheeled pier. 
 

if you have tracking and an electric focuser- removing the need to touch the scope during observing - you’ll be fine. 

Thanks for this info. The pier is concrete, so very sound.

Olly