Zwo eaf install help

[Anthonyexmouth]

Just picked up my eaf from FLO but not entirely sure how the mounting plate fixes to my sw ed80 with stock focuser. Got the course adjustment off and there's only a tiny bit of shaft to fix to buy seems ok. What screws in the focuser do I remove to use to fix the plate? 

[Budgie1]

Try to use the fixing screws, there should be some longer ones with EAF to replace the ones on the focuser. This may help in identification: https://stargazerslounge.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=301468

You'll also need to the remove the locking screw, as you don't need it with the EAF fitted.

[Anthonyexmouth]

37 minutes ago, Budgie1 said:

Try to use the fixing screws, there should be some longer ones with EAF to replace the ones on the focuser. This may help in identification: https://stargazerslounge.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=301468

You'll also need to the remove the locking screw, as you don't need it with the EAF fitted.

The ones that came with it are the wrong size and would be too short anyway. The ones already installed are longer than the ones provided but still just a tad too short. 

[mackiedlm]

I just recently tried to install the EAF on my Evostar 80ED stock focuser. I had seen people use the focus stopping screw and the counter screw for fixing. I was not keen to do that as I felt removing the counter screw could be a bad idea possibly leading to difficulty tensioning the focuser (based on the document budgie linked above which I had already followed to stop my focuser slipping - because it not a great focuser anyway.). So I decided to use the 4 "fixing screws". That meant buying some longer screws because, as you say, the supplied ones are too large. ( M3 x 14mm is what I think fitted) However, because the screws were too big to come out through the EAF bracket I had to remove all 4 to start with - separating the two parts as shown.

But when I was fitting it back together I hit significant problems.

During first re-attach the teflon bearing slipped out and I needed to loosen the tension to get it back in. On second try I found that it was very difficult to get a proper tension on the focuser. After much trial and error I got a tension that seemed about right. But after the first few maneuvers with the EAF there was a cracking noise and everything went loose. One of the bearings within the focuser which the tube runs on had broken. I suspect that I'd done a bad job of tightening things back up putting stress on the bearing, I ended up buying a whole new focuser from FLO (Their Astro Essentials one specifically for the 80ED which is a much better piece of kit anyway and which I am very happy with)

So, if i were doing it again on the scock focuser I'd connect the bracket with just two diagonally opposite fixing screws (meaning the housing would not be removed or even loosened) and one in the focus stopping screw hole. As I say, several people have done it with the focus stopping screw hole and the counter screw hole but I was just not comfortable with that. But perhaps its fine.

 

Good luck.!

 

Edit ; I bought the following from amazon to ensure I had appropriate lengths of M3 screw. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B075TYHG5S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Edited July 19, 2022 by mackiedlm

[Anthonyexmouth]

12 minutes ago, mackiedlm said:

I just recently tried to install the EAF on my Evostar 80ED stock focuser. I had seen people use the focus stopping screw and the counter screw for fixing. I was not keen to do that as I felt removing the counter screw could be a bad idea possibly leading to difficulty tensioning the focuser (based on the document budgie linked above which I had already followed to stop my focuser slipping - because it not a great focuser anyway.). So I decided to use the 4 "fixing screws". That meant buying some longer screws because, as you say, the supplied ones are too large. ( M3 x 14mm is what I think fitted) However, because the screws were too big to come out through the EAF bracket I had to remove all 4 to start with - separating the two parts as shown.

But when I was fitting it back together I hit significant problems.

During first re-attach the teflon bearing slipped out and I needed to loosen the tension to get it back in. On second try I found that it was very difficult to get a proper tension on the focuser. After much trial and error I got a tension that seemed about right. But after the first few maneuvers with the EAF there was a cracking noise and everything went loose. One of the bearings within the focuser which the tube runs on had broken. I suspect that I'd done a bad job of tightening things back up putting stress on the bearing, I ended up buying a whole new focuser from FLO (Their Astro Essentials one specifically for the 80ED which is a much better piece of kit anyway and which I am very happy with)

So, if i were doing it again on the scock focuser I'd connect the bracket with just two diagonally opposite fixing screws (meaning the housing would not be removed or even loosened) and one in the focus stopping screw hole. As I say, several people have done it with the focus stopping screw hole and the counter screw hole but I was just not comfortable with that. But perhaps its fine.

 

Good luck.!

 

Edit ; I bought the following from amazon to ensure I had appropriate lengths of M3 screw. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B075TYHG5S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks for that. Thought I was going mad because everyone says it's a simple install for the ed80. I also seems my spindle isn't running true on the focuser, although it doesn't show up with the original knob. It might be the machining of the coupler. I wish I could hurry up and make my decision on the wo gt-71 or the askar fra400, I'd be putting the eaf on one of those then instead of the ed80. 

[Budgie1]

Maybe have a look at the thread below and give @Daf1983 a shout to see where he used.

I think when I fitted my EAF to the stock focuser I may have used the focus stopping screw hole & the counter screw hole, although IIRC I didn't remove the counter screw because it was low enough in the hole to allow the EAF bolt to screw into the hole with it still in place. This was a while ago and I now have the upgraded focusers on both my ED80 & ED100, so can't be sure.

 

[Daf1983]

Hi @Anthonyexmouth. I fitted mine a couple of weeks ago. I used the holes for the counterscrew and focus stopping screw to fit mine. I haven't had a clear night to test it yet, but have tried it in the daytime and it seems o work fine.

However, I did need to adjust the tension of the focuser after removing the 2 screws, as the focuser was slipping, but it seems rock solid now. I followed the guide in the link above to do to this.

Good luck

Dafydd

 

 

 

[smr]

Maybe my video might help

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j66cVp_B_Cg&t=24s

 

[Anthonyexmouth]

Got it sorted in the end, the supplied screws were the wrong size for the focuser. 

[iapa]

For my Esprit ED80 I purchased this ZWO bracket from FLO.

I think the Evostar has a different focuser - you didn't say which you have.

I took my time checking every step, so, took me about an hour - 95% due to essential tremor and the rest to double & triple checking everything

Works very well. I did 5 autofocus runs with the ASIAir Pro and it reported the same step position each time.

Edited July 31, 2022 by iapa