Anyone fitted a ZWO EAF to the Evolux 62?

[StevieDvd]

Hi,

Always better to find a case where the EAF fitting has been done for a scope already - rather than re-inventing the wheel. So has anyone fitted a ZWO EAF to an Evolux 62 (or 82) or even know of a scope with the same focuser design so I can see what's needed without having to remove screws at random.

Thanks

Steve

Update

• Seems I'll need a couple of M4 25mm bolts to replace 2 of the 4 bolts holding the focuser knob part to the main focuser body.  
• Single speed side is held in place by a 1.5mm allen grub screw
• Double side needs a 2mm allen key, has one to hold the mechanism in place (spacing) and another to grip the 6mm shaft.

When I bought the EAF I knew the 7mm coupler had been taken from the box, but gambled that I may not need it. Seems the gamble paid off as the 6mm fits the shaft okay.

Downside is that the couplers are all 19mm diameter but the recess for the focuser knob is around 17mm so the coupler sticks out a bit further than expected. I'm also likely too get the ZWO EAF-TAK adapter bracket as that looks like it will fit/hold better than the universal bracket (which I'd need to drill out a bit more to use).

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2022 by StevieDvd
Update

[Skyline]

I have been meaning to get one for my 62 as well. I am thinking I would have to buy the additional esprit / takahashi bracket as the fitting would be similar. 

[StevieDvd]

Won't be 100% sure till I actually do the fit but the bracket looks like it will fit, the 25mm M4 bolt length is to allow for the bracket to be held securely.  Not having the coupler I can't line up the motor exactly but will see soon.

Edited August 5, 2022 by StevieDvd
edited bolt size needed

[StevieDvd]

On 31/07/2022 at 05:35, Skyline said:

I have been meaning to get one for my 62 as well. I am thinking I would have to buy the additional esprit / takahashi bracket as the fitting would be similar. 

Well I've had a play with the EAF kit again and looks like the Tak adapter bracket will be a better fit. It turns out I did have a coupler (6mm possibly) which fits the focuser shaft though it's diameter is 19mm so won't recess into the focuser assembly and sticks out a little more.

I'll need to use the 2 recessed M4 bolts nearest to the EAF to secure the motor so will see if I can get the esprit/tak bracket too.

Edited August 3, 2022 by StevieDvd
edited bolt size needed

[StevieDvd]

Not quite finished with this yes but it works okay which is the main thing.

The screws I had were a little too long so will replace these with correct length (M4 x 25mm) when they come in the mail.  The tak/esprit bracket (new style) makes it a firmer connection than the standard bracket and has room to move in/out if needed.

The coupler diameter is just a tad too big to recess into the focuser body, unlike the knob that was removed which did.

With the motor attached and protruding out so far the scope now does not fit in the case, just a few cms narrower and it would fit. I may try switching the dual speed knob over with the single to see if that helps with the width.

[Skyline]

Thanks for this. Its a great help.

Regarding the case, try the link below as I have migrated the scope to another case which can also fit the autofocuser and handle:

https://www.cases-and-enclosures.co.uk/roc-cases-large-silver-flight-case-l680-x-w300-x-h190mmn-with-foam-insert

Its illustrated here 7th post down:

 

[mamenyaka]

Hi all,

I have managed to fit the EAF with the standard coupler and bracket. The trick was to just remove the other knob, the one with the fine adjuster. The hole there is the right size for the 19mm coupler. I believe you can even decide on which side you want the EAF if you disassemble the focuser from underneath.

 

 

[StevieDvd]

Nicely done.

I did not think to check if the hole on the fine focuser side was different. 😮

Are the holes you used to secure the bracket just for holding the focus system in place and not part of an adjustment mechanism? I used the outer ones as they held the focuser mechanism onto the focuser body so I was sure I did no harm.

Steve

 

[Oxize]

I want this EAF also eventually on my 62ED. But i dont want to have the EAF on the fine focus knob. I want it like Stevie. Can that be reached with all parts which you get from ZWO EAF?

Edited April 19, 2023 by Oxize

[StevieDvd]

12 hours ago, Oxize said:

I want tis EAF also eventually on my 62ED. But i dont want to have the EAF on the fine focus know. I want it like Stevie. Can that be reached with all parts which you get from ZWO EAF?

It should be okay.  Based on how @mamenyaka fitted it using the EAF box contents.  But I would double-check that the box screws fit in the tension screw holes wthout touching the recessed allen heads of the tension screws.

The coupler will protrude a bit more but the bracket should still fit if you use the same as @mamenyaka but on the coarse focuser side.  I bought the Tak/Esprit adapter as I wanted to avoid any issue with the tension screws - if I did it again I'd remove the fine focuser knob as it's not usable with the EAF fitted.

The bigger problem is likely to be that the scope won't fit in the case whichever way you do it.

 

 

[Black Apron]

On 03/11/2022 at 14:49, mamenyaka said:

Hi all,

I have managed to fit the EAF with the standard coupler and bracket. The trick was to just remove the other knob, the one with the fine adjuster. The hole there is the right size for the 19mm coupler. I believe you can even decide on which side you want the EAF if you disassemble the focuser from underneath.

 

 

Thank you for this... I just installed mine and it works perfectly... 

 

[Black Apron]

On 18/04/2023 at 16:29, Oxize said:

I want this EAF also eventually on my 62ED. But i dont want to have the EAF on the fine focus knob. I want it like Stevie. Can that be reached with all parts which you get from ZWO EAF?

It's not really on the fine focus... you have to take out the whole gear reducer and attach the EAF knob to the focuser main shaft... so the EAF will be acting attached to the "coarse" adjustment. 

[Oxize]

On 30/07/2022 at 14:27, StevieDvd said:

Hi,

Always better to find a case where the EAF fitting has been done for a scope already - rather than re-inventing the wheel. So has anyone fitted a ZWO EAF to an Evolux 62 (or 82) or even know of a scope with the same focuser design so I can see what's needed without having to remove screws at random.

Thanks

Steve

Update

• Seems I'll need a couple of M4 25mm bolts to replace 2 of the 4 bolts holding the focuser knob part to the main focuser body.  
• Single speed side is held in place by a 1.5mm allen grub screw
• Double side needs a 2mm allen key, has one to hold the mechanism in place (spacing) and another to grip the 6mm shaft.

When I bought the EAF I knew the 7mm coupler had been taken from the box, but gambled that I may not need it. Seems the gamble paid off as the 6mm fits the shaft okay.

Downside is that the couplers are all 19mm diameter but the recess for the focuser knob is around 17mm so the coupler sticks out a bit further than expected. I'm also likely too get the ZWO EAF-TAK adapter bracket as that looks like it will fit/hold better than the universal bracket (which I'd need to drill out a bit more to use).

 

 

 

I bought an Gemini EAF from AlieExpress, and i wonder how i remove the single speed knob? Is it hold by a grub screw? And what is the diameter of the focuscer shaft?  6mm?

Edited August 11 by Oxize

[Backyardscope]

On 10/08/2024 at 20:39, Oxize said:

I bought an Gemini EAF from AlieExpress, and i wonder how i remove the single speed knob? Is it hold by a grub screw? And what is the diameter of the focuscer shaft?  6mm?

Your going have to grind the coupler down for it to fit on to the single speed focuser side, I done this when I was fitting my Gemini Focuser onto the scope. I found the coupler would hit a small lip on the focuser housing where the focuser knob is fitted. 

 

Edited August 14 by Backyardscope

[Backyardscope]

I did also try a Takahashi fitting, but still found that the coupler was grinding along the lip. I don't know if I have a different early focuser or what?

But the Tak version was also a problem.

So I bought the Gemini for £66 and grinded down the largest coupler which came included and worked better.

[StevieDvd]

On 10/08/2024 at 20:39, Oxize said:

I bought an Gemini EAF from AlieExpress, and i wonder how i remove the single speed knob? Is it hold by a grub screw? And what is the diameter of the focuscer shaft?  6mm?

Apologies I thought I replied to your question. Must have been interrupted and not saved the response. 

I believe it was a 6mm coupler and as stated above if fitted in place of the single speed knob you have a choice of:

• Having the coupler further out its diameter is larger then the hole the single speed knob came out of.
• Reduce the diameter of the coupler on the side fitted on the focuser spindle, or find a smaller one on Amazon as they are common for 3d printers.

From memory I believe it is one grub screw holding the knob in place but best to check for a second if the knob does not come off easily. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Oxize]

Well i bought not an ZWO, like mentioned before, but i just want to inform what i did, and what size everything is. So other dont have to measure it again.

 

It was a pretty much hack and slack work on my Evolux to get the Gemini connected.

 

 

The hole of the focusser was 18.2+mm.

 

The included gemini couplers were 18.60ish. 

When i meased my focus knob what diameter that was, i measured like 16.92. Lets say 17mm. 

So i needed to shave like 1.7mm of the coupler to fit it into the Evolux focusser.

Picked a 1950 stone grinder, and grinded quite some material.

After that it fitted the hole. Only the focusser shaft didnt fit the bore hole in the coupler. One side was 5mm, and one side was 6mm. The 5mm is for the Gemini and the 6mm for the Evolux Focusser shaft. 

 

So i drilled out the 6mm a tiny bit. WHen that was done, the whole coupler fitted 1/3 into the focusser hole, and i could fasten everything.

 

Placed the plate, and screws and tested it out in Nina.

 

https://youtu.be/9MbItBB9Xt0

 

After some help i determined by looking at the fine focus know when it turns, my backlash is around 60.  For a real good HFR graph i needed it to test outside. But for now the gemini is connected and working. Looks okay to me!

 

Edited August 14 by Oxize