So Angry With Skywatcher HEQ5 Mounts Design!!

[wesdon1]

Hi all. I just wanted to hear other peoples opinions and experiences with cables snagging when imaging!? I am so angry with my Skywatcher HEQ5 pro Mount! It's my SECOND mount and with both mounts, I have the very same problem! The cable that connects the Synscan Handset to the mount, it keeps getting caught between the RA locking knob, and only by pure luck did it not snap in two last night! I think it is a TERRIBLE design flaw with the mount!? The cable has a rectangle/square shaped magnetic block encased in plastic, and that has got snagged/jammed in between the RA locking knob on multiple occasions, no matter how I have the cable setup!? Does anyone have any tips about how I can avoid this problem in future please ? Do you agree or disagree with my feelings that it's a design flaw ? All comments and advice will be muchly appreciated! 

Wes.

[tomato]

I don't know if this is an option but if it is getting snagged on an extended imaging run, can you just unplug it, and plug it back in when you want to move the mount? If you are running EQMOD can you not dispense with it altogether?

[Owmuchonomy]

Sounds like you have a weird cable.  Mine is just a coiled cable that has the potential to stretch out a significant distance before catastrophe.  You could also just get the wifi dongle in place of the cable and run it from Synscan on your phone.  I believe FLO do some nice silicone upgrades too?

[Carbon Brush]

The 'magnetic block encased in plastic' is a lump of ferrite around the cable.
It is intended to suppress radio/electrical interference.
This can be the handset radiating signals, using the cable as an aerial.
Or it can be the cable acting as an aerial, receiving signals that upset the handset.

If equipment is correctly designed, these issues are given thought about while still on the drawing board.
Sometimes things things sneak past and are discovered at the prototype stage.
This means they can be included in the production build box.

If problems are discovered after starting to ship production, an afterthought (bodge?) is required.
Alternatively the marketing dept insist the handset must be certain size....
A ferrite lump on the lead becomes a good solution!

We are all surrounding our bits of glass with fast electronics in cameras, tablets, mount controls, Raspi, etc. 
This means equipment radiation and immunity to interference is more important with each passing year.

Bottom line. You might be OK removing the ferrite lump.
But if you lose a night of imaging due to unspecified and difficult to replicate problems - told you so.

HTH, David.

[Tomatobro]

A picture of the problem might help us make some suggestions

[christiano]

I have not encountered this issue but probably I haven’t used my mount as much as you.

When I was having trouble with my handset I used an RJ45 tester on the lead and it looks like it’s wired straight-through so you could probably reverse it so the ferrite block is at the handset end.

FYI I always put my handset holder opposite the north leg.

[carastro]

I winder whether you could get a different cable.  Mine as said above is just a coiled cable with no block attached.  
 

Carole

[AstroMuni]

On 12/12/2022 at 12:58, wesdon1 said:

The cable has a rectangle/square shaped magnetic block encased in plastic, and that has got snagged/jammed in between the RA locking knob on multiple occasions, no matter how I have the cable setup!? Does anyone have any tips about how I can avoid this problem in future please ?

As others have said a picture would help. But from what I am reading it sounds like you are attaching the cable with the plastic box at the mount end. Have you tried it the other way around ( box end of cable attached to the controller so the clean end will be at the mount end)?

[Shimrod]

On 12/12/2022 at 12:58, wesdon1 said:

Hi all. I just wanted to hear other peoples opinions and experiences with cables snagging when imaging!? I am so angry with my Skywatcher HEQ5 pro Mount! It's my SECOND mount and with both mounts, I have the very same problem! The cable that connects the Synscan Handset to the mount, it keeps getting caught between the RA locking knob, and only by pure luck did it not snap in two last night! I think it is a TERRIBLE design flaw with the mount!? The cable has a rectangle/square shaped magnetic block encased in plastic, and that has got snagged/jammed in between the RA locking knob on multiple occasions, no matter how I have the cable setup!? Does anyone have any tips about how I can avoid this problem in future please ? Do you agree or disagree with my feelings that it's a design flaw ? All comments and advice will be muchly appreciated! 

Wes.

I'm assuming you are leaving the hand controller in the holder mounted on one of the legs? Have you considered a bit of velcro and fastening ithe controller to the side of the mount instead?

[wesdon1]

On 12/12/2022 at 13:52, tomato said:

I don't know if this is an option but if it is getting snagged on an extended imaging run, can you just unplug it, and plug it back in when you want to move the mount? If you are running EQMOD can you not dispense with it altogether?

Hi, and thank you for comments. basically i am a beginner imager, only having a few nights imaging so far. I am currently still struggling to learn basic DSLR astro imaging, using no PHD2 guiding, and only using hand controller for locating and tracking/imaging. My tracking is pretty bad, for obvious reasons, so my subs are no longer than 30 seconds each. Now you have a bit of context, here's the main issue - Although I have tried to take great care to avoid the cable snagging again, when one is trying remember 100 different things outside in freezing cold weather, just to get some data, I sometimes forget about the snagging issue, and the most recent occurrence, I was seconds away from having another snapped cable through snagging. maybe I need to re-evaluate my imaging routine, maybe even write out a "to-do" list beforehand, so I know I won't forget to check cables are free and not catching/snagging? I do strongly feel though, that the design is pretty poor? But i'm a novice, so I could well be mistaken? 

Wes.

[wesdon1]

On 12/12/2022 at 14:22, Owmuchonomy said:

Sounds like you have a weird cable.  Mine is just a coiled cable that has the potential to stretch out a significant distance before catastrophe.  You could also just get the wifi dongle in place of the cable and run it from Synscan on your phone.  I believe FLO do some nice silicone upgrades too?

Hi, thank you for comments/advice. I think the wifi dongle idea is a great solution! I can't believe I never thought of that!? LOL. Thanks so much! I will update the post about my experiences with it! ( just for the record, the cable is the standard coiled cable you mentioned, but my one has a square plastic block at very end near the plug that plugs into the mount. Not sure if my cable is a new design ? )

Wes.

[wesdon1]

20 hours ago, Shimrod said:

I'm assuming you are leaving the hand controller in the holder mounted on one of the legs? Have you considered a bit of velcro and fastening ithe controller to the side of the mount instead?

Yes I have always placed the hand controller into the supplied holder connected to tripod leg, whenever not in use. I have considered the Velcro idea, but wasn't sure where to put it. Another member on here suggested I try a wifi dongle to do away with HC all together, which in my humble experiences seems like a great solution ? I might try that, and if I have any problems, try the Velcro idea? Thanks so much! 

Wes.

[wesdon1]

Hi again all, here’s two pictures showing the hand controllers cable and the place where it’s getting snagged on. That being said, I’ve just come to a startling realisation!!! 🤦‍♂️ All I would need to do to solve this problem is connect the cable the other way around so the plastic block is close to the hand controller and not close to the Mount where I was plugging it in and it was getting snagged!!?? 🤦‍♂️😂 my goodness I need my head checking!!?? Why couldn’t I realise this in the first place!!?? I am so so sorry for wasting your time!!🤦‍♂️😂 Thanks so much to everyone for helping! 

[wesdon1]

On 12/12/2022 at 16:59, christiano said:

I have not encountered this issue but probably I haven’t used my mount as much as you.

When I was having trouble with my handset I used an RJ45 tester on the lead and it looks like it’s wired straight-through so you could probably reverse it so the ferrite block is at the handset end.

FYI I always put my handset holder opposite the north leg.

My goodness I have literally just realised that!! I was taking pics of cable etc  and it dawned on my...Why not just turn the cable ends around so the troublesome plastic block isn't able to snag on RA locking knob and/or jam in between mount head!? LOL. I just cannot understand why I never thought to do that in the first place!? LOL. Thanks sop much for advice and sorry for wasting your time! 

Wes.

[christiano]

Yours looks to be much further down the cable than mine, I’ll measure distance in a bit…

[christiano]

About 7cm from the tip of the RJ45 to the start of the block. 

[Neil H]

They are not nice cables I found them stiff I got a replacement one from FLO it's longer to start with and no block in site,it's worth every penny 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/lynx-astro-cables/lynx-astro-premium-handset-cables-for-sky-watcher-eq5-pro-heq5-pro-syntrek-az-eq5-gt-eq6-r-pro-az-eq6-gt-and-eq8-mounts.html

[carastro]

Good shout, l could do with a longer cable.  
 

Carole 

[jacko61]

On 15/12/2022 at 13:23, wesdon1 said:

Hi, and thank you for comments. basically i am a beginner imager, only having a few nights imaging so far. I am currently still struggling to learn basic DSLR astro imaging, using no PHD2 guiding, and only using hand controller for locating and tracking/imaging. My tracking is pretty bad, for obvious reasons, so my subs are no longer than 30 seconds each. Now you have a bit of context, here's the main issue - Although I have tried to take great care to avoid the cable snagging again, when one is trying remember 100 different things outside in freezing cold weather, just to get some data, I sometimes forget about the snagging issue, and the most recent occurrence, I was seconds away from having another snapped cable through snagging. maybe I need to re-evaluate my imaging routine, maybe even write out a "to-do" list beforehand, so I know I won't forget to check cables are free and not catching/snagging? I do strongly feel though, that the design is pretty poor? But i'm a novice, so I could well be mistaken? 

Wes.

Once you start guiding, cable routing and avoiding snags will be your no 1 priority.

Graeme

[Padraic M]

Yes, snags can be part of the game, but I haven't had your experience with the handset cable. I have the same ferrite block and still have it on the mount end rather the handset end. I don't know if there would be any issues with reversing the cable - I suspect not, but as a point of info, I also have a NEQ6 and the block is also mount-end, and the cable is not reversible.

On which tripod leg have you mounted the handset? If it is on the North leg maybe that's your problem. Mine is on the 'SW' leg (counter-clockwise from N) and as I said, it never snags.

[wesdon1]

2 hours ago, Padraic M said:

Yes, snags can be part of the game, but I haven't had your experience with the handset cable. I have the same ferrite block and still have it on the mount end rather the handset end. I don't know if there would be any issues with reversing the cable - I suspect not, but as a point of info, I also have a NEQ6 and the block is also mount-end, and the cable is not reversible.

On which tripod leg have you mounted the handset? If it is on the North leg maybe that's your problem. Mine is on the 'SW' leg (counter-clockwise from N) and as I said, it never snags.

Hi. So sorry for late reply. I have reversed the cable and so far no more issue. I must admit, I feel pretty stupid after spending all that time pulling hair out about the problem, when all along I could have simply reversed the cable? Your idea of mounting the handset to another tripod leg seems a good idea, I will remember that if I have more problems, thanks! 

Wes.

[wesdon1]

On 16/12/2022 at 13:24, jacko61 said:

Once you start guiding, cable routing and avoiding snags will be your no 1 priority.

Graeme

Yes Grahame I am learning fast how potentially bad the snagging problems can become if one doesn't pay due care and attention to the issue. Thank You so much for commenting/advising Grahame! I am a relative astrophotography newbie and the learning curve has been the steepest I've ever experienced of all my current and former hobbies! My goodness it's so satisfying when you get things to work and get a great nights imaging under ones belt, so to speak! Thanks! 

Wes.

[wesdon1]

On 15/12/2022 at 18:42, Neil H said:

They are not nice cables I found them stiff I got a replacement one from FLO it's longer to start with and no block in site,it's worth every penny 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/lynx-astro-cables/lynx-astro-premium-handset-cables-for-sky-watcher-eq5-pro-heq5-pro-syntrek-az-eq5-gt-eq6-r-pro-az-eq6-gt-and-eq8-mounts.html

Hi Neil. Yes I agree, they're awful cables! Although I now admit I was at fault because I could/should have came here for help and advice after the first cable snagged and snapped, I do still feel the design of the mount/cable connections/locations etc could be better designed to limit the possibility of snagged cables. I will look up your suggestions for new cables thanks Neil.

Wes.

[wesdon1]

On 15/12/2022 at 16:02, christiano said:

About 7cm from the tip of the RJ45 to the start of the block. 

yes mine is roughly 10.5 centimetres from plug to ferrite Block ( I now have learned they're called )

[Knighty2112]

Sorry, late to the thread. Glad you got it sorted out. Just looked at pictures of HEQ5 mount on FLO and it clearly shows the cable plugged in with the square part going into the handcontroller, and the other end into the mount itself. Pity that nowhere in the HEQ5 manual is this mentioned for users, or any pictures supplied. I use a wifi dongle with my HEQ5 pro mount  and control it via Skysafri Pro. The hand controller is just gathering dust now on a shelf. Not sure why but I find I get a much better alingment when I do it via Skysafari than I ever do using the hand controller anyway. 

 

Edited December 18, 2022 by Knighty2112