Help! EAF advice

[bosun21]

 I have just bought an EAF auto focuser and went to fit it to my Starfield 102 but I can’t remove the knob on the rough focus side. Its got no grub screw securing it unlike the other side with the dual speed knobs. Can I just fit it to the dual speed side? It would have to be the fine focus axis due to none of the supplied fittings being large enough to slip over the normal speed collar. Why is nothing straightforward? Thanks 🙏🏻 
 

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by bosun21
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[bosun21]

I have fitted it to the fine control axis and it’s working fine, albeit slowly. Will this work okay in the field?

[PeterC65]

As I understand it the EAF is designed to attach to the primary focuser axle. It includes a gearbox so that the axle rotates suitably slowly to drive the primary axle of the focuser. If you attach it to the fine focus axle then it will be ten times slower than expected.

I've been thinking about getting an EAF but I still use my scopes for visual and they seem like a fairly permanent addition that prevent manual use of the focuser (unless you drive the EAF with a hand controller).

 

[bosun21]

7 minutes ago, PeterC65 said:

As I understand it the EAF is designed to attach to the primary focuser axle. It includes a gearbox so that the axle rotates suitably slowly to drive the primary axle of the focuser. If you attach it to the fine focus axle then it will be ten times slower than expected.

I've been thinking about getting an EAF but I still use my scopes for visual and they seem like a fairly permanent addition that prevent manual use of the focuser (unless you drive the EAF with a hand controller).

 

The primary axis is not available due to there being no way to remove the knob. Only the side with the dual speed knobs are accessible and it won’t fit over the primary collar. Surely not another purchase that has to go back?

[StevieDvd]

I know it's been said that there is no grub screw on the coarse side, but I have seen this stated before and a second look using a bright torch found it. It might be a little offset but should still be accessible, and on some focusers there are 2 grub screws holding it in place.

Perhaps FLO would know if they are the seller of these scopes.

 

[symmetal]

Some coarse focuser knobs have an extension that slides inside the focuser mechanism so the grubscrew shown next to the coarse knob may release it. The grubscrew may be a dummy one and once removed you can access the actual focus knob grubscrew below. There may be two of them 90 degrees apart so rotate the focus knob to check if you find it doesn't come off when you unscrew one of them.

Alan

 

[bosun21]

Cracked it. I had removed the dummy grub screw and shone a torch down inside and rotated it to expose the two hidden grub screws. Now reversed the EAF and reattached the dual speed knobs. Thanks @symmetal just prior to your message I found a YouTube video showing this. Thank god for that.👇

 

[StevieDvd]

Glad I could shine a light on your problem. 🙂

[bosun21]

5 minutes ago, StevieDvd said:

Glad I could shine a light on your problem. 🙂

Yes, you as well. Just before seeing both your posts I scanned YouTube and found a video with the same problem.  All is well that ends well🙂

[PeterC65]

1 hour ago, bosun21 said:

The primary axis is not available due to there being no way to remove the knob. Only the side with the dual speed knobs are accessible and it won’t fit over the primary collar. Surely not another purchase that has to go back?

I've just been doing some testing of my EEVA setup and I think there may be more backlash when using the fine focus knob. That makes sense as it introduces an additional set of gears. I don't think either the extra backlash or the slow rate of focus will necessarily be a problem assuming your software can cope with them. I know that SharpCap has a setting to account for backlash for example.

More generally on the subject of EAF for EEVA, I only need to focus the scope once, maybe twice, during a session. I use only Astronomik filters in my EFW, including a clear one, so that once I've focussed I can control everything remotely. To be fair, the IR pass filter may need some slight focus adjustment but I'm still undecided about that and I only use it for observing the Moon.

[bosun21]

On 23/12/2022 at 16:00, PeterC65 said:

I've just been doing some testing of my EEVA setup and I think there may be more backlash when using the fine focus knob. That makes sense as it introduces an additional set of gears. I don't think either the extra backlash or the slow rate of focus will necessarily be a problem assuming your software can cope with them. I know that SharpCap has a setting to account for backlash for example.

More generally on the subject of EAF for EEVA, I only need to focus the scope once, maybe twice, during a session. I use only Astronomik filters in my EFW, including a clear one, so that once I've focussed I can control everything remotely. To be fair, the IR pass filter may need some slight focus adjustment but I'm still undecided about that and I only use it for observing the Moon.

I have solved the issue with kind assistance from @StevieDvd and @symmetal so it’s now operating on  the primary axis as intended. As well as buying the temperature sensor which allows the focuser to refocus at a desired change of temperature ( 1 or 2 degrees centigrade). I am also going to set it to refocus at each filter change and each new target. I also bought the hand controller for the focuser which removes the negative of not being able to move the focus tube manually. The hand controller has a slow/fast setting which allows me to achieve a rough focus before passing it over to the asiair to calculate the focus curve. It also has the setting to calculate and set the back lash on your scope. It’s all coming together now apart from one thing. I have to buy a cooled camera in order to have another usb2 connection as I have used all four on the asiair plus. One usb3 for my ASI585 MC, usb3 for the ASI120MM guide scope, usb2 for my EQ5 pro mount and the other for my auto focuser. I will just use the filter drawer i have presently fitted until such times when I can afford the camera upgrade and fit the electronic filter wheel i bought. Sorry for waffling on.

 

Edited December 24, 2022 by bosun21
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[PeterC65]

15 hours ago, bosun21 said:

I have solved the issue with kind assistance from @StevieDvd and @symmetal so it’s now operating on  the primary axis as intended. As well as buying the temperature sensor which allows the focuser to refocus at a desired change of temperature ( 1 or 2 degrees centigrade). I am also going to set it to refocus at each filter change and each new target. I also bought the hand controller for the focuser which removes the negative of not being able to move the focus tube manually. The hand controller has a slow/fast setting which allows me to achieve a rough focus before passing it over to the asiair to calculate the focus curve. It also has the setting to calculate and set the back lash on your scope. It’s all coming together now apart from one thing. I have to buy a cooled camera in order to have another usb2 connection as I have used all four on the asiair plus. One usb3 for my ASI585 MC, usb3 for the ASI120MM guide scope, usb2 for my EQ5 pro mount and the other for my auto focuser. I will just use the filter drawer i have presently fitted until such times when I can afford the camera upgrade and fit the electronic focuser i bought. Sorry for waffling on.

 

As I mentioned in your other post, I don't think you need to replace the camera to increase the number of USB ports you have available. What is inside a camera with additional USB ports is just a USB hub anyway, so it is a VERY expensive way to get the hub!

I absolutely love my electronic filter wheel and would not be without it now. It is a delight to just be able to mouse click on a button and see how things look in the IR band, or with the UHC filter, or just OIII. My setup is scope on the terrace and me inside at the dining table on the other (warmer) side of the patio door, so it is quite a plus not to have to fiddle with the kit outside.

 

[bosun21]

5 hours ago, PeterC65 said:

As I mentioned in your other post, I don't think you need to replace the camera to increase the number of USB ports you have available. What is inside a camera with additional USB ports is just a USB hub anyway, so it is a VERY expensive way to get the hub!

I absolutely love my electronic filter wheel and would not be without it now. It is a delight to just be able to mouse click on a button and see how things look in the IR band, or with the UHC filter, or just OIII. My setup is scope on the terrace and me inside at the dining table on the other (warmer) side of the patio door, so it is quite a plus not to have to fiddle with the kit outside.

 

I have just bought a usb 2 way splitter to accommodate my Electronic filter wheel and my Electronic focuser. Thank the stars I don’t need another camera 🙂

[symmetal]

24 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

I have just bought a usb 2 way splitter to accommodate my Electronic filter wheel and my Electronic focuser. Thank the stars I don’t need another camera 🙂

I've used those USB 2 splitters and they work fine. In reality it's an unpowered 2 output hub so the USB2 500mA current supply capacity and data bandwidth will be shared between them. The EFW needs around 120mA so won't cause any problems and the bandwidth required is very small. 🙂

As an aside in another topic where you asked if the USB C output could be used to drive the filter wheel the answer is yes. You would need a USB C to USB 3 adapter similar to this and plug your filter wheel cable into it. USB 2 cables work in USB 3 sockets without issue.

Alan

[bosun21]

4 hours ago, symmetal said:

As an aside in another topic where you asked if the USB C output could be used to drive the filter wheel the answer is yes.

Thanks again for the information and that’s good to know. I have a 256GB memory stick with both USB3 and USBC male ends on it which I originally had in one of the USB3 ports on the asiair. I was thinking of using the C end to attach it to the asiair, as the C port is after all the data download  port. I have at present fitted a 128GB memory card into its  respective slot.

Edited December 24, 2022 by bosun21
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