Pulsar Pier Installation

[Jonny_H]

Hi all,

 

I hope everyone is well.

 

I am still planning my obsy build and slowly but surely purchasing the materials I need to start/complete the project. But one thing which I am still not entirely sure on, is the alignment/orientation of the pulsar pier itself when installing it. I have read a number of somewhat conflicting threads on the internet and thought I would ask on here to see what others did and how they did it.

 

So......is there a particular trick? The pier adapter looks like it has a screw hole for a north locating pin so assume that it is really the adapter that needs to be 'polar aligned' and you can work backwards to the pier and finally the bolt holes into the concrete to 'correctly' orientate the pier to the adaptor plate? Help 

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

Jonny

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 8, 2023 by Jonny_H

[StevieDvd]

32 minutes ago, Jonny_H said:

So......is there a particular trick?  The pier adaptor looks like it has a screw hole for a north locating pin so assume that it is really the adaptor that needs to be 'polar aligned' and you can work backwards to the pier and finally the bolt holes into the concrete to 'correctly' orientate the pier to the adaptor plate?

Yes, that's basically it. Surprised there is no guide/warning document on the Pulsar site detailing this.

If you have the Pulsar pier and the Pulsar adapter plate, then fit the plate and locating pin and align that where the pier is to go. Then mark the bolt holes to be drilled. Some adjustment will be possible using the mounts alt/Lat bolts but not enough to fix a really off pier fixing.

Unless the pier adapter can be rotated after the pier is bolted in place you could end up with the north locating pin in the wrong direction, or would need a new locating pin screw hole made to the adapter plate.

Steve

 

[Jonny_H]

Thanks @StevieDvd

It did seem that this is the obvious path......but I wanted to double check in case I was missing a trick!

Regards,

Jonny

[StevieDvd]

I'd do the 'measure twice - cut once' concept.

Assemble the pier & adapter and align to NCP and mark the hole positions for the pier. Then move it to one side so you can relocate it on the marks and check the NCP alignment is still valid. 🤔

If you are using resin bolts, do the same check just after using the resin so it sets as close as possible to perfect.

As well as marking the hole positions you may want to put a few 'alignment' lines on the pier base/concrete  or make a template of the base. Whatever, you feel comfortable with for getting the holes right.

 

 

[M40]

Echo what the others have said; create a template base, assemble pier, adapter plate and mount, then polar align making sure that the azimuth adjust for the mount is roughly in the middle giving plenty of room for adjustment. Mark the fixing holes on the template making sure the template position can be repeated precisely, then start digging etc

All the best and we like pictures 👌

[scotty38]

Just what I did with mine. I determined the time of meridian in the daytime and on a few sunny days marked the direction of the NCP on the concrete. I must have got it about right as my mount adjusters are pretty much centred.

[Graeme]

2 hours ago, scotty38 said:

Just what I did with mine. I determined the time of meridian in the daytime and on a few sunny days marked the direction of the NCP on the concrete. I must have got it about right as my mount adjusters are pretty much centred.

Same as that!

I got the time of the Sun on the meridian at my location from Timeanddate.com