Harmonic Drive GoTo Mounts

[Chrb1985]

Vi om currently using neq6pro for c11 with camera, filter wheel, Barlow, primalucelab eagle 4, finderscope 60mm, and one extra dovetail. So it's not super heavy but I'm guessing around 15-16 KGS.

I use this only for planets. It's a hassle to get the c11 + neq6pro out every imaging session and therfore I'm really curious about the ioptron harmonicdrive mounts.

I'm guessing hem44 or the hae69. I'm guessing both mount will handle the weight. But are there any conserns? 

Is the tracking a problem? Will i be able to use Firecapture to control the mount?

I read something about it's not good with tracking?

Pleas help me. And I'm hoping the cheaper one will be adaquate.

 

 

 

 

[Elp]

I wouldn't cheap out but it should be okay as long as the payload is more than sufficient (ie your payload is around half to two thirds the mounts max capacity). The C11 is a beast of a scope I hear so it's important to get a mount to suit.

From experience I'd get a dual drive HD mount if possible, trying to balance an ioptron can be quite lengthy as the axes are smooth and the slightest fraction of a mm change in counterweight position can make the difference from reasonably balanced to totally not. Maybe not such a problem if it's permanently setup.

The benefit of HD mostly is lack of counterweights so if moving the whole setup around its much more convenient, you still have to be mindful of the load balance and have a good tripod so need to check the full east/west heavy balance carefully prior to allowing it to run unattended.

Regarding tracking, I can only comment on autoguiding setup, the RMS figures are higher than a well balanced gem but as long as it's within your imaging scale it doesn't affect my AP long exposure subs, for planetary I don't see you having an issue at all. The HD certain recovers so much quicker than a gem after a dither or a breeze.

Mine are a different weight class but I've got a gem28 and and hem15 so can compare the two technologies. Both track well, in fact when I imaged comet C2022 E3 ZTF for over an hour I think the target hardly moved from where it was framed for the first sub until the last via the gem. Haven't really used them for planetary.

[Chrb1985]

Thanx for good answer. But the balancing part.. im not planing to use counterweight. So is it still a issue? I was pakning to use the trips from mye neq6pro? Is that not a good match? And I got a tip on hanging some weight down under the mount in a chin or something to make it stable and not tip over. If I have the money I'll guess I'll go for the hae69 it support 31kgs!

[Elp]

The hem are hybrid so only the RA is HD, the hae are dual HD on RA and DEC so theoretically little to no balancing required.

[Chrb1985]

Do you think this mount will be ok for my setup? https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p16180_iOptron-HAE29-Strain-Wave-AZ-EQ-Mount-with-Case.html in the video on that site it's a Celestron c11 with camera equipment mountet. Weighing 14kgs. I guess my setup is about 2kgs heavier than that.

[Elp]

I'd ask an astro retailer or the mount manufacturer. A lot of the heavier payload ones only state max load via a counterweight and typical suggestions state for AP you should only half load the max mount payload.

Reading ioptrons website for max payload:

HAE29 is 13.5Kg WO CW,

HAE43 is 20Kg WO CW.

Another option would also be the Pegasus Astro NYX which would be similar to the HAE43.

[Chrb1985]

Any advantages of the ipolar version of hae43? How do I control the mount from say Firecapture? I guess it's not eqmod 😂🤣 I really hate eqmod... Thanks for all the help so far much appreciated.. I might add that I really wish I'd bought a harmonic drive back in 2020 when I aquired the c11. I went with the neq6pro since it was a package.. but I think it was about 2000€ many a bit more actually back then. And as of now.. it's so much bad weather.. when on a rare occasion it is ok weather it's a real hassle to move just alone the c11 out for colling. With all the cables and the extra eight of 2 dovetails and the primalucelab eagle.. when the session is over and in tired and freezing cold I really really hate the part when it's time to get that big heavy neq6pro mount inside again.. just those counter weights are 15kgs alone.. I'm getting sick just thinking of it now. But back then I did not know about the harmonic drive mounts.

So it's really tempting to just go for a new mount, just to get away from all that hard to deal with weight and the brain dead silly rs232 eqmod cable thingy and horrible written backyard software... I know it's freeware and people have good use of it. But in my eyes the whole EQMOD thing is crap and belongs to the 90's..

[Deadlake]

8 hours ago, Elp said:

Another option would also be the Pegasus Astro NYX which would be similar to the HAE43.

This handles the C11 very well, the waiting list is long and the amount of users quite high.

There is native suppprt for this mount in most astro software as well.

The only gotcha is the power supply needs to maintain correct ampage…

[Chrb1985]

Ok on a Norwegian site they state that It can be delivered I a compile of weeks? Is this not true? Hmm. And the power situation? What's that? Do it require som special kind of equipment? I use a transformator from 230V to 12V..

That one more thing I don't quite get. In my eagle control application it says lov power warning.. so the Celestron dewring is not getting any power.. dontou know if I need to have the primaluchelab original power supply?

[Elp]

Understand where you're coming from. My "big" setup is much smaller (C6) but I feel more at ease dismantling the small refractor or camera setup rather than that one.

As far as I'm aware Firecapture is for image acquisition only, I've only ever used it for planetary imaging. For full on control you'd need something like NINA or APT (haven't used either). I wanted my setup to be simpler than that and had invested in ZWO cameras so went the asiair route. Works great when it's not hindered by its own app updates. But made my imaging more productive especially off site.

Power, you'd have to check how much amps your whole setup is drawing. Mounts need a solid 12v+, some like my gem28 don't like any drops as I usually use a single battery to power everything, the gem28 usually requires its own 12v input, dew heaters I always power with their own usb power banks. The hem15 I can power everything in one (other than dew heaters), 12v goes to the asiair, then everything runs off that.

Have you got any astro societies nearby, if so you could speak to people in person and get a feel for what they use.

But it is amazing seeing a HD mount slewing around without breaking a sweat, but I suspect considering the size of the scope you're using, you'll still find it a hassle. It doesn't compare to the convenience of having a small refractor or camera lens setup which you can carry out easily from indoors fully assembled.

[licho52]

The half-weight for astrography rule-of-thumb is not terrible and it sort of accounts for blunders and inexperience of newbies but I'm imaging with EQ6-r at its 20kg rated weight without issues.  Would it be better to have EQ8? Sure, but it's not a deal-breaker.