EQ-AL55I

[Ags]

A new mount!

Sky-Watcher EQ-AL55I PRO Go-To Astronomy Mount | First Light Optics

Intrigued by this - same load as the EQ5 and EQ35M, but a lot cheaper and seemingly capable of Alt-Az mode too. Not too heavy. Is this the end of the EQ5? 

[bosun21]

1 hour ago, Ags said:

A new mount!

Sky-Watcher EQ-AL55I PRO Go-To Astronomy Mount | First Light Optics

Intrigued by this - same load as the EQ5 and EQ35M, but a lot cheaper and seemingly capable of Alt-Az mode too. Not too heavy. Is this the end of the EQ5? 

It's actually more expensive than the EQ5 pro by about £80.

[Ags]

Ah yes, I am muddling EU and UK prices... This thing is priced in UK lower than an EU EQ5.

[Ags]

Actually, it is a few euros cheaper than the EQ35M and EQ5 on this EU site: 

Equatorial mount GoTo / tracking (teleskop-spezialisten.de)

Comparing the RA gears on the EQM-35 and the 55I

• EQM-35: 92.5 mm diameter and 180 teeth
• 55I: 73.4mm Diameter, 144 Teeth

I think the 55I has the same gear as the regular EQ5 but I am not sure.

[Ags]

I have been informed by one supplier that the mount "probably" does not support Alt-Az mode, despite having a 0-90 latitude range. That's really silly, and if it is the case I am sure they will eventually bring out a firmware option supporting Alt-Az (like they did for the EQ variant for the AZ-GTi). But if this is true, the mount becomes less interesting to me.

Of course it can be used as an Alt-Az mount by setting the RA axis vertical, but the firmware needs to support using both motors for Alt-Az tracking. At least it could be used as a motorized dob, even if it doesn't have tracking or goto. I would like tracking, but unlikely to use goto.

[Ags]

Found a thread on a German forum, one user has tested it successfully with 10kg load for visual use successfully, seemingly with a mak-newt, so both load and length.. Unfortunately I can't seem to link to it.

Edited December 25, 2023 by Ags

[Ags]

Found this picture on forum.astronomie.de:

[GTom]

Will be interested on the follow-up, a 190MN will be my next evolutionary step. Doesn't look like a solid setup for photography.

[GTom]

Found the German forum but apparently they are just as well blessed with clouds as we are, no movement on the topic in the past months:

https://forum.astronomie.de/threads/skywatcher-eq-al55i.355355/

 

 

[Ardsley Astro]

I have one, Bought from FLO recently. I had some backlash issues with the Dec Axis, You could rock it backwards and forwards very slightly but it was audible. I had used a Cheap SVBONY SV205C and pointed at the moon you could see the "mount" Stepping during tracking. Spoke with FLO who instructed on how to adjust the backlash on both RA and DEC, Bit nervous as this is my First go to mount and you have to remove the plastic clam shell and a motor to get to the adjustments. Anyway all seems to be resolved. I have a couple of sample videos of the tracking a star with a 3 x Barlow and the SV205C after the adjustments and one with out the Barlow.

 

3 X barlow

Without Barlow

 

This is what I was getting before adjustment