Homing after random power fail

[Birman1]

The HEQ5 does not have a fixed home position encoded so if the power fails briefly you have no idea where it is pointing making recovery in a remote location problematic.  Adding an electronic reference would be the solution, with things such as optical or magnetic position or limit switches being possible solutions.  Perhaps even a gyro.

Before I start trying to design a solution I thought I would ask if anyone has already solved the problem or at least got some ideas

Thanks in advance for any thoughts

B

[M40]

Would it be easier to use a small ups to power the heq5 supply? The ups could trigger an alarm should there be a power fail? 

[inFINNity Deck]

Hi Birman,

I have written an ASCOM Generic UPS SafetyMonitor: https://www.dehilster.info/astronomy/ascom_generic_ups_driver.php

Provided you use an UPS that uses the Windows logbook to log its status (for tested models see near the bottom of that page), the SafetyMonitor can trigger events in your imaging software such as parking mount and dome, warming up the camera. If the UPS is allowed to shut-down the PC a simple on-shutdown script can be used to shut down the mount (provided it ca be shut down using a command, see https://www.dehilster.info/astronomy/mountcmd.php).

Nicolàs

[Birman1]

Thank you both for replying and suggesting a UPS. I think that will solve my safety worries and allow an emergency put to bed without clashes. In my case it will be a 12v ups as I am going to run the system on 12v only to avoid worries with mains power safety

It still concerns me that the HEQ5 has no absolute homing reference and probably needs one

Thanks again

B

PS Very interested in the scripts. Reminds me of my days running automatic antenna testing sites with multi axis positioners and arrays of test instruments !

[R26 oldtimer]

A camera monitoring your equipment might be the easiest answer. I've had this problem and used my remote camera to roughly drive my mount to home position. Then after a plate solved go-to, the mount will return to it's true home position, after a home command.