EQ3-2 scope size

[Lerxst]

Out of curiosity: what's the biggest scope an EQ3-2 mount can handle, including adding potential counter weights if that's what it takes?

I mean, can it handle a 200"? 250"?

[crepitis]

I wouldnt reccomend a 200 or 250 ota, I had one of these mounts a few years back with an Orion 5" Mak mounted on it and it was rock solid with that scope, but anything much bigger than a 6" newt and you would be pushing it, however others may know different.

[Macavity]

Probably things like an ST102... a MAK127? I have found nothing much will "go bang", but the whole setup will wobble quite a bit, as the weight, or lever-arm increases. But also, I think one has to note the addition of 2" accessories, Hyperions, finders etc. It's easy for weight to creep up, in an insidious way! 9-11lb - 5kg (max!) for visual use?

Aside: Today, I am just trying out my FIRST (albeit wheely!) "pier". The difference, even on a lounge carpet, is like DAY over night. But I'd always sensed a lot of "wobble" originated with with the typical tripod offering. Of course this new beast is also quite heavy...

[legion48]

Aside: Today, I am just trying out my FIRST (albeit wheely!) "pier". The difference, even on a lounge carpet, is like DAY over night. But I'd always sensed a lot of "wobble" originated with with the typical tripod offering. Of course this new beast is also quite heavy...

That sounds interesting. Can you post some pics?

[Macavity]

That sounds interesting. Can you post some pics?

Oh, it's just one of THESE. And perhaps I shouldn't muddy the waters. The HEQ5 version will certainly FIT an EQ3-2 head, but the pillar may be a bit SHORT for normal sized people!

Don't get overly distracted, by my ramblings. This solution might require a bit of DIY work! But, I had an EQ3-2 lying around, and I sensed that a pillar might "breath new life" into it - The lack of tripod shake seems to be quite marked though. And since it may be quite a while before I seriously look at an HEQ5 or a concrete pillar in the lawn...

I sense too that balance is important, when you "push the limits". Not always optimised, but worth pursuing... And of course not always THAT transparent to achieve with an EQ-style mount.

[Karo]

I tried to piggy back an ST80 on a 150mm f/8 newt on my EQ3-2 and even with both counterweights as far down the shaft as it would go, it wouldn't balance. If I had another 'big' (3kg?) counterweight I think it would work but it would seem to me as if that might start risking bending something. I mean the whole weight of everything on the mount rests against the altitude adjustment bolt, doesn't seem like it would take much more to start to bend that? I guess this would be the practical limit -- you could probably do an 8" Newt though if you were stubborn As others have said the supplied tripod will then start to be a problem.

[John]

I used to have an EQ3-2 with a steel tube tripod from the EQ5. It made the mount a lot more stable - stable enough for visual use with a 120mm F/8.3 refractor but that was about the limit. It's tube length as well as weight that is a factor here - longer tubes are more prone to vibration and wobbles than short tubes.

John

[Capricorn]

A 200" on an EQ3-2 is probably a BIT big, 200" = 16ft 8ins.

Now a 200mm maybe.:evil6:

[TheThing]

I've got a 6" (152mm) Newtonian on an EQ3-2, which works extremely well. It is only a 750mm focal length though, which helps keep it more stable.

Sometimes, it's not just the diameter, but the length that effects the set up.

[tinvek]

Sometimes, it's not just the diameter, but the length that effects the set up.

are we still talking about telescopes or something else entirely ?

EDIT: just to add that i've got a skywatcher 150 / 900 mm newt on an EQ3-2 ontop of an EQ5 tripod and its stable enough for visual work and i've even done a bit of imaging with the DSLR on it but the weight of the camera's pushing it to its limit so i wouldn't go any further than 150 mm.

the manufacturers aren't daft but they always try to make bundles as cheap as possible so if there was any chance they could get away with a 200 on an EQ3-2 you can guarentee they would sell it but the 200s are on an EQ5 so i guess that answers your question