Difference between EQ3 and 5 mounts?

[Celeste]

Sorry to ask such a noob question, but how do you tell the difference between an EQ3 and EQ5 mounts? I have been looking around places at mounts and noticed some look identical to mine and are EQ3....wheres some do look slightly diferent and are still EQ3....then I see EQ5 that looks identical to mine and some that don't. It's a tad confusing, is there a plate or marker on these mounts that tell you exactly what model it is? Iunderstand the EQ5 has a higher weight allowance...but is that all that's different? Having had a nosey round mine I can't tell if it's a 3 or a 5

Edit: Out of curiosity I just weighed my weights (lol) they are 5.2K so I assume mine is the 3.2....so are the mounts actually different?

[Glider]

When we were down the dark site I assumed it was an EQ5. I didn't actually think to look but there should be a plate on the side of the head, near the latitude scale. All the EQ3(-2) I've seen had square boxed legs, yours are round like an EQ5.

[Celeste]

That's what I thought too...it's rather strange but I guess the legs can be changed from the square to round? I shall go have a nosey again and see if I can see anything.

Edit:Nope...no plates, no markers...

[astroimpulse]

Post a pic and it will instantly be solved To be honest if you had both side by side you'd have no problem telling which is which.

Me and the 3-2 didn't get on lol

[E621Keith]

When we were down the dark site I assumed it was an EQ5. I didn't actually think to look but there should be a plate on the side of the head, near the latitude scale. All the EQ3(-2) I've seen had square boxed legs, yours are round like an EQ5.

I don't agree, older EQ5 used the boxed aluminium legs. The best way to tell the difference is the location of the RA motor box and the location of the RA slow motion ctrl. EQ3-2 does not come with motor box, while all EQ5 has RA axis motor box (below RA axis, front of Alt axis), even if it has no motor. The RA slow motion on EQ3-2 is located above the RA axis, while EQ5's is located below.

I hope this will help distinguished between the two.

[Capricorn]

If your weights are 5.2Kg then I guess you will have an EQ5. The load carrying capacity of the EQ3-2 is reckoned to be 5Kg. So over the max with just the weights and no scope.

Physically there isn't a great deal of apparent difference.

Sure there isn't a plate or sticker or something?