HEQ5 Rajiva Upgrade - Part 1 (Long, with pics)

[daz]

This upgrade was easy. No, really, very easy!! To recap, it consists of replacing the main chip in the mount with a daughter board on which is a new chip with added functionality - GOTO, Intelli-Track, PEC, etc. I also bought a new set of gears as well, but that will be a part two!!

This part required the removal of the chip from the hand controller, as well as the main chip in the mount. I started with the hand controller.

1) Remove the 4 screws on the top of the controller

2) Remove the lid - this required a bit of force as the buttons come off as well - they are the press-click type mounting

3) Undo the two screws holding the top PCB in place, bend this forwards out of the way

4) Undo the 4 small PCB screws and remove the PCB from the controller

5) Using a thin knife, carefully work the IC loose and remove - noting which side the dimple is

6) Insert the new IC, careful to align the dimple to the correct side

7) Re-assemble is the reverse of disassembly

Job done!

Next, the mount.

1) Undo the screws holding the motor cover in place, and remove motor cover

2) Undo the 4 screws that hold the mount cover in place (2 are under the motor cover)

3) Undo the 2 allen bolts retaining the smaller gear wheels and remove the gears - don't need to remove the larger ones

4) Undo the 4 motor retaining screws from each motor

5) Remove both motors, carefully note which is which!!

6) With a long screwdriver, remove the two PCB retaining screws

7) Unplug the three cables from the PCB and carefully remove the PCB

8 ) On the anti-static pad, with the thin knife, remove the IC

9) There are two capacitors at each end of the IC socket - these need CAREFULLY bending down so that the new board sits properly

10) Insert new board into the IC socket, again, being careful of orientation

11) Reassemble

I had already installed the software recommended for use with the upgrade, but you could, if you really wanted, do everything from the command line. I connected my USB-SERIAL converter, connected the lead from that to the 15-pin D-Sub socket on the mount, powered up the mouunt and hit the Connect button.

Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Panic!

I checked everything, and then realised I had not set the correct comms port in the software. Waiting for a moment for my heart rate to stabilise, I connected again!

Eureka!! Success!! I then set up the mount with the default settings, guide speed, goto speed (40x), goto licence number, intellitrack licence number, saved everything and power cycled the mount.

I connected again and thought OK, time for a test. I set the coordinates to Dubhe, synchrionised the mount and software (so it knows where it is pointing) and then told it goto M108. And off it jolly well went!! It gives you an estimated time to reach the goto point, and it was fairly accurate. Of course, this was tested with no scope and load, so I don't know how accurate the positioning is going to be - although other users seem to be very happy with it, so I imagine it will be fine. One thing I didn't check (and I will tonight) is if it reads the mount position if I manually move it.

So, it works!! And what's more it was easy! Very easy! If only all mods where that easy :)

Part 2 (the gears and adjustments) will follow in the new year!

[geppetto]

Great report Daz 8)

Looks the business mate..look forward to part 2

[daz]

I'm looking forward to getting it outside with a camera on it and seeing how the guiding bit works!

[FLO]

Good report Daz - the pix work well.

I am looking forward to part-2.

[daz]

I should also point out that the handset took around 15 minutes to do, the mount was about 1/2 hour - just because there were more things to undo!

[geppetto]

Out of interest, is there a good site showing an HEQ5 inards

for re grease/ tweaking and such.

Seen plenty for the EQ5 but not for this one

[GordonCopestake]

Out of curiosity, if you dont mind telling us, how much did you pay for the upgrade? It seems a non-goto mount can be converted to a GOTO mount for a small price... assuming you are willing to use a laptop/pc for the GOTO commands rather than a hand paddle

[daz]

Phil - This guy http://ozastro.dyndns.org/ is a guru of the HEQ5. Everything you need and more is on here! He is in the process of designing a break-out box to split the functionality of the 15-pin socket from RS232, ST4, DSLR Cable release, motor focuser, etc.

Gordon - It was around £170 in total, and that included 2 Conrad motors (for the 100:1 gears), the hand control update, MCU update, RS232 lead, GOTO licence, IntellyTrack licence and delivery. And yes, the downside is that you need to use a laptop for the goto functionality. You can also use a PDA, but I don't know which ones as yet.

IntellyTrack is a function that adjusts both RA and DEC if you are tracking, say, a comet.

[Caz]

It only took 6 mins for the entire thread to download :shock: Haven't got a clue what you have done, but it looks complicated to me. Job well done Daz!

Caz

[geppetto]

Great link ... thanks Daz

That mod's looking a real bargain :shock: 8)

[GordonCopestake]

Indeed, i need to seriously look at the HEQ5/EQ6 mounts as my next purchase and theres a massive difference between pro and none-pro

[Saso]

Great report Daz. Thank you for sharing. Looking forward for part two.

[SteelRat]

When you first posted about it a while back it sounded like it could turn out to be real complicated. Nothing like eh? 8) Glad it went well Daz - nicely reported too.

[Jaffa007]

Great report Daz, simple & straightforward to understand 8)

Definatly a cheaper option than a Pro HEQ5/6 plus saving all the penny's for more toys!

[daz]

Well, last night I cut the hole for the 15-pin socket, and re-assembled that fine polar illuminator from Jaffa ( ) and checked everything still worked. It did!

And of course, it won't read the mount when I move it manually, I don't know why I thought it would! The consensus with other upgraders when moving to another part of the sky is to move manually, resynch with a new object and then use the GOTO. Makes sense.

I'm now starting on a break-out box that will velcro on the side of the mount to split the RS232, ST4 guide port, DSLR Remote Release socket, mount power and my dew heaters all into the one. It will mean I only have one lead from the lappy to the mount, and all the connections are in one place

All I need now is some clear fog-free cloud-free skies!! Some hope, eh?

[GordonCopestake]

Sounds great Daz, im looking forward to hearing how you get on

[Jaffa007]

Daz,

The break-out box sounds an interesting project. Can't wait for that review & pics of course.

Any pics of the 15-pin socket in place on mount?

P.S. 'Phew' Glad to hear the polar illuminator is still working 8)

[daz]

Yes James, I'll do a pic tonight.

The P.I. is just great - Anyone else with a HEQ5 (standard) need to speak to Jaffa about one!!

[DaveGibbons]

Daz, Great piece of work very well documented! I wonder if you have started to tackle the Conrad gearbox upgrade as I would like to do this mod on my non go-to EQ6 to try and eliminate the arc second motor vibration it sometimes displays.

cheers

Dave

[daz]

Hi Dave

Not yet. I need to get a little tool made apparantly, to make things easier, and I need to my mate scheduled in. Soon, hopefully