Heq5 taper bearings

[Sunfish (Ray)]

Well maybe the previous owner left the mount in the rain but I don’t think so, polar scope never used , and the RA had already been disassembled and regreased.

Interesting also that problems with noises really only surfaced in the very cold nights of late. Before that guiding 0.6. So I think Marc is right about performance being enhanced by covering the mount to stop the metal cooling to the point that things begin to bind ( in the post below)

.. Perhaps the advantage also of the old spring tensioned worm. Not perfect but robust.

I do maintain that any metal cased mount open to humid night air will generate condensation when not in operation. I can see condensation forming on the underside of a plastic bucket I use to cover the mount on a dry night and even in the open garage, just like the outside of a scope. Dew condenses on anything cooler than the dew point at that relative humidity which here is very high.

[Sunfish (Ray)]

It works!

Thanks for everyone’s interest and comments, and after much testing and adjusting.

Tested last night and very smooth and quiet. Guiding error 1 which is not as good as 0.6 before but the the focal length was 1000 rather than 600, and the OAG stars looked a bit like comets. Not sure but I suppose both things have an effect.

Clear again tonight I think.

[ChrisV (Chris)]

Ray

Been interesting to read this even though I don't have Skywatcher mount. But I've got a celestron CGEM and have replaced similar bearings on mine as one was a bit dodgy. It greatly improved the mount

I've also modded the mount with a stepper- pulleys- belts. So what piqued my interest was the mention of an idler in the Rowan mod? Is this a tension idler?

Chris

[Sunfish (Ray)]

Hi Chris,

Yes the Rowan belt mod kit has a nylon idler wheel which helps keep belt tension and angle around the toothed wheels. Not very complicated , just lipped nylon back side Tension idler on the metal shaft vacated by one of the transfer gears. No bearing.

I have also done a mod on an old fork mount and added a new stepper motor however was able to use direct drive for the 360 tooth RA and the old tangent arm for the DEC. I have considered a belt and different drivers as guiding is too jerky. I am not an engineer but maybe an Idler would help any belt drive mechanism and share out the load while maintaining the belt angle without undue tension. You can also adjust the tension with the idler if your other points are fixed.

Originally Posted by ChrisV

Ray

Been interesting to read this even though I don't have Skywatcher mount. But I've got a celestron CGEM and have replaced similar bearings on mine as one was a bit dodgy. It greatly improved the mount

I've also modded the mount with a stepper- pulleys- belts. So what piqued my interest was the mention of an idler in the Rowan mod? Is this a tension idler?

Chris