Hi, i am just interested to find out how everyone is leveling their tripods.
I have noticed that Skywatcher has included a very small bullseye bubble level in the mount head.
I am not sure about everyone here, but i find that it is hard to get a good reading from it.
I have yet to use the mount, but played around today with it trying different things trying to get it spot on level.
I thought i had it spot on going from the inbuilt bubble level, but then i went and got a larger bullseye bubble level i use on my Dobsonianan mount and found i got a completely different reading, i placed this on top of the tripod before the head went on.
Figured that wasn't the best option, so then placed it on the accessory tray, again got a different reading again.
So going from that, i just went a got my small spirit level and placed that on the accessories tray and leveled the mount that way.
So basically 3 different way to get it level and 3 different results.
I am guessing the inbuilt level is not all that accurate being so small,
So was just interesting to hear how everyone else levels their setup.
Exactly as Carlton posted, use a spirit level on the top face of the tripod before you put the mount head on. I go in two directions at right angles. One across the two legs adjacent to or opposite the aligning dowel (Depending which side you have that on) and then once at 90 degrees to that. In my experience the built in level is not all that accurate.
After all that though, it depends on how you are using the mount, if you are using it in alt-az mode then it is important to have it accurately levelled, goto and tracking accuracy will be better. If you are in EQ mode and doing a polar alignment it is less important as you can align that out when doing your polar alignment.
Yes, the small bullseye bubbles are seldom accurately set on the mount. But, that does not make them useless as the error can be very easily calibrated out.
First step is to accurately level the top face of the tripod as mentioned already. Then set the mount onto the tripod. The bubble will settle at a point representing dead level for your mount. Use a permanent marker pen to mark this position. You now have a workable and accurate bubble level on your mount.
Of course these small bubble mounts are not as accurate as larger and better engineered levels. However, I find these sufficiently accurate, once calibrated, for levelling an alt-am mount.
I recently got the AZ-EQ6 as well. Agreed, the bubble level, plus it's viewing position, are rather crude indeed. But I wouldn't rate it as totally useless, and as many have posted, "exact" levelling of an EQ mount is not necessary to achieve polar alignment, it's just that the closer you get to precise levelling, the easier the adjustments will be in azimuth and altitude to achieve good PA alignment. So 'pretty close' levelling via the built-in bubble level is likely to be good enough for EQ use. This is where "next tier" mounts like the Losmandys with 3-4 built-in spirit levels excel.
Having said this, AZ mode with good AZ tracking, I imagine will be more dependent on achieving good levelling. This should be easy though, set the mount head up in AZ mode, and I reckon the polar scope top should provide a good flat base for your precise bullseye level.
I have addressed this issue slightly differently. As others have said, setting your levels on the tripod without the head on it is the way to go. But that can become tedious. I decided to make my mount/scope mobile so I can wheel it out of my shed and place it on marks I have previously made on my concrete apron to represent a South Polar orientation. The whole arrangement sits on a wooden frame with big castors and wind down some legs I have made which hold the tripod firm and keep the castor wheels off the ground.
I then use Sharp Cap to do a polar alignment and because I have marked the locations for the tripod legs, I rarely have to do another alignment.
Here are some images that may give you and idea of what I have done.
Thanks for the replies, appreciated
Sounds like i kind of had it right the first time with leveling the tripod head,
I think i must just be overthinking things,
I am guessing this happened as i put the main head on then noticed the inbuilt bubble was out causing me to then over think things.
I have the same setup as pbrid on my Dobsonian and works great, But i like to be able to sort this mount rather than leave it setup as it dose take up quiet a bit of room.
Appreciate the replies and advise.
Thanks.
Levelling is one of "those issues" that seems to upset people. If you use a portable setup or you set up and tear down regularly, then there is a very good case to check levelling. If you set up the same each time, you save alignment time. I use a portable setup and I make sure when I set it up that the bubble on the built in level sits on the north edge of the circle and the tripod is pointing in the same direction, I am all good as my polar alignment is going to close enough that I can tweak it in about 10 minutes. Note, I actually do not care if my tripod is pointing north or south or if it is actually level, just that is is consistent as possible from session to session. And don't get me started on "rat cages"!!
