Newtonian focuser upgrade recommendations?

MortonH · #1 20-04-2014, 10:37 PM

Looking to upgrade the focuser on my Skywatcher Black Diamond 200mm f/5 scope. The current focuser is single speed so it's a bit frustrating to find best focus at high powers when observing the planets.

The obvious upgrade is a dual-speed model but I'm wondering about some kind of focus motor, either built in or later add-on.

Any reasonably priced suggestions? Budget is maybe $200.

Cheers.

raymo · #2 21-04-2014, 12:48 AM

Get a Skywatcher electric focuser from Bintel for $89.95 + postage.
It comes with two mounting brackets; one of which will fit your model.
At minimum speed little taps on the button will allow you to make very
small adjustments. I have no connection to Bintel.
raymo

AG Hybrid (Adrian) · #3 21-04-2014, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymo

Get a Skywatcher electric focuser from Bintel for $89.95 + postage.
It comes with two mounting brackets; one of which will fit your model.
At minimum speed little taps on the button will allow you to make very
small adjustments. I have no connection to Bintel.
raymo

Wow. I didn't even know. 1/4 of a moonlite focuser upgrade. I'm gonna check it out!

cometcatcher (Kevin) · #4 21-04-2014, 10:00 AM

I just upgraded to a GSO dual speed crayford. It's quite smooth and very fine focus works well.

MortonH · #5 21-04-2014, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AG Hybrid

Wow. I didn't even know. 1/4 of a moonlite focuser upgrade. I'm gonna check it out!

Me too!

MortonH · #6 21-04-2014, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cometcatcher

I just upgraded to a GSO dual speed crayford. It's quite smooth and very fine focus works well.

That was my first choice but the Skywatcher electric focuser is cheaper. I think I read somewhere that you can't use the fine focus knob if you attach the electric focuser so no point in doing both.

Normally I would just make do with the stock focuser but last night I saw the Encke division for the first time and getting the focus spot on was quite a pain. The Skywatcher electric model seems to get good reviews so I think it's worth a try.

raymo · #7 21-04-2014, 04:42 PM

It attaches directly to the focuser's shaft, and at minimum speed, taps
on the button will make minute focal changes, so the fine adjustment
knob becomes redundant. Unless you have an extremely solidly mounted scope, vibration free focusing is a great new experience. Love mine.
raymo

MortonH · #8 21-04-2014, 05:10 PM

Can you still focus manually with the electric focuser attached?

raymo · #9 21-04-2014, 07:08 PM

Not unless you slacken off the allen screw that couples the motor to the shaft. If you have a friction type focuser as opposed to a rack and pinion
one, there is nothing to stop you pushing the focuser in and out by hand,
overcoming the friction, if the motor is not fast enough for you.
raymo

Astro_Bot · #10 21-04-2014, 07:28 PM

I second Raymo's suggesiton. I use the Accufocus (Orion branded-Skywatcher electric focuser) on my ED80, but it comes with a Newtonian bracket as well. While I use a manual two-speed crayford on my SCT, I think the additional vibration on the longer Newtonian (if I had one) would have driven me to an electric focuser (not to mention precision).

For imaging, you can get a longer cable and have the focuser control right next to your laptop (though, be warned, some imaging payloads are a bit too heavy for the limited torque of the Accufocus/SW electric focuser).

AG Hybrid (Adrian) · #11 21-04-2014, 11:14 PM

Ordered mine from Bintel. Hopefully it will get here before Thursday.

MortonH · #12 22-04-2014, 06:07 PM

Ordered mine too.

AG Hybrid (Adrian) · #13 22-04-2014, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MortonH

Ordered mine too.

Oh its a race to see who gets theirs first!

raymo · #14 23-04-2014, 12:38 PM

I hope you both like your purchases, or my name will be mud.
raymo

AG Hybrid (Adrian) · #15 23-04-2014, 01:31 PM

I got. Installed it. Took about 20 min. Freaking brilliant. No need for a new dual speed focuser. Just in time for IIAC.

Steffen · #16 23-04-2014, 07:15 PM

Do you think it can be adapted to a GSO focuser?

Cheers
Steffen.

AG Hybrid (Adrian) · #17 23-04-2014, 08:12 PM

Hard to say Steffen. You can take a closer look at it at IIAC, and decide then?

raymo · #18 23-04-2014, 08:17 PM

I can't see any major problems. The Skywatcher focuser shaft diam. is
4mm. at the point where the wheel slides onto it. If the GSO shaft is that size or a little larger, it will either fit, or the motor's connector can be drilled out so that it does. Other than that, at worst you might have to
make a simple mounting bracket, or modify one of the two supplied ones.
Perhaps someone else has already done it, and can help you.
raymo

Steffen · #19 23-04-2014, 10:21 PM

Yes, I'll take a look for myself before deciding.

Cheers
Steffen.