Setting your scope east heavy

[rzgp33]

Hello

I have read on CN about setting the scope "east" heavy on your mount to stop backlash and sloppiness in the RA axis.


Does that mean you make the scope east heavy while pointing east and counter weight heavy while pointing west?
But how do you cope with the meridian?



I get that it is to stop the scope getting ahead of the motor and then the motor trying to catchup... and then over compensating... have I got that right?



On my AVX I'm sure I would have to PA again if I messed with the balance.


Doesn't seem very practical.


Can anyone give me practical examples of doing this.


I have just unboxed a little Star adventurer that has 2-3mm slop in the ra axis, so I'll probably have to do this.


Brian

[Startrek]

Brian
East heavy is exactly what it means
When imaging on the eastern side of the meridian (counterweights on east side, scope on west side ) you slide your counterweights down the shaft away from the mount making the RA axis on the counterweight side “east heavy”
When imaging on the western side of the meridian ( counterweights on west side, scope on east side ) you slide your counterweights up the shaft towards the mount making the RA axis on the scope side “east heavy”
When you balance your set up for east heavy, the “off set” only has to be a small amount , just enough to offset the balance
And yes you do need to rebalance your east heavy off set on both sides of the meridian if you are going to capture hours and hours of data on both sides
If you are only going past the meridian say 10 to 15 degrees I wouldn’t bother changing the east heavy to the opposite side
I keep my east side and west side meridian “east heavy” measurements in my Iphone under notes , takes me 1 minute to change the counterweights after a flip
I tried guiding with and without “east heavy” on various nights and in my case it definitely improves your Guiding especially as I’m near full AP payload capacity on my HEQ5 mount at 9kg
Hope the above makes sense
Cheers

[Merlin66]

East “heavy” should have no impact on your PA.