Old EQ6-heavy, worth upgrading to synscan?

[Mickconn77]

Have option to buy an old EQ6 mount and have seen upgrade kits for around $800. Should be able to save half the cost of a new mount this way.
Has anyone done this? Any comments?

[Pepper]

You can get old neq6 synscan mounts for not much more on the secondhand market.
Think I paid around 1200 for mine off these forums. Put up a wanted ad, you may have some luck.
I guess it depends how cheap your getting the bare mount to decide whether it was worthwhile to retrofit it or just buy a new or secondhand.

* I’m assuming the mount is a manual-no motors/goto type arrangement*

[xelasnave]

Hi Mick
Wont the mount work without an upgrade??? ..I would have thought it would..if that is the case use it and dont spend more money on it.

Have the vendor show you it working and ask yourself why you want to upgrade...certainly wait to hear what others who have done it feel but I would be saving for a new one.

The question is what do you plan to do with it.
I have an old EQ6 and it works very well for tracking but maybe it cant be guided (auto) ...
Alex

[bojan]

If you want upgrade (for GoTo etc) consider OnStep..
Low cost - high performance Arduino based system, for every pocket.

[Mickconn77]

The mount has is already motorised with a 4 button control for Ra/dec.

[Mickconn77]

I’d like the mount to be auto guided by an AsiAir or the likes. Unsure if this can be done by just the rj12 for the 4 button handset? Also there’s an issue of accuracy of the step motors i am told.

[Mickconn77]

Great! I’ll check them out,
Thanks mate.

[bojan]

Also check this:
https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=69560&highlight=timing+belt


My EQ6 was like that, I modified it with new steppers (400s/r) and belt transmission.

Please note, I don't use gearbox (shown on images.. I have to update that post at some stage with current configuration)


And I have On Step, of course..

[Mickconn77]

How much was the outlay in the end? Looking at $65 for the two motors it seems, can you recall the final tally?

[peter_4059]

I did the skywatcher goto conversion on my old eq6. Works perfectly. Later I also did the belt mod.

[bojan]

Hard to calculate exactly.. $200 total for my final solution? maybe a bit more, but definitely much less than commercial kits.

I used some bits and pieces I collected over the years.. and lots of fiddling with details (I am a tinkerer..)

My approach to OnStep was non-standard, because I experimented with Bartel's GoTo system (https://www.bbastrodesigns.com/StepperSystem.html) before committing to OnStep, so I already had Stepper motors and drivers inside the mount, and driving electronics is in handpad (with STEP/DIR/MODE pulses as output to mount).

Pulleys and belts came from ebay (mainly stuff used for building 3D printers).
First solution was Arduino MEGA board with RAMPS 1.4, it was cheaper then.
I also build two controllers around STM32 (https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=183118&highlight=STM32), this is cheaper and much faster solution (I have design files for both boards, you can have them for manufacturing PCB's if you are interested).


Some details on how I modified LXD75 are here (https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=142187&highlight=STM32), they are applicable to EQ6 as well (Ignore the beginning of the thread, OnStep was still in the early stages then, today it is matured and well supported by the community).