Electric focuser

[multiweb (Marc)]

Hi guys, I have a question about electric focuser. I have a control with an Orion Acufocus. It's battery operated (9V). The cable is a small RJ11 which I assume 4 pins straight through. Haven't checked yet. This is all good if I'm on the field next to the scope. At home I'm about 6m away. If I crimp a 6m cable to the scope with the control next to me will it still work? TIA.

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Marc

It depends on what sort of signal or current is to be carried by the cable.

I would expect in this case there will be no problem up to at least 30 metres. However make a long cable from two RJ plugs and a bit of 4 core flat telephone cable and try it. If you haven't got the bits I have a box full and crimping tools.

Barry

[tlgerdes (Trevor)]

I ran one of the Orion focusers at 3m with no problems. Just crimped RJ11s on a new length of 4 core stranded phone cable. Don't use solid core cable.

Just match up colours to pins at each end.

[Bassnut (Fred)]

I'd try 1000m, ditch the 9v battery, plug it straight in the wall (240v) and see how it goes. It'll certainly go faster too. Report on progress.

[Astro_Bot]

I bought a 5m cable for the same purpose and it works fine. It had the correct connectors (RJ10) but was reverse polarity* - can't recall which cable was straight through and which reversed, though (original short cable or new long cable). It's the same as a telephone handset cable .... remember when before cordless phones were invented, and you could get really long cables? In this case, though, I think only two wires are needed.


* That actually works best for me anyway, since I mounted the Accufocus on the reverse side on my ED80.

Edit: This is similar to the one I bought:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/6-4m-Coil...item2ec13fe25d

[tlgerdes (Trevor)]

Yes, they are the RJ10 4P4C connectors. The narrower telephone handset connector.

[tlgerdes (Trevor)]

Originally Posted by Bassnut

I'd try 1000m, ditch the 9v battery, plug it straight in the wall (240v) and see how it goes. It'll certainly go faster too. Report on progress.

Yeah, you press the focus button and the focuser throws your camera across the field like some sort of medieval siege machine.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Cool - thanks guys. I'll go get some line from JayCar this arvo.

[niko]

Marc,

I've got an Orion focusser - I think the cable's probably 10m - works fine

niko

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by niko

Marc,

I've got an Orion focusser - I think the cable's probably 10m - works fine

niko

Thanks mate. Yeah I did a 8m length - no problem.

Thanks all for your contribution. I'm now remote focusing. No more dancing 'a la bathinov', back and forth between the scope and the lappy.

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Originally Posted by tlgerdes

Yeah, you press the focus button and the focuser throws your camera across the field like some sort of medieval siege machine.

A Weapon of Astro Destruction eh ??