Versa Plate Orientation MEII/ME?

[PRejto (Peter)]

I posted this at Bisque but maybe someone here can assist as it will soon be "after hours" in the USA and I'd like a solution before next Tuesday (local).

The MEII manual says it is possible to rotate the versa plate 90 degrees to accommodate side x side mounting. The problem is that there appears to be no room for through the mount cables as there is no channel cut in the versa plate at 90 degrees, and no channel at 90 degrees on the top of the dec axis. There might be enough room for user added cables, but certainly not enough for the pre-existing bisque cables. There also seems to be an issue about the location of the Instrument Panel as it will now be located at 90 degrees to the original location. The cables do not appear to be long enough to exit through the existing channel and then bend 90 degrees.

Am I missing something totally obvious?

The only solutions I can think up are to have a channel cut in the existing versa plate, or to put some sort of adapter plate on top of the dec axis that has a channel cut out for the cables. Both seem drastic and don't match the simple explanation given in the user manual that simply states to "rotate the plate!"

What might have been a better idea would have been to rotate an adapter on top of the dec axis, and not the versa plate. Then the existing channels would line up and it would be dead simple.

Peter

[PRejto (Peter)]

Not wanting to sit idle I decided to build a simple spacer out of 5mm thick aluminum. I chose 5mm because it seemed the trench in the top of the dec axis is ca 5 mm deep. I managed to find longer bolts but they were too long. After much sawing and drilling and this is the finished result. I think none of this would be necessary if only the top of the dec axis also had a slot at 90 degrees. There is no way the cables will fit under the versa plate in the 4 mm deep recess - at least not any way that I could attempt without great fear of damaging the cables. Hopefully what I've done will not cause an issue.

As a side note I wish the versa plate had more than 4 bolts holding it down when mounted at a right angle. Considering that probably the only reason it would be used this way is to mount 2 scopes it seems odd to me to have a situation where there is lower strength. Am I risking anything by having the extra length bolts/spacer combination? It seems strong but then I'm not an engineer and there is a lot of expensive gear about to ride on 4 bolts

Peter

[frolinmod]

The ME and the ME II are different in this regard. The ME has the same small amount of space for through the mount wiring in either configuration. If I'm following you correctly, in one configuration with the ME II you get a huge amount of space for through the mount wiring, but in the alternate configuration you're reduced to the same amount of space we get with the ME in either configuration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKwwcCpa2Ag

[el_draco (Rom)]

I've had to deal with this problem as well. I want to hang a 14inch SCT and 130mm refractor on a PME II and I don't want to rotate the Versa to do it. To cramped to do it comfortably anyhow.

In the end, I decided to make the most of the opportunity. I've designed a "D" plate the width of the Versa plate. I'll attach Homeyer cradles to each end of that and a custom made SBS plate on top of the D plate. Lots of bolts for stiffness and a full length dovetail for the D plate that allows me to move everything anyway I want to balance the scope.

Once assembled, it'll be a Tri-plate arrangement; 14 inch SCT in the middle, 132mm on one side, 90mm guidescope, 80mm finder, extra counterweights and other "stuff" on the other. Even with all this, no where near carryng capacity of the mount

Rom

[PRejto (Peter)]

Originally Posted by frolinmod

The ME and the ME II are different in this regard. The ME has the same small amount of space for through the mount wiring in either configuration. If I'm following you correctly, in one configuration with the ME II you get a huge amount of space for through the mount wiring, but in the alternate configuration you're reduced to the same amount of space we get with the ME in either configuration.

Yes! In the normal position the top of the dec axis has a 5 mm deep channel that aligns with a 4-5mm deep channel cut into the versa plate. So there is 9-10 mm for the cables to run through. One of the Bisque cables is clearly much larger than 5mm. When you rotate the versa plate there is no channel on the top of the dec axis leaving only 4-5 mm in the versa plate which is not sufficient. The instructions in the manual are frustrating to say the least. One is left to believe this is a "simple" operation. One 90 degree channel cut in the top of the dec axis would totally solve this problem. I can't for the life of me understand why this isn't "standard." I guess it would make this hobby "too easy" which would be counter industry standard!!

Peter