Planning to add MaxDomeII + Rotation - any tips or suggestions?

[g__day (Matthew)]

Hi folks,

I am planning to add MaxDome II plus rotation to my 2.3metre Sirius Observatories set up in a few months. Its a dome plus mounting ring on a 2.5 * 2.6 metre astro lab set up.

I wonder if anyone who has done this before can offer suggestions (do's and don'ts). I have downloaded the install manual (dark picture of a guy in a dark shirt, in a not well lighted room, fitting a black track to the black inside of a dome - without a flash - not well thought out how to guide!)

Then there is the wiring to the Maxdome unit (not sure if the motor and electronics come in their own mounting box or if you have to buy a seperate box for the electronic controller. Then there is trying to understand how much room the motor unit takes up and given its attaching to either a mounting ring or the rectangular lab itself (not a round Sirius labs base) - where and how it can be positioned?

Then its run what cables to the unit - I presume a serial cable is required (and luckily I have a spare serial port with surge protector ready for it.

Then its work out what software to integrate the dome control to the scope's pointing position. Given I still use The Sky6 Professional Edition I was considering setting up the dome under MaximDL 4.x and connecting to the telescope via "A Sky 6 Controlled telescope" driver (which delays starting moving the dome until any goto issued by the Sky6 completes - but otherwise seems to work).

Then apart from sync'ing the scopes to the dome - I am sure there are other factors I haven't considered like adding an emergency sync button, or how to trouble shoot if the dome and scopes don't sync well etc...

So there is a fair bit to think through. I would really appreciate all insights folk can give me from their experiences!

Matthew

[w0mbat (Ian)]

Hi Matthew,
I bought a Sirius 2.3 M dome with Maxdome II rotation only a couple of years ago. While I am still in the process of getting the obs finally operational, I can answer some of your questions.
The Maxdome drive, electronics, battery, battery charge controller etc come in a fibre glass box which is completely self contained. The drive and therefore box actually hang on the drive track retained by a nylon guide. This will mean you have to allow clearance for the box and some form of attachment to the building structure. (it normally attaches to the wall panel of the Sirus Obs). The only cable that actually goes anywhere is the serial cable to the computer(which I run through a serial to usb converter, works fine).
I don't use the Sky but Maxdome integrates seamlessly with most software through ASCOM.
Synching the dome to the scope is what has given me most trouble and I still have not completely solved this. However most people report it works properly.
If you PM me your email address I will send you a photo inside my obs which shows Maxdome box position.
Hope this helps
Ian
ps I have just remembered that across the back of the Maxdome box there is a approx. a 100mm extension that normally compensates for the depth of the dome track/retaining ring so that the box can be bolted to the normal Sirius wall panels. You may need to allow for this.