Jump to content

More Mods to the HEQ5 Pro Mount


TerryMcK

302 views

The latest was to change the bearings in the HEQ5 Pro to SKF and TimKen bearings as I have already covered in this thread https://www.backyardastro.org/topic/1736-heq5pro-bearing-replacement.

 

I followed AstroBloke's excellent Youtube video showing how he did it and also took the opportunity to clean out all the factory grease. I replaced that which SuperLube PTFE based grease and didn't have such a heavy hand as the SkyWatcher folk did. The mount now moves free and easily in both axis.

Guiding is down from 1" RMS on average to about 0.6" RMS and occasionally drops much lower. I also removed a lot of mass from the moving bits of the head putting those parts, like the focuser controller and dew heater on the non moving part. 

 

The cable management was the next part as I have gone through several iterations of this by carefully looping cables to avoid snags. Truth be known I think I kept the cable loops too short previously, encasing them in spiral wrap and that induced a side loading to the mechanism of the mount. I heard odd creaks and groans from the cables especially when cold.

The product I am now using to encase the cables is woven nylon split sleeving. This is marketed as "preventing your pets chewing cables to TVs etc". I have never had a problem with that!

 

So I set about producing longer loops and more of them. So for instance the loop carrying the power to the mount and the EQMOD cable goes in its own loop which is secured just to the RA head. The spiral wrap is fitted to support the harness when the RA turns to stop it from catching one of the altitude bolts. There is still lots of slack in the cable forming the loop.

IMG_1228.thumb.png.4c2c318570a27f57cd71be8df1b27002.png

 

Next the cables from the dew heaters are secured to the scope itself and fall in a graceful loop directly to the dewheater controller.

 

Finally the USB3, focuser cable and power cable to the scope itself also fall in a graceful loop and are secured to the scope with a quick release clip.

IMG_1218.thumb.png.fd0d0b9a17576edb3c57c7ebfb569ee9.png

This has resulted in no drag caused by cabling and no possibility of snagging, not that it would have done before.

 

The harness from the scope is secured with these quick release clips which I screwed to the focuser bracket rather than relying upon the self adhesive.

 

IMG_1227.thumb.jpeg.e2f3686775308758717f6a9153c321d3.jpeg

 

Here you can see the scope harness removed and the socket head screw holding the clip in place.

0 Comments


Recommended Comments

There are no comments to display.

×
×
  • Create New...