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HEQ5 Comms errors


woodblock

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I've suddenly started getting comms errors between EQMOD and my HEQ5 mount. My laptop is connected directly to the handset port on the mount and it has an EQDIR adaptor at the laptop end where it plugs into the USB port.

 

The comms errors come up on the EQMOD error log -

 

COMMERR.ER=9044459

COMMERR.ED=1677216

COMMERR.MSR=144

COMmERR.MSD=128

 

The second pair of numbers are always the same, the first pair have different values sometimes.

 

I can control the mount through the EQMOD control thing so it kind of works but it does odd things. I noticed the problem originally when the RA and DEC displayed on the EQMOD thing would suddenly flick to a different value for a second and the return to the correct value. Both RA an DEC are affected. 

 

I've checked the mount power supply and it's fine. I did have problems some time ago running it off a 12v supply. It's now on a 13.5v supply and has been working fine for several years.

 

I've disconnected all other USB items from my laptop so only the mount is connected.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers

Steve

 

 

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I can’t help there Steve as I no longer use EQMOD with my HEQ5Pro having moved to INDI on Linux a while back with an EQDIR cable Lynx Astro FTDI EQDIR USB Adapter https://www.firstlightoptics.com/astronomy-cables-leads-accessories/lynx-astro-ftdi-eqdir-usb-adapter-for-sky-watcher-eq5-pro-heq5-syntrek-pro-az-eq5-gt-az-eq6-gt-and-eq8-mounts.html that cable working fine with EQMOD too.

Somebody else might chip in and know what the issue may be.

 

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I'd try a different cable to eliminate it form possible causes... Nothing else appears to have change in your set up so maybe the cable has developed a poor contact over time ?

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Thanks, I'm going to order a new cable and if that doesn't work then I'll change the motherboard.

 

What kind of power supply do you use with your HEQ5?  Originally I had a mains powered 12v PSU but I got comms errors and someone told me that the HEQ5 needs a higher voltage than 12v.  The specified range is 12v-15v. I bought a new 13.5v power supply and that cured the problem and I've been using it successfully for about 3 years. These things come to try us don't they?

 

Cheers

Steve

 

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I have a mains 13.8v power supply that can supply up to 30 amps. However I made sure that the feed cable is as short as possible which on mine is around 2.5 metres. I can’t remember the gauge of the cable but it is fairly large.

I feed that into a “DC 8V ~40 volts to 12v auto step up/down boost buck voltage regulator” (look for that on Amazon) which supplies 12 v regardless of the input voltage. Input voltage can fall to 8 volts and yet the regulator still supplies 12v out at 4 amps. This is to compensate for voltage drop over long cable lengths.

I then feed just the output of that into the mount.

 

The mount will flash its red light if the input voltage falls below 10 volts if I remember correctly. I got that happening when I put my dual imaging rig onto the HEQ5Pro complete with 4 dew straps all at full tilt. When the coolers were engaged on the two cameras the current draw was fairly high but still ok. However when I measured the voltage at a breakout point near to the mount power input it had fallen quite a lot.

The addition of the boost buck regulator eliminated the problem. I still feed the camera coolers and dew straps straight from the “raw” 13.8v supply but the mount is always fed with regulated 12 volts.

 

I also have a Jackery 500 which is a portable battery powered supply and that pushes out around 13.8 volts too. That works fine in the HEQ5 although I use that on my portable rig which is based around a EQM35 Pro.

 

If the red light is not flashing then the power supply is arriving at the mount within the correct voltage tolerances.

 

Have a look at my blog entry where I mention the regulator.

 

 

 

 

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21 hours ago, woodblock said:

Thanks, I'm going to order a new cable and if that doesn't work then I'll change the motherboard.

 

What kind of power supply do you use with your HEQ5?  Originally I had a mains powered 12v PSU but I got comms errors and someone told me that the HEQ5 needs a higher voltage than 12v.  The specified range is 12v-15v. I bought a new 13.5v power supply and that cured the problem and I've been using it successfully for about 3 years. These things come to try us don't they?

 

Cheers

Steve

 

I use a 13.8 amateur radio 20 amp supply but also a pair of 12v AGM 12ah in parallel for field use ... All seems to be ok 🤞🏻

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I've replaced the EQDIR cable and that seems to have cured the problem. Everything else is the same.

 

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