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HEQ5 Altitude adjustment mod


woodblock

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This summer I want to do something about the altitude adjustment on my HEQ5. This is to do with the screw on the polarscope side. If you have an HEQ5 I'm sure you know  the problem. I'd be interested to know if anyone has modified the mount and how you did it.

Cheers

Steve

 

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I just replaced the SW bolts with a pair of M10 x 75  stainless steel fully threaded hex bolts costing 68p each. I rounded the ends of the threads to a hemisphere on a grinder and that was it. I have a 17mm hex spanner affixed to one of the legs with a couple of rare earth magnets so adjustment is close to hand.

I didn’t have a problem with the original screws for adjustment so unsure of what issue you have but I did find that I got an occasional cable snag on the SW originals. The hex bolts do not snag on anything.

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Thanks Terry, I replaced the bolts a while ago. The problem is that the altitude adjustment is very 'soft' for want of a better word. The north side bolt is ok but the south side bolt is not.  I don't know what it's like inside but I think that the problem is that the thing that the south bolt presses onto is at a shallow angle to the bolt (at my latitude) and also the bolt extends a long way out of the thread. The result is that when you tighten it up the bolt either bends slightly or it slides along the face of whatever it presses on to so it feels kind of squidgy (technical term). I'm always afraid I might overtighten and bend the bolt permanently or do some other damage.  I have heard reports of altitude adjustment bolts on the HEQ5 becoming bent.

 

I have to setup outside each session so I polar align each time. I have it worked out so there is not much adjustment to do but there is some. On several occasions I've done the polar alignment and then found later that the altitude has some slight slack in it because I haven't tightened the bolts enough.  I imagine what is needed is some wedge shaped piece attached to the part the bolt presses against so that the bolt is at right angles to the face and that the extended bolt length is not to long.  I'm hoping that someone has done this already.

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Thanks Terry, I saw that a long time ago and it's been out of stock for ages. I've asked for notification when it's back in stock and heard nothing for at least a year so I'm assuming that DarkFrame are not supporting the product any longer.

 

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I seem to recall a replacement Wedge thingy being on the market a while back, Can;t remember what it was called but Dion on Astronomy Shed was demonstrating it, and Bern at Modern Astrobnomy was selling it, but not sure if it was just for the EQ6 models.  Also not sure if it was withdrawn, but might be worth a few enquiries.

 

I will see if I can find anything.

 

Carole 

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I found his tutorial.  As I say not heard any more about it or whether it is still for sale, but might give you some ideas.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Carastro
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I've bodged something that works. I don't need anything elaborate because I only ever need to make small adjustments, probably not more than +/- half a turn of the bolt.  So I've fashioned a bit of hardwood faced with a piece of 3mm steel and stuck it in place with araldite. This means that the bolt is at right angles where it presses against the plate and also shortens the screw by about an inch.  It's not pretty but it works.

 

By the way, something I found out a while ago, probably you already know it but I'll say it anyway. On the HEQ5 under the black, plastic disk on the side of the mount there are three grub screws which adjust the clearance on the altitude movement. I had noticed that there was noticeable movement on that axis on my mount. Tightening up the three grub screws took up the slack and improved things no end. You have to remove that black, plastic disk. The only way I found to get it off was to prise it off with a thin screwdriver or knife.  I've never bothered to put them back.

 

Cheers

Steve

 

 

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