Astrosite.co.uk - HEQ5 Belt Modification using the Rowan Astronomy Kit
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ส.ค. 2024
- I've put together a video of the modification of my HEQ5 Pro with a Rowan Astronomy belt modification. Didn't quite go like clockwork (so to speak), but I'm happy with the result, pending first light! Forgive my lack of engineering knowledge - my terminology isn't exactly consistent, and I may have the names of certain bits and bobs wrong. However, most of the time I'm pointing to things so hopefully it won't be an issue... :)
A bit more info available at the article on my site...
www.astrosite.c...
Kit available here...
rowanastronomy....
Got this mod installed along with new HQ bearings and bushings to replace the originals. Now have a PE of less than 1 arc second! Saves dropping $5,000+ on an AP Mach 1 for a couple of years yet! :-)
Gary Plummer Brilliant! Great to see it quantified like that. Ties up with mine and others’ qualitative results... 👍
Gary Plummer Brilliant! Great to see it quantified like that. Ties up with mine and others’ qualitative results... 👍
Gary Plummer Brilliant! Great to see it quantified like that. Ties up with mine and others’ qualitative results... 👍
Great video thanks. Especially the non clockwork bits happens to us all at times. Your view on difference before/after mod in relation to curing backlash would have been interesting as well.
Hi Colm,
Thanks for that - glad it was useful! At the time, I hadn't really tried it out 'in action'. However, after a good amount of use, I can now say that the backlash is massively reduced by this mod. Not 100%, as you still have other sources of backlash, but all-in-all, it's much improved. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it :)
That was great, however you never explained how the clouds know when we want to look at the stars.
Thank you! Very useful
Thanks for the video.
I did not understand what the epoxy is for. What part was it applied to?
Did Sinta/Skywatcher/Orion ever change their original cog/worm mechanism to this belt version, following customer feedback (assuming the belt mod is a real improvement, other than being less noisy)? If not, one wonders why not, after all this time. Price competitiveness?
It was never replaced in the HEQ5 or the NEQ6. However, Synta's more recent mounts, like the AZ-EQ6, and the AZ-EQ5 are belt-drive models. The belt mod is definitely an improvement, and the fact that Synta haven't released a new non-belt mount for a long time (apart from the things like the star adventurers etc), tells you quite a lot... I'd never go back to the non-belt version.
axemanbob Thanks. One reason I’m now going for the AZ EQ6. I love alt-az for visual too, so it’s a (quieter) win-win. Not sure that belts improve tracking accuracy though.
Probably ordered the brass gears in batches of 20,000 to keep the price down... Be an upgrade when they run out, probably.
Hi Adam,
i would like to know if you had any chance at testing that c8 you have at your mount. I am asking since i ordered the kit and i also image with an RC8 and sometimes with an ED80, also at your web page what are the exposures at the photos you took?
kostas stavropoulos Hi Kostas. I actually decided to move away from the SCT route for astrophotography, as i don't have a permanent setup. I found that setting up and breaking down a setup every time, and also trying to get guiding working successfully on such a long focal length was too hit and miss. I've therefore sold the C8 on (much as I like it!), and now do my AP with two refractors - a 102ED and a 70ED, both guided with a finder-guider. The SCT turned out to be too long to get consistently good results with a non-permanent setup.
When I eventually get a permanent setup (i.e. in an observatory), I'll probably return to the SCT, but until then, I'll stick with the shorter FL refractors.
Nicely done. Can you advise what is the name of epoxy glue used to secure belt drive pulleys? Cheers.
Antek Awiator It was just a generic own-brand 5-minute one from a DIY shop I think... Any decent epoxy should be fine I would have thought...
Can´t one buy spare motor plates of the new type so one doesn´t need to drill the old ones? The drilling part didn´t look to fun to mess around with?
G. Costanza Possibly, I’m not sure. To be honest though it’s not hard if you take care with a hand drill, or use a pillar drill. It’s not like you’ll be going back to the original setup once you installed the belt kit anyway (at least I can’t see any reason why...!). Mine is still going strong :). I’d say see if you can get them, then only buy if you really screw it up :). Otherwise it’s just more cost and you’ll just end up with a spare plate you won’t use.
Lucky you didnt buy the Pinion Gear Extractor. Mine snapped almost right away. Gear was not even close to coming of
Mine worked fine.
very good job ! ;)
Hello Bob. Any news on your Rowan Astronomy Kit mod ?
It's been excellent. I haven't got as much imaging in over the last year, but when I have, it's performed really well, with no repeat of my previous issues. I've recommended it to multiple people who'd gone ahead on both HEQ5 and NEQ6 mounts and they've all been happy with the end result.
doesnt sound much different