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Mach1 strange noise when DEC slewing North
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Ross Salinger
Make sure that you have not turned on the Reverse DEC Output After Meridian Flip setting in the PHD "brain".
Rgrds-Ross |
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john.hobbs@...
SharpCap was showing about 15 arcseconds polar alignment error. I ran PHD2 guiding assistant after that and before imaging. The log shows 2.8 arc-min PA error and recommended 680ms DEC backlash compensation.
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Roland Christen
the DEC line would just go right off the chart. Sounds like very bad polar alignment. With good polar alignment the stars won't drift in Dec, so PHD2 would only occasionally send a guide pulse.
PHD2 also has a routine for checking Dec backlash, and you need to run this before every session just to make sure everything is working ok. In fact, run the entire wizard routine so you know what the mount is doing.
Roland
-----Original Message-----
From: john.hobbs@... To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Sat, Nov 26, 2022 5:39 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach1 strange noise when DEC slewing North Thanks Roland. I will be re-greasing it this coming week. The mount would move north during guiding, but the DEC adjustments being sent by PHD2 couldnt keep up and the DEC line would just go right off the chart. This occured right after a meridan flip. Prior to the flip, guiding was fine. I am hoping that the loose motor is related, but wont get a chance to test it for at least a week according to the weather.
-- Roland Christen Astro-Physics |
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john.hobbs@...
Thanks Roland. I will be re-greasing it this coming week. The mount would move north during guiding, but the DEC adjustments being sent by PHD2 couldnt keep up and the DEC line would just go right off the chart. This occured right after a meridan flip. Prior to the flip, guiding was fine. I am hoping that the loose motor is related, but wont get a chance to test it for at least a week according to the weather.
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Roland Christen
That's not an unusual sound for that gearbox when the pinions and gear teeth are dry. It appears to me that you also need to re-grease the worm as well as the spur gears.
When you say it won't guide when tracking north, are you saying that the mount won't move in Dec in the North direction? Check to make sure that the setscrew on the spur gear on the end of the worm is tight. If it's loose it won't reverse properly.
Roland Christen
-----Original Message-----
From: john.hobbs@... To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Sat, Nov 26, 2022 10:52 am Subject: [ap-gto] Mach1 strange noise when DEC slewing North My Mach1 mount started making a strange noise when DEC is slewing North. Besides just being noisy, it now will not guide when the object is tracking north. I have re-meshed the DEC worm gear according to old procedure. The foremost spur gear is not too tight as I am able to turn it with my fingers fairly easily. Any help is appreciated. Video located here https://www.youtube.com/shorts/b0gZ4MHYMYg
-- Roland Christen Astro-Physics |
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john.hobbs@...
Looks like I got it fixed. I removed the DEC housing from the mount and tested it by holding down the N followed by the S buttons on the keypad. but it still made the noise. I removed each of the gears and tested, but no change. I checked the bolts holding the motor to the DEC housing and some of them were loose. I tightened and re-assembled. Purrs like a kitten now.
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john.hobbs@...
My Mach1 mount started making a strange noise when DEC is slewing North. Besides just being noisy, it now will not guide when the object is tracking north. I have re-meshed the DEC worm gear according to old procedure. The foremost spur gear is not too tight as I am able to turn it with my fingers fairly easily. Any help is appreciated. Video located here https://www.youtube.com/shorts/b0gZ4MHYMYg
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