HEQ5 problems

[mickw]

With the mount in RA and the bar near horizontal theres a clicking sound about every 8 seconds, that seems to be the only position it does it.

Serious ?

Apart from that everything went well tonight.....................
Oh, all the software was taking turns to crash, the mount does not have a clue where it's pointing, intermittent connection problem on the LX to the camera and I've run out of beer and fags

[Rocket Pooch]

Mick,

It sounds like the scope is out of balance, if it is it will cause the motors to strain then slip, check the balance.

Or, the worms are not meshing quite right, but my money is on the above.

Chris

[mickw]

Cheers Chris, I'll be setting up again from scratch today, something isn't right, so I'll check the balance out and hope that's it.

[mickw]

I think I've found the cause of the problem, at some time during polar alignment I locked the RA setting circle with the setscrew (different from EQ6) which seems to put friction on the rotation of the mount.  Before I noticed the screw and after I removed all kit, the clicking was still there and the mount was tight on that side.  I've undone the screw and the click has gone but the mount is still slightly stiff in the same position.  I think the clicking must have been friction/jamming in the rotation so more of a squeak if you know what I mean.

There are no "bad sounds" coming from the mount moving it by hand and I was wondering if rotating it in each direction several times might ease it.

[Fay]

Mick, you are our new little trouper, setting up yet again!!

I will set up again, been outside 6 times & got nothing, PHD not showing any guide stars, with any camera, guiding graph like the alps!!!!!!!! 

[mickw]

new little trouper

More like dope with the daft things I'm doing, and don't forget, I "don't do cold"

After spinning the head a few times by hand, I hooked up the handset and power and ran it 1 3/4 turns in each direction - there was no apparent badness or weird noises - I may have got away with it this time.

[mickw]

Reasembled everything, it was also out of balance 

Stripped down the laptop and cleaned all the crap out of the fan which now runs quieter.  I think I'll have to ditch Starry Night as well though as it seems too processor intensive and the fan still tends to get a bit excited when I fire it up.
Loaded up Stellarium and Carte du Ciel, Stellarium also seems a bit intense so I'll have a go with CdC tonight.

[mickw]

Carte du Ciel is the way to go, no trauma or fan heater out of the laptop.

Mount fine, no clunking thank god
CdC fine, works OK
PHD fine but moody
EQMod fine
APT fine but quirky - I'll wait until I see my results later

Stoopid things I'd done previously -
Polar alignment way out
Incorrectly "synching" in EQMod, which means duff alignment - That would explain some bizzare gotos

Guiding appeared to work well, but I see the need to keep an eye on it.
I'm going to bed when the hour of darks has finished - I hope it's worth it