Bode's Nebula (M81 and M82)
Mar 19, 2017 18:59:47 #
Thanks guys. Since is been so crappy out, I either play with old imagines, or lately been working on alignment and guiding. Playing around, I noticed some spots where I hear squeaky kind of noise from gear boxes...I'm thinking it may need some grease??? Have you guys had to do this to your mounts?
Mar 20, 2017 00:13:03 #
Europa wrote:
Thanks guys. Since is been so crappy out, I either play with old imagines, or lately been working on alignment and guiding. Playing around, I noticed some spots where I hear squeaky kind of noise from gear boxes...I'm thinking it may need some grease??? Have you guys had to do this to your mounts?
Not sure if the images help...these are 500 second images
Mar 20, 2017 00:23:54 #
No, no greasing.
However, I did have a few faint funny noises that turned out to be a plastic cover making noise.
The last time I did any exploratory surgery I found there was ample grease on my gears.
And since then it was in for it's second motor drive board failure and the tech also adjusted the backlash while he had it. He gave it a good going over. It was an embarrassing situation for them.
The weather looks like doo-doo for the next couple of weeks. Might be a good time to get the noise checked out by Celestron, and a backlash adjustment? It is probably getting well broke in now, and a little TLC can settle it in for the long haul. A Spring tune-up?
I can say my AVX has very good backlash now. Usually a max of 4 short taps gets it moving a different direction. (Most often 1-2) Rate 5
I rarely use anything but 5 when bobbing about zeroing in or such.
(By comparison, mines a Chevy, yours is a Rolls Royce)
I just pulled mine in for the night. Clouds clobbered my guiding. So it goes...
Fiddlesticks.
However, I did have a few faint funny noises that turned out to be a plastic cover making noise.
The last time I did any exploratory surgery I found there was ample grease on my gears.
And since then it was in for it's second motor drive board failure and the tech also adjusted the backlash while he had it. He gave it a good going over. It was an embarrassing situation for them.
The weather looks like doo-doo for the next couple of weeks. Might be a good time to get the noise checked out by Celestron, and a backlash adjustment? It is probably getting well broke in now, and a little TLC can settle it in for the long haul. A Spring tune-up?
I can say my AVX has very good backlash now. Usually a max of 4 short taps gets it moving a different direction. (Most often 1-2) Rate 5
I rarely use anything but 5 when bobbing about zeroing in or such.
(By comparison, mines a Chevy, yours is a Rolls Royce)
I just pulled mine in for the night. Clouds clobbered my guiding. So it goes...
Fiddlesticks.
Mar 20, 2017 00:43:18 #
PEC - I've been noticing I need to engage it before I go to guiding.
My steps are kind of like this now:
1. 2+4 alignment
2. Focusing check/adjustment on my last alignment star.
3. PEC playback started (when I can remember)
4. PHD2 guiding started and allowed to settle in.
5. PEC started if I forgot.
6. PHD2 guiding started and allowed to settle in.
7. Find a DSO to image.
8. If DSO is in a new part of the sky, shut off (close) PHD2, and restart it.
9. Repeat 4 & 5.
10. See what happens trying to image.
11. If I move to avoid clouds, repeat 8,9,10.
12. PHD2 goes white out.
13. Go out and look at the sky with disgust.
14. Go-to home, Shut down, remove telescope, bag mount, cover with 32 gallon dome.
15. Pack in and stow telescope, hope tomorrow is a better day.
16. Come and write silly stuff on the Internet.
17. Go watch something to sleep by on the TV.
18. Go to bed when the wife yells at me to stop snoring.
Perfectly normal for this viewing season...
My steps are kind of like this now:
1. 2+4 alignment
2. Focusing check/adjustment on my last alignment star.
3. PEC playback started (when I can remember)
4. PHD2 guiding started and allowed to settle in.
5. PEC started if I forgot.
6. PHD2 guiding started and allowed to settle in.
7. Find a DSO to image.
8. If DSO is in a new part of the sky, shut off (close) PHD2, and restart it.
9. Repeat 4 & 5.
10. See what happens trying to image.
11. If I move to avoid clouds, repeat 8,9,10.
12. PHD2 goes white out.
13. Go out and look at the sky with disgust.
14. Go-to home, Shut down, remove telescope, bag mount, cover with 32 gallon dome.
15. Pack in and stow telescope, hope tomorrow is a better day.
16. Come and write silly stuff on the Internet.
17. Go watch something to sleep by on the TV.
18. Go to bed when the wife yells at me to stop snoring.
Perfectly normal for this viewing season...
Mar 20, 2017 01:10:03 #
SonnyE wrote:
PEC - I've been noticing I need to engage it befor... (show quote)
I've got 12-18 down...I have been shutting down PHD more lately.
Mar 20, 2017 09:15:15 #
Mar 20, 2017 14:52:14 #
Europa wrote:
Thanks guys. Since is been so crappy out, I either play with old imagines, or lately been working on alignment and guiding. Playing around, I noticed some spots where I hear squeaky kind of noise from gear boxes...I'm thinking it may need some grease??? Have you guys had to do this to your mounts?
Hey Brian if you are using the CGE Pro mount it has some easily removed cover plates over the worm drives.
You may want to use a cloth soaked in alcohol to remove the old grease first before using a Celestron
approved grease. Now the squeaky noise, I'm wondering if you have a worn gear or a misalignment of gears???
I know the Celestron's wrrrrrrrrr slightly when slewing but are almost silent when guiding. Any other sounds are
suspicious to me. You do want a slight amount of backlash in the worm gear setup. If the gears are to sloppy
or too tight will cause excess noise.
Craig
Mar 20, 2017 15:19:55 #
CraigFair wrote:
Hey Brian if you are using the CGE Pro mount it ha... (show quote)
Thanks Craig, I did remove the cover plates and everything "seems" okay. I'm assuming they don't require much grease, there was a little. I'm wondering if there are ball bearings somewhere that need grease? I leave the mount out (covered) all of the time and with the damp weather we have had, maybe they are rusting. I see signs of rust on the counter weights and counter weight bar.
Mar 20, 2017 18:53:14 #
Europa wrote:
Thanks Craig, I did remove the cover plates and everything "seems" okay. I'm assuming they don't require much grease, there was a little. I'm wondering if there are ball bearings somewhere that need grease? I leave the mount out (covered) all of the time and with the damp weather we have had, maybe they are rusting. I see signs of rust on the counter weights and counter weight bar.
I'm pretty sure they would use Worm Gear Bearings. There are articles about hypertuning your mount and I have read one of those and did some of the work: Cleaning gears then Lithium Grease & removing some of the backlash in the worm drives. You can buy a whole kit to replace bearings etc.
Here is a quote from an expert: ""Unfortunately, I do not have a DVD on the CGE Pro. That mount is fairly difficult to work on and requires some tools and materials that are a little less common for most people so I have been hesitant to complete a DVD for it"".
https://www.deepspaceproducts.com/hypertune-service-for-the-celestron-cge-pro-mount_8_4226_9319.html
Good luck Brian. I don't know your mechanical abilities but it's something to consider before attacking.
I just assume your talking about the CGE Pro mount.
Craig
Mar 21, 2017 00:22:31 #
CraigFair wrote:
I'm pretty sure they would use Worm Gear Bearings.... (show quote)
Yes, that's the one...I'm very good a tearing down, not so good at putting it back together tho.
Mar 21, 2017 01:17:00 #
Call me, I'm good at both.
I wouldn't touch it. Read their fine print in the warranty.
Don't give them any excuse.
Mar 21, 2017 01:30:35 #
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