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balancing your entire imaging rig

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I've seen countless videos on how to do it, on the RA and DEC axis, it's pretty straight forward.
However, has anyone actually gone further that just "that'll do it" kind of approach? ie: taking measurements, weight etc... to find the exact point of balance?
4 years 11 months ago #38218

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Ha, our posts just crossed. See my latest comment in your other post. And, as I have stated there, check out this presentation about this very topic . Anyway, crossing posts set aside, I think this is quite an important topic and it deserves its own thread here.
Last edit: 4 years 11 months ago by Wouter van Reeven.
4 years 11 months ago #38219

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I really don’t think there is any need to be that precise, by that I mean it needs to balanced but just by look and feel, no need for taking measurements, besides mounds guide better when slightly loaded on the east side and also back heavy, if you have it too well balanced you may get it flipping back and fourth inbetween teeth on the worm gear, and nobody wants that.. :)
Something to consider though, it is best to have more weight higher up the weight shaft rather than less lower down, as this reduces the work the mount has to do...I will explain

The effort required by the mount to change the movement of an axis is determined by the moment of inertia. The moment of inertia varies as the square of the distance to the counterweights.

Consider two different configurations. The first one uses 10 lb of counterweights 10" down the shaft, and the second one uses 5 lb of counterweights 20" down the shaft. They will both balance the same, but the second one has twice the moment of inertia as the first. So any time the mount needs to start tracking, stop tracking, or make a guide correction, it will have to work twice as hard.

To get the best imaging performance out of the mount, you want the counterweights as close to the axis as possible, even if it means the mount is carrying more weight. As long as the load is balanced, reducing the moment of inertia more than offsets any negative effects of the extra counterweights. HTH.. :)
The following user(s) said Thank You: Gonzothegreat, Greg
4 years 11 months ago #38239

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Being east-heavy indeed is a tip one hears very often. However, the TP has stated that he has a belt mod (as do I) and in that case this requirement can and should be relaxed a lot. Also, this only helps as long as the mount hasn't performed a meridian flip.

I agree on putting the weights up as much as possible which is something I learned about a few months ago but haven't put to practise myself.

EDIT: The TP has stated that is some play on the RA axis.
Last edit: 4 years 11 months ago by Wouter van Reeven.
4 years 11 months ago #38241

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That how I have my mounts. Little heavier on EAST side just to the point where the axis starts moving. That takes care of RA motor meshes.
The same on DEC, camera heavier the same way. And counterweight closest to the RA axis, even if it requires more weight.
No need to exaggerate just slight adjustments taking care not to stress the motors and they don't stall with the weight.
4 years 11 months ago #38242

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Lots of good tips there, I shall experiment this summer in August.
4 years 11 months ago #38243

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