I did adjust the drive gears in the AVX mount to try and minimize the backlash.
Any tighter and the motors would start to sound different, which indicated to
me it was getting too tight.
Repacking and reseating bearings is not something I have any relevant
experience in so I’d undertake that only as a last resort.
I definitely need to learn more about PHD2 and its extensive set of parameters
and tools. That seems like a full time hobby just in itself! I’ve never seen it
give me any values for the backlash. But now I now to go look for it. Thanks!
BTW, Celestron claims the AVX has a weight capacity of 30 lbs. So you were in
spec! My current payload comes it at around 18 lbs, so I should be within my
AVX’s capability. I’m not sure whether I’m east, west, or neutral balanced due
to the stiffness of the bearings on my AVX. I’ll try deliberately adding an
east bias this evening when I remount the OTA and see if that, along with all
the other changes, makes a difference.
And I’m violating one of the basic tenets of trouble shooting: change only one
thing at a time! So I’ll probably get bit by that too.
Mike McDonald
mikemac@xxxxxxxxxxx
On Mar 22, 2019, at 11:38 AM, David <ddillmore@xxxxxxx> wrote:
I used my AVX for 2 years before I had to service it. I got something like
8 of total backlash (according to PHD2). The AVX gears are anchored with
set screws, which loosened. I greased and reduced the gap between the gears
as much I dare and such that the gears still turned freely. I got something
like 30 total back lash (which is good for a rank amateur like me). I found
that an eastward bias in the balance is essential, I could not get PHD2 to
work otherwise.
I had put 28 lbs on the mount intended for a maximum payload of 25 lbs. I
used an 8 Newtonian, a DSLR camera, an Orion 80mm short tube with
Starshooter (?) for guiding, and the original finder scope. I changed to a
50mm Orion finder scope which has a built-in focuser and takes 1.25
eyepieces, and got rid of the 80mm scope. This reduced the payload to 22
lbs.
-
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