I Put A Giant Telescope On My ZWO AM7 Mount AGAIN (This Time It Worked!)
This is a follow-up to my previous test where things didn’t exactly go to plan. This time, I fixed the key issues - proper counterweight and correctly tightened altitude mechanism...
Interesting to watch the Edge HD 14 on AM7 mount. I do not see the ZWO pier extension for the Edge HD14 tripod. Will it not touch the tripod when going to Zenith position and meredian flip? Many times I had problem with the telescope (Askar 120APO) touching the tripod even with two pier extensions, specially during meredian flip.
The barycenter of the EdgeHD 14 is pretty much all the way at the back due to the heavy mirror! So the scope itself cannot touch. And the scope is also chubby enough that the camera is far out enough to clear the tripod too 😊
@the_space_koala Thank you. Yesterday received my Edge HD8 for planetary imaging. Seriously thinking about adding the Hyperstar for Nebulas.
Congrats on the new tube! If you have an IMX571 I would not bother with the hyperstar. You will get amazing images - just get the 0.7x reducer
Some mechanical aptitude along with reading the instructions can go a long way. 😊
Thank you Luca for this very useful video. I purchase the AM7 and returned it for a replacement because it would not track at low declination. My 20Kg C11 did not slip since I had a 10Kg counter weight on. However, it would not track a low declination so Phd2 calibration was not possible. When I received the replacement mount, I decide to test if the new mount will work with my 20Kg telescope without the use of 10Kg counter weigh. As I slew the telescope, the altitude started to slip but I caught it before it slammed into the telescope pier. I am so glad that I watched your video because it alert me that this is a possibility. It appears to me that ZWO does not torque the altitude screws sufficiently tight when they shipped out the mount. Perhaps they are doing this intentionally to prevent you from damage the gears when you are near the weight capacity of the mount. I proceed to tighten up the altitude lock screws, attached the 10Kg counterweight, and the mount worked perfectly afterward. Now thinking about it, perhaps my first mount is OK and that if I just tighten up the altitude screws, the mount would have worked correctly. My only excuse is I need to follow Luca videos more closely so I subscribed to your channel today.
what version of the C11 do you have that weighs 20kg? Mine is no more than 12-13 I think... I have been using it on the AM7 without any counterweights
Mine is the C11HD with a 70mm finder sitting on top, Celestron 0.7x reducer, and Celestron aluminum dew cap. I recalled it weight in at 45 pounds. Interestingly, the MLastro SAL-33 which you reviewed can also handle this telescope with no problem.
Thank you very much for sharing. I need a lot of work on my few hours of data I have been producing.
Is there an advantage to a strain-wave harmonic mount? My Meade 12” on an iOptron CEM60EC2 gives me 0.2-0.5 arcsecond (average seeing in Bortle 5) guiding which is fine for my 3000mm focal length.
strainwave mounts are by nature less precise in tracking than traditional german equatorial mounts. The main benefits are their small size, weight, and that they do not need counterweights for the most part and do not need balancing in DEC either
@the_space_koala okay - thanks. So my setup is permanent in a dome: In that case I’ll probably stay with an EQ mount!
Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse https://youtu.be/jOGIxSF0j2s?si=AZniGMqoejycBcdz
Sirius the star https://youtu.be/Og27UJNHOns?si=mwkr0DDPnIAbf7Pr
I am still debating on getting the Artec 250 in my collection but with the weight of 20kg without camera, filter wheel, mini-PC/ASIAIR, ... can this really put the mount to the test also due to it's overall bulkiness. Do you consider a AM7 mount capable and comfortable to handle this scope? Thank you already,
Yes this mount handled the Artec 250 without issues
That location is so beautiful. Amazing scenery all around you! Oh and the scopes are nice too lol
Needle galaxy image looks great! Amazing work!
Do you get a lot of wind up in the mountains? Our mountains tend to be wind generators which is why an observatory for larger scopes or some sort of wind barrier is preferable.
Yes there’s a lot of wind coming from the north in this period. I am somewhat protected where I am but it still gets quite windy
Olá! Parabéns pelo canal! Um abraço, Elias, São Paulo, Brasil😉
Think about a hasselblad x2d, latest version, see if a adapter is available 😊
I don’t even have a telescope that can illuminate a medium format sensor 😅
I can't imagine any mount not experiencing some serious wear internally with loads like this.
Love your videos. Thanks for redoing the test and sharing the results.
Beautiful image - great video as always. Just wish we had even 1 clear night here in Ireland. It’s like the clouds never lift here 4 months on… oh well
It’s interesting that when I got my AM3 a few years ago I had to adjust those hex screws because I couldn’t set my altitude with any reserve. Maybe ZWO should ship it set to an altitude that isn’t common to force users to set it up for their location.
You must be a quantum powered AI. Very impressive all the info just streaming out. Question, is the GEM dead? I have an old Meade from the mid 1980’s and looking at a new mount. I’m retired so cost is a thing.
You just appeared in my feed I’m hooked 😄
Did you swwitch cold/big looad mode on?
Thanks for having bad seeing :)