Rob,?
Here are some initial thoughts: - Reset your Gemini by taking out the internal 3v battery for a few minutes. Replace it with a fresh one, just in case
- Make sure you set all correct settings, including time zone and time, geo location, mount type?
- Make sure you start as close to CWD position as you can
- Double-check that your motor cables are plugged in well, making good contact.
- Check that your oldham couplers are not slipping and the set screws are tightened down
- Check that your clutches hold well and do not slip
Regards,
? -Paul
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Rob,
my guesses ...follow:
1. Use Gemini.net to look at the values of your Model (the "T-model").? When the errors occur, write down the parameyers and their values.? ?Then "reload model from PC" which should be your hood stored model from when you reboot your PC connection.? Compare the values:? do you see any whacky values there when the system misbehaved?
2. How can pointing errors come sbpit? If you left "Synch performs additional Align " checked on the Gemini.net then perhaps your simple slew could have resulted in a pointing model error.??
I'd further guess that when you rebooted the Gemini, it can reload you good stored PC model back and made everthing work swell.... til the next slew and synch...
3. My reasoning was:?
Physical cable snags, or clutch slips, are possible,? but your "long time to slew" was a clue the mount went somewhere else far away, as you discovered.? So it's a Gemini calculation error.? That error comes from bad model values...
best regards, and good luck,? Michael?
On Oct 4, 2017 02:42, " sactowriter@... [Losmandy_users]" < Losmandy_users@...> wrote:
?
Futher update. Tonight it did the same thing on the third frame. This time I went out to check the mount before I sent it to CWD. I found that it had tried to "bend over backwards" or in other wards it had been sent looking for something in the Western sky?without?meridian flipping. The leg?of the mount stopped it, and, yes, I had put in safety limits. I believe this is what is happening every time.?On this particular time it had slewed to the new position fine and was only 97 pixtels from being centered. On the next move to bring it to within 50, it went flying off to the west.
For the last month and a half and through literally hundreds of subs, I have cold started the mount and let the plate solving software of SGP tell it where to go. This has gone on flawlessly until I left on a 5 day trip. When I came back, this problem began.?
I have gone line by line through the Gemini settings and found nothing amiss. I have no idea where to go with it now.
Thanks in advance for a suggestions you can offer.
Rob
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Futher update. Tonight it did the same thing on the third frame. This time I went out to check the mount before I sent it to CWD. I found that it had tried to "bend over backwards" or in other wards it had been sent looking for something in the Western sky?without?meridian flipping. The leg?of the mount stopped it, and, yes, I had put in safety limits. I believe this is what is happening every time.?On this particular time it had slewed to the new position fine and was only 97 pixtels from being centered. On the next move to bring it to within 50, it went flying off to the west.
For the last month and a half and through literally hundreds of subs, I have cold started the mount and let the plate solving software of SGP tell it where to go. This has gone on flawlessly until I left on a 5 day trip. When I came back, this problem began.?
I have gone line by line through the Gemini settings and found nothing amiss. I have no idea where to go with it now.
Thanks in advance for a suggestions you can offer.
Rob
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Hi everyone, For two nights, I have had exactly the same thing happen. I am taking a four plate mosaic of M31. The first plate goes flawlessly, but when the command to move a small distance to the next plate comes, there has been a problem both nights. The slew takes an abnormal amount of time but finally ends. When the plate solving picture is taken there are star trails, indicating that the mount is still moving. After trying to resolve it my connecting and disconnecting the software, both nights I have finally had to resort to parking the mount at CWD and turning Gemini off and then back on. When I go out to the mount it is not at exact CWD position. The RA is off about 20 degrees.
When I correct the CWD and restart Gemini, everything works fine for the remaining three plates, including a meridian flip. I can find nothing binding on the mount that might have caused this problem, but to me that seems to be?the most likely culprit.
Does anyone have any other ideas?
Rob ?
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Re: Mount refuses to go to Vega....?
Hi Magnus,
How fresh is your battery? If you have not changed it out in the last few months put a DVM on it and check the voltage. The other issue I have had when my Gemini 1 acted weirdly like this was resolved by replacing the USB to RS232 serial converter with a new ATEN USB to RS232 converter. IF this works you may have a bad or at least failing I/O ship in your Gemini 1 controller. Contact Michael Herman on this list and see if he can work you into the schedule for a repair.?
Chip ??
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Mount refuses to go to Vega....?
Hi! Lately, I've run into some problems with pointing my G-11 with a Gemini 1. For instance: I cold start the moint, then choose Go to bright star, Choose Vega or Deneb - high in south. ANd I get "***Interrupted***" from the HC. Or if I do it over the computer (running Ekos/Indi) it just says "slew complete, tracking" and still point to the north pole. First, I thought this was because of some error in the pointing model (like believing Vega was below the horizon), but when it happens on a cold start.... ? I manage to get around it, by choosing another star, say Dubhe, and align on that, and then manually move towards Cygnus or Lyra. But what might be going on here? Magnus
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Re: oops, forgot mount left on all night/day
Ron,
I didn't set the limits for a long time...didn't quite see them on the handset menu and didn't discover the easy way on the Gemini.net applet til a year or so after imaging with the system.??
It's now an important part of setting up imaging...especially if there is a chance I won't hear my alarm clock/phone go off.??
Stay well and have fun,
Michael?
On Oct 2, 2017 2:12 PM, " rappnron@... [Losmandy_users]" < Losmandy_users@...> wrote:
?
thank you both for the thoughtful replies
I have a 1 yr old Gemini 2, and although I tend to adjust the clutches rather snug I guess the worm gear didnt get damaged - as you say I have not detected slippage since the event. I suppose the slippable RA clutch just slipped along as it was supposed to do !.
yes, I need to set the limits
thanks again
Ron
---In Losmandy_users@..., Scary as that sounds,? you should be ok.? Your slippable RA clutch should have prevented serious damage from the slow motion collision.??
If you are using a Gemini unit, I'd suggest you use the nice Gemini.net applet to set the mount RA limits in East and more importantly West .? Then the mount should just stop? (and loudly beep) before it actually hits any mount physical obstacles.? (Allows sleeping imagers to have sweet dreams.)
You will have to re-Synch your pointing model next time you power up.?
All the best, Michael?
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Re: oops, forgot mount left on all night/day
thank you both for the thoughtful replies I have a 1 yr old Gemini 2, and although I tend to adjust the clutches rather snug I guess the worm gear didnt get damaged - as you say I have not detected slippage since the event. I suppose the slippable RA clutch just slipped along as it was supposed to do !. yes, I need to set the limits thanks again Ron ---In Losmandy_users@..., <mherman346@...> wrote : Scary as that sounds,? you should be ok.? Your slippable RA clutch should have prevented serious damage from the slow motion collision.??
If you are using a Gemini unit, I'd suggest you use the nice Gemini.net applet to set the mount RA limits in East and more importantly West .? Then the mount should just stop? (and loudly beep) before it actually hits any mount physical obstacles.? (Allows sleeping imagers to have sweet dreams.)
You will have to re-Synch your pointing model next time you power up.?
All the best, Michael?
On Oct 1, 2017 21:58, " rappnron@... [Losmandy_users]" < Losmandy_users@...> wrote:
?doieee
I left the mount power on all night and discovered the scope smack against the leg the following afternoon
Tracking seems to be OK, Ive not yet discovered any difference in handling,...?
but is there now something that I should evaluate? or do?
am I OK?
Ron ? (gee whiz do I HAVE to use my name??!)
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Re: What time zone should I be using please?
Okay thank you very much Linda.
Clear skies
Chris
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Re: File - Guidance on Posting Documents and Pictures.doc
It's automatic once a month.
Dan --. Please pardon any mispelings or errors.
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On Oct 2, 2017, at 10:13 AM, 'George Seitz' gwsarch@... [Losmandy_users] < Losmandy_users@...> wrote:
Please delete me from your Documents and Posting emails. ? Thank you. ? ? ?
File : Guidance on Posting Documents and Pictures.doc
Description : A few rules and comments to prevent anarchy in the files and photos section
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Re: What time zone should I be using please?
I think you should be at -4 for DST. typos courtesy of iPad
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On Oct 2, 2017, at 12:17 PM, denturist89@... [Losmandy_users] < Losmandy_users@...> wrote:
?
Hi Group
I keep forgetting this but what time zone should I be using now for daylight savings time -4 or -5 in my Gemini 1 level 4? I live in Ontario same time zone as New York. Thank you!
Chris
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What time zone should I be using please?
Hi Group
I keep forgetting this but what time zone should I be using now for daylight savings time -4 or -5 in my Gemini 1 level 4? I live in Ontario same time zone as New York. Thank you!
Chris
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Re: File - Guidance on Posting Documents and Pictures.doc
Please delete me from your Documents and Posting emails. ? Thank you. ?
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From: Losmandy_users@... [mailto:Losmandy_users@...]
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2017 8:17 PM
To: Losmandy_users@...
Subject: [Losmandy_users] File - Guidance on Posting Documents and Pictures.doc? ?
File : Guidance on Posting Documents and Pictures.doc
Description : A few rules and comments to prevent anarchy in the files and photos section
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Re: oops, forgot mount left on all night/day
High Ron
its just etiquette to sign your name...so we know who we are replying to.
I assume its a Gemini 1 system?? If so you can set Ra limits to stop this happening. Although yes I've had a Ra clash for a few hrs.?? Motor just got hot as the mount axes slipped against the clutch.
If not a Gemini system it still should be ok for the above..."slipping against the clutch"....aka doing what it was designed to do.
Brendan
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Re: oops, forgot mount left on all night/day
Scary as that sounds,? you should be ok.? Your slippable RA clutch should have prevented serious damage from the slow motion collision.??
If you are using a Gemini unit, I'd suggest you use the nice Gemini.net applet to set the mount RA limits in East and more importantly West .? Then the mount should just stop? (and loudly beep) before it actually hits any mount physical obstacles.? (Allows sleeping imagers to have sweet dreams.)
You will have to re-Synch your pointing model next time you power up.?
All the best, Michael?
On Oct 1, 2017 21:58, " rappnron@... [Losmandy_users]" < Losmandy_users@...> wrote:
?
doieee
I left the mount power on all night and discovered the scope smack against the leg the following afternoon
Tracking seems to be OK, Ive not yet discovered any difference in handling,...?
but is there now something that I should evaluate? or do?
am I OK?
Ron ? (gee whiz do I HAVE to use my name??!)
|
oops, forgot mount left on all night/day
doieee I left the mount power on all night and discovered the scope smack against the leg the following afternoon Tracking seems to be OK, Ive not yet discovered any difference in handling,...? but is there now something that I should evaluate? or do? am I OK? Ron ? (gee whiz do I HAVE to use my name??!)
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REPOSTED with the missing information:
Hi Chris,? My brain was not registering what you had posted. The Losmandy G11's clutches are not at the adjustment knob end of the axles, the clutches are at the top of the assembly near the DEC axis and near the saddle clamp directly under the large worm wheels so no packing will keep the clutches clean. These lower thrust bearings are a maybe a 10 minute job each to degrease, lube and reassemble. I would not bother to try to make something to keep out dust for a few reasons but mostly because as an imager I don't want to make any changes what could influence my mount's tracking error. For purely visual use in a dusty environment where the mount is left outdoors for the observing season maybe but if you take the mount indoors for the winter this is the perfect time to disassemble and clean the mount in preparation for the next season. Spend you time on other stuff, you know like observing.?
There is another option that would resolve any wavy spring washer OD clearance issues if you feel you have to use the wavy spring washer in the original Losmandy position. Just add one additional thicker thrust bearing race to the side of the thrust bearing stack to better support the bearing race and to raise the thrust bearing assembly stack height to the point where the wavy washer OD is outside the mount body bearing cavity. These are cheap from McMaster Carr but the shipping charges are insulting.?
Here is the??for the thicker bearing race washer you can use to increase the thrust bearing stack height.?Alternately?you can also stack one or more of the standard thickness bearing race washers, McMaster Carr?.?
Chip?
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File - Guidance on Posting Documents and Pictures.doc
File : Guidance on Posting Documents and Pictures.doc
Description : A few rules and comments to prevent anarchy in the files and photos section
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Re: DEC axis a bit stiff on G-11
The easiest way to see what's up is to take off the motor and worm. ?If it's free when the clutch is loose and binds with the clutch is tight, then there's likely an alignment problem. ?It only took 5-6 thousandths to throw off the alignment in such a manner that it marked the shaft. ?Remove that 5-6 thou offset and it is smooth as silk.
Eric
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Hi Linda,
The Pelican 1620 or iM2750 with their taller height will both carry the non-tucked motor G11 mounts. I use Pelican 1620 case for my portable studio strobe systems and my G11 before the upgrade used to fit with more than enough room to carry the full mount, Gemini, cables etc. and 2-3 counterweights. The issue of course is weight and bulk, I can barely lift the loaded case into the SUV hatch alone as the all up weight is well over 120lbs. Still doable for me but I imagine a pretty heavy load for most folks.?
The newer GM811G with tucked motors is very slightly smaller than my updated G11G spec mount with tucked motors, RAEXK etc. overall. But the base RA dimension are the same and it comfortably fits the Pelican 1610 cases and can be squeezed into a Pelican 1560 but there is not a lot of room in the case and the side padding is minimal so I went with the Pelican 1610. All of these cases are rolliers.?
Chip ?
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Paul Kanevsky
Michael Herman
Eric Chesak