Hi All,
We are struggling to get a good (imaging) cable management solution to work with our new G11G and would like some advice.

Our mount safety limits are currently set to 95 degrees on both east and west, with the default goto limit.
We also replaced the Az hold down wing nuts with the larger, handles that are used on the top of the tripod legs. This allows the Az deck to be tightened down much more easily and firmly during PA, and then the handles can be positioned so there are less surfaces to snag on than the aluminum wing nuts;

Everything seems OK with a 12" CAT, but we are struggling with cable routing when using a small(er) 102 APO with OAG and 50mm EAA finder.
(On the CAT we are anchoring to the LX200 handle with velcro.)

Our cabling is routed through a home made sleeve, consisting of satin blanket edging sewn into a sleeve. This is super slippery and flexible and glides?
over anything on the mount except for the hook side of velcro.?
We use a LOT of double sided velcro strapping on the tripod legs, both the skinny and wide versions from Home Depot, with the loop side always facing outward to minimize snagging as well. That way we are not gooing up the tripod with velcro adhesive all over the place.

We are running ultra-flexible silicone 16 ga power for camera cooling, as well as 3 zwo flat usb3 cables and? 'ultraslim' cat6 cables for the FT focusers, and? RCA extension cables for the dew heaters through that sleeve. After about 6 feet or so, we change to a plastic loom strapped to a tripod leg, which then connects to all the various stuff velcro'd to the inside of the tripod legs, then onto the battery pack.?

The desire is to have a standard single harness that will work for both a big CAT as well small refractors.

We just can't figure out the best way to loop the cable from the saddle to the stationary part of the mount.
We have tried using loop from the saddle plate to the mount post, but we can't seem to find a place that doesn't allow the cable to snag.
We have tried using a 1/4", 16" long carbon fiber rod strapped to various positions on top ot the OTA as well as at saddle plate height to extend the loom off the back of the deck, but that doesn't seem great either.?

Also, we were wondering if the 12" post extension may be useful to provide an anchor point above the tripod legs, any thoughts there ?

Realizing that the trend nowdays is to put everything on top of the saddle, we are not ready to do this quite yet, as it does add additional payload weight that we are trying to avoid, and even so, there still is the requirement to run some kind of cabling to the deck.
Since cable loom flexibility is not our issue, we will resist moving stuff (control boxes, hub, etc) to the top of the scope (for now).
This also allows us to adjust the heater controls, turn usb devices on and off, etc, without disturbing the telescope deck much, and seems like it would keep the control units drier when they are protected on the inside of the tripod legs. As well as not having to add additional cabling for the focuser hand controllers, laser pointer remote switch, etc.

So any advice as to what works for others would be greatly appreciated as it seems that good cable management is critical for good guiding results.

Thanks,
Nat

I spent today finishing up my harnessing, and consolidating my wiring. I have two wires leaving my new GM811GHD. 12 volt power, and a single USB from my HUB.
But lets see if I can get some pictures up....

?I use a product called to build my harnesses.

?

?Here is where the Gemini wiring breaks out of the harness. Ball bungee for support of the drop wires.

?Left to my own devices, I get creative. I had a pair of , and the Gemini 2 controller fits beautifully where the leg extends. Go back to image 1 and you'll see it there.
I put the "loop side" on the HC so it is gentle on the hand. The "hook side" on the leg.
If you try this, I put the sides together, then mount the pair to one device, then peal the other side and placed the HC against the leg. Done.
I pull the dots apart and hand press them snugly to the anchor point.
Finally, I support the drop wires with a from the Gemini 2 T-bolt. It gives some flex if needed.
4 wires disconnect the telescope from the mount. The RA and Dec cords disconnect the head, plus a harness snap strain relief. And 3 wires disconnect the Gemini 2.
Typically for me I bring in the telescope, then the head, and the tripod. The harness and my computer together.
--
SonnyE

Hi Brian,
Here's some photos of our existing cable management attempts for our two basic scope configurations...
Please note that the SV50ED is only for EAA finder use and not guiding, as that allows it to be moved between rigs using the Meade/ES finder bracket
which is good (stable) enough for EAA finder use (Sharpcap with reticle) and eliminates the weight of the upper dovetail plate on the SCT.
(And of course the SV50's focal length makes it useless for guiding the SCT at 3048mm)

(We will be replacing the ED102 with a 140 when it is ready.)?
We did also coat the indexing AZ handle with glow in the dark (blue) paint.
Thanks,
Nat

Hi All,
We are struggling to get a good (imaging) cable management solution to work with our new G11G and would like some advice.

Our mount safety limits are currently set to 95 degrees on both east and west, with the default goto limit.
We also replaced the Az hold down wing nuts with the larger, handles that are used on the top of the tripod legs. This allows the Az deck to be tightened down much more easily and firmly during PA, and then the handles can be positioned so there are less surfaces to snag on than the aluminum wing nuts;

Everything seems OK with a 12" CAT, but we are struggling with cable routing when using a small(er) 102 APO with OAG and 50mm EAA finder.
(On the CAT we are anchoring to the LX200 handle with velcro.)

Our cabling is routed through a home made sleeve, consisting of satin blanket edging sewn into a sleeve. This is super slippery and flexible and glides?
over anything on the mount except for the hook side of velcro.?
We use a LOT of double sided velcro strapping on the tripod legs, both the skinny and wide versions from Home Depot, with the loop side always facing outward to minimize snagging as well. That way we are not gooing up the tripod with velcro adhesive all over the place.

We are running ultra-flexible silicone 16 ga power for camera cooling, as well as 3 zwo flat usb3 cables and? 'ultraslim' cat6 cables for the FT focusers, and? RCA extension cables for the dew heaters through that sleeve. After about 6 feet or so, we change to a plastic loom strapped to a tripod leg, which then connects to all the various stuff velcro'd to the inside of the tripod legs, then onto the battery pack.?

The desire is to have a standard single harness that will work for both a big CAT as well small refractors.

We just can't figure out the best way to loop the cable from the saddle to the stationary part of the mount.
We have tried using loop from the saddle plate to the mount post, but we can't seem to find a place that doesn't allow the cable to snag.
We have tried using a 1/4", 16" long carbon fiber rod strapped to various positions on top ot the OTA as well as at saddle plate height to extend the loom off the back of the deck, but that doesn't seem great either.?

Also, we were wondering if the 12" post extension may be useful to provide an anchor point above the tripod legs, any thoughts there ?

Realizing that the trend nowdays is to put everything on top of the saddle, we are not ready to do this quite yet, as it does add additional payload weight that we are trying to avoid, and even so, there still is the requirement to run some kind of cabling to the deck.
Since cable loom flexibility is not our issue, we will resist moving stuff (control boxes, hub, etc) to the top of the scope (for now).
This also allows us to adjust the heater controls, turn usb devices on and off, etc, without disturbing the telescope deck much, and seems like it would keep the control units drier when they are protected on the inside of the tripod legs. As well as not having to add additional cabling for the focuser hand controllers, laser pointer remote switch, etc.

So any advice as to what works for others would be greatly appreciated as it seems that good cable management is critical for good guiding results.

Thanks,
Nat

"looks great sonny!

?

on the autoguider, do you have the option of guiding via ascom?"

Hi Brian,
Well.... I don't honestly know. I've always just had the USB connection, and the ST-4 wire to the autoguider port of the mount.
Did it that way on the old AVX, and now on the 811.
I've wondered how the Guide camera actually got it's signals to the mount controller, whether by the ST-4, or from PHD2 in the computer.
But it has worked, so I basically left it alone.

--
SonnyE

Well, that explains why whenever I did a Meridian flip, it was easiest to just close PHD2 and then restart it.
Made it do a fresh guiding start post meridian.

about the one I use. I must say, it has been a rock solid performer.

I'm mistaken, it's called an RJ-12 connector and of course the USB-B type cable. Sorry for any confusion.
When I mounted my USB powered hub on the telescope equipment, I bought to tidy up my camera wiring. (USB 2.0, my cameras are not USB 3.0 type. But I do use a a USB 3.0 powered hub and it is backward compatible with USB 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0)

I think tonight is going to be good for us weather wise.
--
SonnyE


(I suggest viewed in full screen)

[Edited Message Follows]
[Reason: Corrections, additional information, clarity.]

Hi Natalie,

Conventional wisdom says I'm wrong. But I think the focal length of the 50mm finder is likely fine, depending on your autoguider camera you may just need smaller pixels. A few years ago I tested using my then stock configuration G11 with HP worms, straight 2-piece worm block drivetrain (Bellevue discs to preload the bearings) with PHD2 running a QHY5L-II mono cam screwed to the helical focuser drawtube of my SV50mm f/4 guide scope in the SV clamshell clamped to a Vixen dovetail on top of a Meade 10" f/6.3 SCT (weighs as much as my C11!). The results proved that a G11 with a Gemini I, even in the oldest possible configuration when carefully setup and adjusted in the COLD can track with a very good PE of 0.48"-0.34" RMS when piggybacked with a solidly mounted guide scope setup. I then retested that same night within minutes and repeated the test with the QHY5L-II mono at prime focus and did not see any difference in PE error RMS. I did the same testing a year later using the same mount and same HP worms after it was updated with the new tucked-in servo motors and Gen II OPWs - interestingly, maybe not surprisingly the overall PE error and shape of the curves was the same. The autoguiding testing was done in a dark sky location in the eastern Sierra, about Bottle 1+ which on a good night you almost cast a shadow from starlight here.?
?
This tells me that a short but tall 30+ pound imaging load with a piggybacked but solidly mounted 50mm f/4 guide scope and autoguider camera with 3.74um pixels is more than good enough for imaging with an 10"-11" SCT. I can assure you that it is much easier to find a good guide star with a 50mm f/4 scope than a 3,000mm+ focal length scope and a pick off prism. I'm not going to say you should not use an OAG to autoguide an SCT but it is not because using a small piggy backed autoguider system is inadequate which obviously if well configured they are not if the testing is any indication. But if you can find a way lock the SCT's mirror and use an external focuser with autofocus going piggybacked for the autoguider is something you might consider to save time.?

Me, I'm waiting for some parts to arrive. I plan to do some driveway imaging this year with my G11G now with spring loaded OPGs and the same Meade 10" f/6.3 native SCT operating at f/2.5 with an ASI183MM PRO and filter wheel. I will be using the same SV50 f/4 guide scope up top but an upgraded tiny pixel ASI290MM mini autoguider camera. But I was also expecting the L.A. Kings to do better than they did two season ago, instead they burst into flames. Derek knows what I'm talking about. ??

--

Chip Louie - Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware