EQ2 Motor Drive

Installation

1. Remove R.A. fine-adjust cable from equatorial mount.
2. Loosen the thumb screw below the worm gear on the side of the equatorial mount.
3. Attach the free end of the tension spring to the telescope mount using the screw.
4. Loosen the t-handle screw on the motor drive.
5. Slide the motor onto the mounting rod.
6. Rotate the motor assembly until the motor drive gear and right ascension gear mesh properly as shown. Tighten the t-handle screw to hold the motor in place.
7. Plug the 5-pin DIN cable from the hand control box into the motor.
8. Plug the DC power cord from the battery case into the power outlet on the control box.

Diagrams illustrating the installation steps are provided, showing the connection of the motor drive to the equatorial mount, the meshing of gears, and the connection of the hand control box and battery case.

Operation

A motor drive allows tracking of celestial objects by rotating the telescope at approximately the speed of the Earth's rotation. This single-axis drive unit is known as a clock drive. For polar-aligned equatorial mounts, the motor drive corrects for Earth's rotation. The hand controller can be used for correction during long exposure photographs. To ensure proper compensation, the telescope mount must be polar-aligned and the altitude axis set to your local latitude. Under these conditions, no adjustment of the declination axis is necessary for astrophotography; only the R.A. motor drive is required.

When powered on and all buttons on the control box are depressed, the motor drive automatically rotates at the correct speed to compensate for Earth's rotation, making stars appear stationary in the telescope eyepiece.

The metal tab attached to the equatorial mount (above the mounting shaft) acts as a clutch to engage and disengage the motor drive. Push the tab down to disengage the motor. Lift the tab up to engage the motor. Ensure the motor is disengaged before using the R.A. fine-adjust cable.

The on/off switch controls power for the motor drive. The N/S switch changes the direction of motor tracking. The "S" setting is recommended for observing in the Southern Hemisphere.

The motor drive requires 4 'D' cell batteries (not included). A set of batteries typically allows for several nights of observing. The LED indicator is green during normal operation and flashes when battery power is low.

The right "2X" button rotates the telescope forward at twice the tracking speed (approximately ½° per minute). The left "2X" button stops all motion, allowing stars to drift at their normal rotation rate (approximately ¼° per minute). The "8X" buttons allow forward movement at eight times the tracking rate (approximately 2° per minute), and the reverse button moves the telescope backward at seven times the tracking rate (approximately 1¾° per minute).

The tracking speed of the R.A. motor is factory set and should not require adjustment. Any adjustments to the variable resistor inside the control box should only be performed by an experienced technician.

Technical Support

Canada: 604-270-2813 between 9:00AM and 3:00PM PST

Outside Canada: Please contact your dealer for technical support.