Re: clock driven equatorial mount.


"Zinc Potterman" <zincnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (delete 123's to reply)>
wrote in message news:dli800$jab$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> I'm after a clock driven equatorial mount.
> I want to be able to track the stars with no power supply available,
> hence a true clock driven mount, and not electric powered.
>
> I labour this point because many systems are described as clock drives
> when in fact they need an electric power supply.
>
> Alternatively something that will run off a light battery, i.e not a car
> battery.
>
> Advice welcome
I cannot think of anyone still machine 'clockwork' clock drives. The
problem is that producing an accurate clock turning a shaft at the
slightly different rate involved in sidereal movement, is a 'custom', and
hence expensive product, yet doing the same with a stepper motor, or
synchronous motor is both more accurate, and cheaper.
Some years ago, I made a 'clockwork' drive, taking one shaft fairly early
on in an existing clock, and making a new gearbox from this point. I think
the gearing involved changing the existing box, which gave 43200:1,to give
86160:1. It was a lot of work...
Seriously, you can run just about any electric drive off fairly small
batteries. The reason for larger 'packs', is multi-fold. First generally
some other equipment is needed, things like dew heaters in particular use
a lot of power, and batteries don't like being fully discharged, also
performing less well when cold. A small wind generator (as used on boats),
or a tiny solar trickle charger, combined with a small lead acid battery
(like the ones used inside burglar alarms etc.), would allow such a system
to work easily where there is no power. Even a pedal generator, could be
used...
The simple 'motor' drives, without Goto, and particularly without a
display, use the least power of any drive. Something like the Vixen SD1,
with just one motor, will run for several days, off a standard set of
batteries.

Best Wishes


.

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