Install the Rowan belt modification kit on your HEQ5 Pro equatorial mount

[@andremelo-tv]

I would like to thank the author of this video (I am speaking generically because it was a list of videos that led me to this result) for his work and for having helped me to greatly improve my HEQ5 setup. Previously it drove with about 3.0" RMS and could barely capture anything. Combined with the terrible seeing here and the brightness of the city (Bortle 8), I kept trying for 6 years and almost gave up astrophotography. Well, I tried to make a last effort and cleaned and lubricated the HEQ5, installed Rowan's belt kit and changed the Hypertune's bearings. In the last few days I had open skies and was able to test the results. The HEQ5 is incredibly accurate, averaging 0.4" RMS and easily holding 0.3" RMS if you have a good guiding star (the seeing here is still very bad). Yesterday I managed to reach 0.28" RMS with a wind of about 5 to 10 km / h capturing the nebula of the lagoon (Messier 8). I am very happy and will continue strong and steady in search of new catches. If you also have the same problems I have, believe that they can be solved.

[@frosthastrophotography]

Thank you so much! This is why I make videos :)

[@spunbearing]

Martin, I've seen all your modification videos. They are all top quality content. I'll be following this when it comes time to do my mount.

[@frosthastrophotography]

Thank you so much and thank you for watching!

[@AstroVagabond]

Excellent video Mårten! I've been going back and forth as to whether I should do this modification to my HEQ5 Pro. You video is helping me make my decision, much appreciated. 👍

[@frosthastrophotography]

Thank you so much!

[@febsat]

Half the fun of being a hobbyist is getting creative. Nice job pulling that little gear.

[@frosthastrophotography]

Thank you! Yes, indeed, I really like to fiddle with these things.

[@tullyfisher]

Very well explained.👍🏼 I think I'll do this at some point in the future..

[@frosthastrophotography]

Thank you very much!

[@arnoldsretrokeys189]

Verry informative, thanks for sharing.

[@frosthastrophotography]

Thank you so much!

[@franciscoandrade351]

Magnifico video. Enhorabuena.

[@frosthastrophotography]

Thank you so much!

[@avt_astro206]

Nice tutorial!!

[@frosthastrophotography]

Thank you so much!

[@fixationuk]

How do you adjust backlash on belt modded mounts?

[@frosthastrophotography]

Thank you for watching! You do it exactly the same, but only on the gear to worm gear, no backlash on the gear to motor replaced by belt to motor. Don't forget to adjust the tension on the worm gear behind the plastic covers as well.

[@kevinashley478]

Hello good sir. I'm in a bit of a pickle. I am trying to decide what my first mount should be. I am basically down to a Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack or an EQM-35, or potentially an HEQ-5. Which would you say would be best in quality with room to grow?

[@frosthastrophotography]

Hi! I would say the HEQ5 Pro if you have the budget and depending on the scope and equipment you intend to use. For astro photography, it's common to say that you can use half of the payload capacity for the best results.

[@kevinashley478]

@@frosthastrophotography oh ok. Well thank you for responding. I was leaning toward the HEQ5 the be honest. I am disabled and so I have to watch out for the weight of items. Based on what I want to do, the HEQ5 would be more than enough for me. And if I ever needed something bigger, it would have to be an observatory type mount.

[@frosthastrophotography]

@@kevinashley478 Yes, I think that will be a good choice. The other two are in a completely different category of mounts and even if you are only going to use a small refractor you will get very good performance out of the HEQ5 Pro.

[@kevinashley478]

@@frosthastrophotography yeah, for now, what I plan to start with is a HEQ5, a William Optics 61 or 71 or maybe a 127 Maksutov or a 9.25 SCT, my dew strap, external battery, Pegasus mini, and probably a tablet to run everything from. My first goal is to image the Heart and Soul nebula, to keep my promise to my granddaughter. She was such an amazing angel, she deserves it. Then I want to image all the planets, and the solar eclipse in April next year, and then I will focus primarily on DSO's.

[@frosthastrophotography]

@@kevinashley478 That sounds like a great plan and with that info in mind you really need the HEQ5 Pro to be able to handle that equipment in a good way! I wish you the best of luck and please share your progress if you want. Im at [e-mail]

[@OlliesSpace]

Well worth the upgrade Martin 👍

[@frosthastrophotography]

Yes, absolutely. Now I just need a fixed pier and observatory :)

[@pathdoctor1]

I got the kit this week and I started doing the mod today. I could not removed the wire connectors even if my life depended on it. They are really stuck and won’t move out even a fraction of a millimeter. After more than a hour unsuccessfully trying different ways and tools my wife put some sense on me. It is better to lose the money spend on the kit that ruining the really expensive mount. Maybe I will try some other day. I am pretty handy and capable to do more complex projects than this. For now the attempt was frustrating and disappointing! Does anybody has a any advice, tips or tricks to safely remove those connectors?

[@frosthastrophotography]

Hi, sorry to hear that. Have you tried with 2 screw drivers and really jiggle them? Just be careful not to crack the board.

[@pathdoctor1]

@@frosthastrophotography Hi, yes I tried that multiple times to no avail. I got to the point where I was really worried of breaking the board. They are so stuck that one may think that are hardwired.

[@ArthurvanH0udt]

Have you looked for "push" button on backside of connector? Often (usually on the worng side) there's a little push mechanism that you have to push inside to get the connector out. It.s mechanical, in the way that if not pushed in it will hold the connector firmly inside the female. I NEVER use two screwdrivers to loosen these type of connectors!! You will break things if it's too tight. It's a bit like a puzzle usually, if you're able to push in the lever the connector will come of easily. Sometimes this mechanism is just part of the male connector itself, so it's really a kind of squeezing the male connector to get the lever out of the way. Look at this video (v=CNKcxVfzM58) at around 2:54-2:55 or at 9:22 you can kinda see the holding mechanism on the backside of the connector.

[@frosthastrophotography]

@@ArthurvanH0udt Yes, there is a little locking but I had to manipulate it quite a bit to get it out anyway. I should have included that, thanks!

[@pathdoctor1]

@@ArthurvanH0udt I didn’t look for that. I will try next time after I gather enough courage to do it again. In the meantime the mount is tracking good enough so I am not in a hurry. Thanks!

[@azzurvif]

from what I undestand, the pignon extractor is a big scam if you have a DIY store close to your home. Thanks ^^

[@frosthastrophotography]

Thanks for watching! Yes, it's overpriced.