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hammerhead
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/18/07
Posts: 737
Loc: MA
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Sorry for all the questions lately, but I love my new CPC 1100 am trying to learn as much as I can about it.
I've determined a few things in the few nights I've had it out since aquiring it a week ago. The first is that I don't need or want the Crayford focuser that I got with it, so I'm going to sell that.
The second is that my preferred arrangement is the following: f6.3 focal reducer, 2" VB, and 2" diagonal. Coming from my 12" dob to this scope, I have a lot of large heavy 2" EP's that I like to use... namely my 26T5 and my 13Ethos. So I've determined, because of occasional tracking issues, that I should get a counterweight system.
I'm looking at two different systems. The ADM system, which consists of a bottom mounted rail, and a single 3.5lb counterweight. The second system is the (gorgeous) Starizona counterweight system that consists of a lower rail and lower weight as well as an additional top mounted fixed weight.
The questions I have are, is the single ADM CW enough to balance my rig? Do I really need the fixed top mounted CW to accomplish "dynamic balance"? The only reason I'm leaning away from the Starizona CW system is because I'm pretty sure that I'll eventually want to piggy-back an 80mm rich-field scope on the 1100. This would mean I'd need a top mounting rail (looking at the ADM mini-dovetail and rings for this). This top mounted rail appears as though it would need to be installed in the same set of holes that Starizona upper CW would want to install in.
Additionally, what sort of balance issues will I then have if I assume that I mount a short 80mm scope (looking at the 80mm EON) with 2" diagonal and possibly a heavy 2" low power EP in the focuser? Will the lower mounted ADM weight alone be enough to balance this arrangement?
Sorry again for all the questions, but after going through more scopes than I'd like to admit to over the past couple years, I finally feel like I found "THE ONE" in the CPC 1100. I want to buy what I need for it once, do it right, and be done with it. So any help or shared experiences you can give me is much appreciated!
Oh! One more! And how do I know if I'm truly balanced? Should the whole assembly stay 'level' with the altitude clutch loosened? Such as you'd do when balancing an OTA on a GEM? Or is it more of a bit of "pre-load" towards the back of the scope to keep the gears engaged?
Thanks!!!!
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-Brian
CPC 1100
Televue TV-85
WO Megrez 110ED
Televue Gibraltar with Sky Tour
31mmT5, 26mmT5, 20mmT5, 13Ethos, 10mmXW, 7mmXW, and 5mmXW
Oberwork 15X70, Coronado 10x25 Solar, Orion 7x50.
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WNCAGC
sage
Reged: 06/25/08
Posts: 259
Loc: NC Mountains (God's country)
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I have the Starizona counterweight system which consist of a 2.5 lb. bottom weight that is on a rail system and a upper weight system. I used trial and error to get the scope balanced with the system of pieces I use. I then marked the bottom rail with a permanent marker and labeled it with a number then transcribed this numbering to my ref. book so I will always know the setting when I trade out or add different weighted pieces.
Seems a little overboard I know but it works for me.
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CPC 1100 XLT "The Big Monster"
Power Tank 17
NexImager
2" Smart Astronomy 10:1 dual speed Crayford focuser
2" Smart Astronomy Dielectric diagonal
2" Smart Astronomy 2x Barlow
2" Baader SCOPOS 35 mm prototype EP
Baader Hyperion zoom EP 8-24mm
Celestron dew shield
Bob's Knobs
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FarrOut
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 02/24/05
Posts: 786
Loc: Tampa
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Check this link for information on balancing.
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Criterion RV6
NEXSTAR 11-GPS
NEXSTAR SLT102
Starshoot CCD
Sky Scout
A wonderful wife that let's me do this stuff
Telescopes are for after you learn astronomy.
http://www.farrout.org
http://www.marsastro.org
Astronomy is looking up!
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Michael Nugent
sage
Reged: 03/05/06
Posts: 253
Loc: Mukwonago, Wisconsin USA
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Hi,
I have the ADM system with a 3.5lb counter-weight on my CPC 1100 and it looks and works great. My complete setup includes a 80mm finder, a Denk II on a "heavy" S2 diagonal, usually with 2 Pan 24mm eps. A fairly big, weighty load that the ADM handles just fine (I never have had a balance issue). I do wonder if my finder acts like the top mounted part of the Starizona system because it is rather bulky  . Like I said, looks great and works perfectly for me. I did get an extra 3.5 lb counterweight but I have never had a reason to use it "yet".
As far as being truly balanced, Check out this link on Starizona's site - an excellent article on balance for a fork-mounted telescope: Balance
Hope this is helpful.
Clear skies,
Mike
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Celestron CPC1100 XLT w/ Feathertouch
Stellarvue F80M Finder
Denk II Binoviewer
S2 "Shorty" Power Switch Diagonal
Doubles of 15mm, 19mm and 24mm Panoptics
Celestron SkyMaster 12x60 Binoculars
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Hal Pollner
Reged: 08/30/05
Posts: 6217
Loc: Southern California Desert
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I used the Starizona Complete Counterweight Set, engineered just for the CPC 1100, and it worked great, with plenty of adjustment range in both X and Y axes.
HAL
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Edited by Hal Pollner (09/01/08 12:42 PM)
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Psyire
sage
Reged: 06/24/07
Posts: 353
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If you plan on going the route of the 80mm piggyback in the future, then go with the ADM setup. It is much more diverse and you'll have a completely interchangable system.
I run my counterweight system with and without my 80mm Equinox mounted on top. (same scope as the Eon) Without the piggyback you are probably going to need a counterwieght on top to achieve perfect vertical balance.
So you need:
MDS - Counterweight Setup. (with bar, top)
MDS - Counterweight Setup. (with bar, bottom)
MDS - MDS Ring Set, 125mm. (for 80mm Eon)
Now you need weights to accomdate you. The above counterweight setups come each with a 3.5 lbs weight. You will also need 2x 1.5 lbs. weights as well. This will be enough to balance your rig in any configuration in both the vertical and horizontal simultaneously. It may sounds tricky but once you do it a few times you'll figure out the combinations and it will become second nature. I have this setup with the addition of losmandy 2 & 5 lbs. weights but I'm also using binoviewers sometimes which require a different weight setting but I'm always able to achieve proper balance this way.
Anthony is also great to communicate with so that's a bonus.
Good luck, no matter which way you decide to go you'll figure it out.
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Celestron CPC 1100 XLT, Sky-Watcher Equinox 80ED
TV 31T5-Nagler, 8&13mm-Ethos
EarthWin Binoviewers w/ 24mm Panoptics
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Psyire
sage
Reged: 06/24/07
Posts: 353
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I should quickly note that with the 80mm Equinox and Binoviewers (or Powerswitch with 31T5) I need 10 lbs. of counterweight.
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hammerhead
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/18/07
Posts: 737
Loc: MA
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What's the can of Coke do? 
Thanks very much everyone. That Starizona link really helped me get my head around it and understand what I need to accomplish. Much appreciated. I'm thinking I'll probably go with the ADM system(s) and will try to talk to Anthony directly about actual weight requirements to balance the rig I'm aiming for.
Again... thanks... love this place!
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-Brian
CPC 1100
Televue TV-85
WO Megrez 110ED
Televue Gibraltar with Sky Tour
31mmT5, 26mmT5, 20mmT5, 13Ethos, 10mmXW, 7mmXW, and 5mmXW
Oberwork 15X70, Coronado 10x25 Solar, Orion 7x50.
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Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3071
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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It took 2 of the 3.5lb counterweights for my Borg 101. I used ADM rails/rings top and bottom.
Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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Psyire
sage
Reged: 06/24/07
Posts: 353
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It's strange really... I tried observing without the can of coke once and all I saw was the inside of my eyelids.
So.. it's a must have, IMO. lol
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Celestron CPC 1100 XLT, Sky-Watcher Equinox 80ED
TV 31T5-Nagler, 8&13mm-Ethos
EarthWin Binoviewers w/ 24mm Panoptics
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