Telescope Reviews: The "Spacer" for Losmandy G11: Downside?

· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt

· Submit a Review / Article

Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums

Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User

You are not logged in. [Login]

Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online
FAQ · Calendar

Equipment Discussions >> Mounts

Pages: 1

dawziecat
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 10/20/10

Loc: Rural Nova Scotia

The "Spacer" for Losmandy G11: Downside?
#4973914 - 12/19/11 10:37 AM

I have seen some of this spacer for losmandy mounts in the forum. Is anyone actually using it?

It seems like a good thing. Would maximize imaging time before doing a flip and eliminate the possibility of the mount clobbering the motor.

Is there a reason NOT to do this?

Post Extras:

jrbarnett
Eyepiece Hooligan

Reged: 02/28/06

Loc: Petaluma, CA

Re: The "Spacer" for Losmandy G11: Downside? new

[Re: dawziecat]
#4974245 - 12/19/11 01:49 PM

Looks quite clever, actually, and stiff.

I'd wonder how it shifts the balance of the mount + scope. (Does it make it "tippy" by taking the load off of the tripod's centerline?)

Pretty clever though for cross-meridian imaging.

- Jim

Post Extras:

Hilmi
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 03/07/10

Loc: Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

Re: The "Spacer" for Losmandy G11: Downside? new

[Re: dawziecat]
#4974283 - 12/19/11 02:13 PM

I read here on cloudy nights from another discussion that the needle bearings get overloaded reducing their life span.

Post Extras:

Bart
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 05/28/06

Loc: Somewhere near Charlottesville...

Re: The "Spacer" for Losmandy G11: Downside? new

[Re: jrbarnett]
#5006951 - 01/08/12 09:55 AM

Quote:

Pretty clever though for cross-meridian imaging.

- Jim

I understand imaging, but could you explain what cross-meridian is and why it's a concern?

Thanks

Post Extras:

TxStars
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 10/01/05

Loc: Lost In Space

Re: The "Spacer" for Losmandy G11: Downside? new

[Re: Bart]
#5006960 - 01/08/12 10:01 AM

The spacer will allow you to image for a longer time by keeping the motor from hitting. (Just have to watch where the scope is going to hit.)
This spacer is best when used with a pier.
Yes the front R.A. bearing in the mount will wear faster as the weight is shifted out more, but you can get a spare one for later.

Post Extras:

drksky
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 09/01/09

Loc: Bloomington, IL

Re: The "Spacer" for Losmandy G11: Downside? new

[Re: Bart]
#5007153 - 01/08/12 11:43 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Pretty clever though for cross-meridian imaging.

- Jim

I understand imaging, but could you explain what cross-meridian is and why it's a concern?

Thanks

Meaning you can start with the scope "under" the mount and continue uninterrupted from east to west and not have to do a meridian flip. You're still limited by the length of your OTA though, I believe.

Post Extras:

fmhill
sage

Reged: 07/17/12

Loc: Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

Re: The "Spacer" for Losmandy G11: Downside? new

[Re: drksky]
#5544440 - 11/28/12 07:42 PM

I'm looking for information on spacers or pier/tripod extensions for a Losmandy G11 on the Losmandy fixed leg tripod.

I image with a Explore Scientific ES127 ED/APO refractor withe a Canon EOS 60Da camera. Unfortunately this scope/camera combination is long enough that when imaging near the zenith, the camera hits the tripod legs before the meridian is reached.

I tried the link in the top post in this thread however it is not current.

I need to find a solution to raising the OTA 2" to 4" or higher above the tripod legs to keep the camera from hitting them. A 6" pier type extension would be ideal however a spacer for the Dec bearing housing would work I believe...

Any information would help.

Thanks,
Mitch...

Edited by fmhill (11/28/12 07:44 PM)

Post Extras:

Joe C
sage

Reged: 11/29/08

Re: The "Spacer" for Losmandy G11: Downside? new

[Re: fmhill]
#5546617 - 11/30/12 02:56 AM

I used a 45mm spacer on my G11 with a TMB130SS and a 80mm WO as a guide scope. I had a ST-8300 with filter wheel for a camera. To raise the mount above the tripod as to allow the OTA to clear the legs, a 12" riser is needed.

Astronomics Losmandy Riser

For the 45mm spacer, as stated previously, it allows for the DEC gear housing to clear the RA motor and gearbox housing. That allows for DEC to be moved 360 degrees when the scope clears the north side of the tripod.

I did not notice any changes in the mounts stability on a permanent pier or on the tripod. With the Ovision gear installed, I recorded +-6 PE prior to the spacer being added and after adding it.

Post Extras:

Pages: 1

Extra information

28 registered and 59 anonymous users are browsing this forum.

Moderator: Bowmoreman, bilgebay, iceblaze

Print Thread

Forum Permissions
      You cannot start new topics
      You cannot reply to topics
      HTML is disabled
      UBBCode is enabled

Thread views: 1317

Jump to

CN Forums

Home

Cloudy Nights LLC
Cloudy Nights Sponsor: Astronomics