Telescope Reviews: Atlas dc cable has screw collar, why?

· 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

MikeCMP
super member

Reged: 07/12/11

Loc: Chardon OH

Atlas dc cable has screw collar, why?
#5588218 - 12/25/12 09:08 AM

Hello,
My lovely wife got my a dc power cable for my atlas mount, and I noticed that the mount end has a screw collar. My mount does not have a matching fitting, is it something on the newer style mounts?

Would be nice to have that is for sure, I use my Velcro cord wrap to keep my dc cable in place in case it tries to loosen itself and pop out.

Mike

Post Extras:

jrbarnett
Eyepiece Hooligan

Reged: 02/28/06

Loc: Petaluma, CA

Re: Atlas dc cable has screw collar, why? new

[Re: MikeCMP]
#5588266 - 12/25/12 10:02 AM

Dunno, cos mine doesn't.

Mine's and older unit, purchased shortly after the GOTO version was introduces. It features a non-threading "L" angled DC plug on the end of the cable.

These have been in production by Synta for quite awhile, and Synta makes many other mounts. My guess would be that the share parts among them, and this run they have DC plugs with threaded collars.

Regards,

Jim

Post Extras:

tvoydan
sage

Reged: 09/21/05

Loc: Metro Detroit

Re: Atlas dc cable has screw collar, why? new

[Re: jrbarnett]
#5588277 - 12/25/12 10:21 AM

The DC power cable for my Orion StarShoot III Mono Camera has a screw fitting and the camera doesn't. Guess it's what's being supplied by China?

Tom

Post Extras:

Pat at home
sage

Reged: 03/16/07

Loc: Campbellton, New Brunswick, Ca...

Re: Atlas dc cable has screw collar, why? new

[Re: tvoydan]
#5588282 - 12/25/12 10:28 AM

Suitable (older style I guess) can be had at any Radio Shack/Circuit City store on the continent.

Post Extras:

rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: Atlas dc cable has screw collar, why? new

[Re: Pat at home]
#5588317 - 12/25/12 10:55 AM

Synta is only producing one style of DC cable these days. The thread on collar is for the CGEM mount, but you get it with the CG5, Atlas, etc. now, too, even though they can't use the locking feature.

Post Extras:

MikeCMP
super member

Reged: 07/12/11

Loc: Chardon OH

Re: Atlas dc cable has screw collar, why? new

[Re: rmollise]
#5588322 - 12/25/12 11:02 AM

Quote:

Synta is only producing one style of DC cable these days. The thread on collar is for the CGEM mount, but you get it with the CG5, Atlas, etc. now, too, even though they can't use the locking feature.

Of course, why have that useful feature across the product line

Thanks for clearing it up.

The other funny thing is the cable is 24 feet long.... What the heck? Been a while since school, but long runs of wire plus DC equals more resistance. Especially since the battery will be right under the tripod. Maybe I could wrap the extra cordage around my scope and keep the dew away

Mike

Post Extras:

rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: Atlas dc cable has screw collar, why? new

[Re: MikeCMP]
#5588354 - 12/25/12 11:29 AM

The extra resistance introduced by the long cable is really pretty insignificant. The problem is that it is inconvenient. Why so long? They seem to think we are going to run the scope/mount off our car batteries, which, of course, nobody who doesn't want to get stranded will do.

Solution? Get thee to Jim Henson's Scopestuff.com and get a nice short coiled power cord. And it will not have the threaded collar that is annoying you.

Why don't all the Synta mounts have the collar? Probably they don't want to go back and update the older mounts, but who knows? Many are the mysteries of the Chinese telescopes.

Post Extras:

Jack Huerkamp
Vendor - Waning Moon

Reged: 10/13/05

Loc: Louisiana

Re: Atlas dc cable has screw collar, why? new

[Re: rmollise]
#5588513 - 12/25/12 01:42 PM

The SkyWatcher AZ-EQ6 comes with a screw on power cord and matching threaded adapter on the mount. Its a very nice feature.

I would assume that the Orion equivalent to the SkyWatcher version of this mount will come with the screw on power connection and that is why the DC cables are now being made this way.

Jack Huerkamp

Post Extras:

skinnyonce
super member

Reged: 03/23/11

Loc: ohio

Re: Atlas dc cable has screw collar, why? new

[Re: Jack Huerkamp]
#5601040 - 01/02/13 11:02 AM

has or can an atlas be retro fitted with a screw on power connector,,any links or part numbers from the users welcome

Post Extras:

dvb
different Syndrome.

Reged: 06/18/05

Loc: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Atlas dc cable has screw collar, why? new

[Re: skinnyonce]
#5633275 - 01/20/13 01:48 PM

The screw collar/ receptical on the mount can be a huge help for use in cold conditions - keeps the cable from falling out when it contracts with the cold.

This is avaiable as a $100.00 upgrade to the Atlas from Astrotroniks:

http://tinyurl.com/am83aeg

Post Extras:

rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: Atlas dc cable has screw collar, why? new

[Re: dvb]
#5633458 - 01/20/13 03:56 PM

Quote:

The screw collar/ receptical on the mount can be a huge help for use in cold conditions - keeps the cable from falling out when it contracts with the cold.

This is avaiable as a $100.00 upgrade to the Atlas from Astrotroniks:

http://tinyurl.com/am83aeg

100 bucks? Now I have heard everything.

Post Extras:

dvb
different Syndrome.

Reged: 06/18/05

Loc: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Atlas dc cable has screw collar, why? new

[Re: rmollise]
#5634021 - 01/20/13 10:09 PM

$100.00 isn't cheap, but it isn't unreasonable for replacing the existing female part in the mount - sourcing the part, opening up the head, removing the stock part, soldering in the new part, closing it up.

Easy to do for some, but not for many.

You Southern boys only have to worry 'bout gators nipping at your jeans and the skeeters bitin' on your nack. Upon North, on a mountain top, in a freezing wind, I once had to re-align 5 times when the cable kept falling out due to different rates of metal contraction in the cold. Screw on cable easily worth $100.00 after the 3rd re-alignment.

Post Extras:

Pages: 1

Extra information

28 registered and 45 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: 801

Jump to

CN Forums

Home

Cloudy Nights LLC
Cloudy Nights Sponsor: Astronomics