Orion EQ-3M User manual

Welcome to a new world of adventure. The Orion EQ-3M
Single-Axis DC Motor Drive System allows convenient hands-
free tracking of the night sky for telescopes that utilize the
Orion EQ-3 Equatorial Mount. The motor drive system also
features a push-button hand controller that can move the tele-
scope along the R.A. axis at speeds 2x and 8x the siderial
rate. This provides an easy way to center objects in the eye-
piece, and also allows for advanced astrophotography with
the EQ-3 mount.
1. Parts List
1 R.A. motor drive assembly
1 Hand controller
1 Battery pack
1 4mm Allen wrench
1 2mm Allen wrench
2. Installing the R.A. Motor Drive Assembly
1. When facing the front of the mount, the R.A. slow-motion
control cable should be mounted to the right end of the
R.A. worm gear shaft (Figure 1). If it is mounted on the left
end, remove it, and reinstall it on the right end of the shaft.
2. Using the provided 2mm Allen wrench, loosen the socket-
head setscrew on the end of the R.A. motor drive coupler
(Figure 2).
3. Use the provided 4mm Allen wrench to remove the socket-
head screw on the left side of the mount (Figure 3).
4. Orient the motor so that the drive coupler slips over the
left end of the R.A. worm gear shaft. Now, attach the motor
to the mount by inserting the socket-head screw through
the slot in the motor's bracket, and re-threading it into the
mount.
Orion EQ-3M Single-Axis DC Motor Drive System
#7829
Figure 1: The R.A. slow motion control cable needs to be mounted
on the right end of the R.A. worm gear shaft.
Figure 3: Remove the socket-head screw indicated on the mount.
Figure 2: Loosen the setscrew on the end of the drive coupler.
This is the setscrew that engages and disengages the motor
drive.
Figure 4: The R.A. motor drive assembly properly connected to
the mount.
Left end of R.A.
worm gear
shaft
Right end of
R.A. worm
gear shaft
Setscrew
on end of
R.A. motor
drive coupler
Socket-head
screw
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

5. Tighten the socket-head setscrew on the end of the drive
coupler. The setscrew should seat into the groove on the
end of the worm gear shaft. You may need to rotate the
worm gear, using the R.A. slow-motion control cable, for
the setscrew and the groove to line up. You may also need
to adjust the drive coupler on the motor's output shaft
to position the setscrew over the groove; this is done by
loosening the setscrew on the drive coupler that is clos-
est to the motor. Once both setscrews are tightened, the
R.A. motor is engaged. When the motor is engaged, never,
under any circumstances, should you use the R.A. slow-
motion control cable. If you want to use it, rst loosen the
setscrew on the end of the coupler to disengage the motor
drive.
The motor is now properly installed on the EQ-3 mount,
and should appear as in Figure 4.
3. Operation
Insert four D-cell batteries into the battery pack. Orient the
batteries as indicated on the white plastic battery holder.
Connect the end of the battery pack's power cord to the DC
power input on the hand controller.
There is a white cord that is permanently connected to the
hand controller. Connect the plug on the end of the cord to the
socket on the R.A. motor drive assembly.
For the motor drive system to track the motion of the night
sky properly, the equatorial mount must be polar aligned. This
involves aligning the R.A. axis of the mount so it is parallel to
the Earth's axis of rotation (polar axis). Consult the manual
that came with your equatorial mount for details on how to
polar align it. The telescope also must be well balanced on the
mount's R.A. axis.
When observing in the Northern Hemisphere, the N/S switch
on the hand controller should be in the "N" position. For the
Southern Hemisphere, it should be in the "S" position.
Make sure the motor is engaged (i.e. setscrews on the drive
coupler are tightened), and turn the power switch on the hand
controller to the "ON" position. The LED in the center of the
hand controller should be shining green. If properly polar
aligned and balanced, the mount will now be tracking the
motion of the night sky, and the telescope should hold any
astronomical object in its eyepiece steady over time.
To move your telescope to a new object, loosen both the R.A.
and Dec. lock levers and move the telescope until it is pointed
in the general direction of the object you wish to view. Retighten
the R.A. and Dec. lock levers. Now, disengage the motor drive
by loosening the setscrew on the end of the drive coupler, and
use the R.A. and Dec. slow-motion control cables to center the
object in the eyepiece's eld of view. Re-engage the motor by
tightening the setscrew, and the motor drive system will keep
the object centered over time. Remember, never use the R.A.
slow-motion control cable when the motor is engaged or you
could permanently damage the motor.
There are four buttons on the hand controller. If no buttons are
pressed, the motor will turn the R.A. axis of the mount at side-
rial rate. If the bottom right button is pressed, the motor will
turn at 2x siderial rate, which will cause objects viewed in the
telescope’s eyepiece to move slowly eastward. If the bottom
left button is pressed, than the motor will stop turning, which
will cause objects in the eyepiece to move slowly westward.
The bottom two buttons are most useful for guiding purposes
during long-exposure astrophotography.
Similarly, the top right button on the hand controller moves
objects in the telescope’s eyepiece quickly eastward at 8x the
siderial rate, while the top left button moves objects quickly
westward at 8x siderial. The top two buttons are most useful
for centering an object in R.A. within the eld-of-view of an
eyepiece.
Note that whenever any of the four buttons on the hand con-
troller are pressed, the LED in the center of the hand control-
ler will shine red; when the button is released, the LED will
shine green again.
4. Specifications
Guiding rate: 2x sidereal, motor pause
Centering rates: ±8x sidereal
Power requirement: 6V DC
Battery type: D-cell, quantity four
Northern or Southern Hemisphere operation
DC stepper motor
IN 156 Rev. B 02/09
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