ZWO EAF 5V Setup for Dual-Speed Crayford Focuser
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- čas přidán 26. 07. 2024
- I decided it's time to switch to a Stepper Motor based Focus Motor. The ZWO EAF 5V is the second iteration of the original ZWO EAF, with the main difference being that it takes its power from the USB connection and so does not need a separate power supply cable. No external controller is needed either. In this video I show you what's in the box, how to install it on a dual-speed Crayford focuser (using my Sky-Watcher Quattro 8CF 8" Newtonian as the example), and how to set up your zero point, max position, initial move position and backlash correction. Below are details of the screws I used and the longer thumb screw that I purchased for the friction adjuster.
4 x focuser attachment bolts : M4 x 22mm (cut down from 25mm to avoid contact with the focus tube)
2 x focus motor attachment bolts : M4 x 8mm Socket Cap Screw
Friction Adjuster Thumb Screw : M6 x 20mm (could cut down to 15mm)
You can purchased this from Amazon using the link below: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...
Check out my website at martinsastrophotography.com
CHAPTERS IN THIS VIDEO
=====================
0:00 Introduction
01:18 What's In The Box?
02:58 Fitting to a Dual-Speed Crayford Focuser
08:09 Connecting and Calibrating your ZWO EAF 5V
13:50 Closing Comments - Věda a technologie
Just bought a ZWO EAF Focuser ... and with your tutorial works perfectly. Thank you very much, big respect for your work.
Thanks Jan! Happy to help. Clear Skies.
I don’t see how anyone could go wrong following your comprehensive method. Great presentation 👍
I liked this focuser so much that I purchased a second one for my 2nd scope. Your method of finding the backlash is elegant and simple. I will use that to calibrate my focusers. Very useful video!
Funny you should say that….so did I!!! Thanks for commenting. Clear skies.
Another GREAT vid, Martin, thank you. The backlash compensation was really useful to know of. Practical, pragmatic, and a no fuzz approach. Thank you once again.
Thank you so much. Yes, a few people have commented on the backlash calibration approach! Works rather well! Clear Skies.
Thank you for this. I have been battling with this but I watched your vid as I was working with my scope and you helped me get my backlash resolved and now I get a consistent result.
Great stuff Kyle. Glad I was able to help you, and thanks for taking the time to message me. It's really satisfying when you get that backlash eliminated isn't it! I love the ZWO EAF....I should have bought it ages ago. Clear skies.
Excellent video Martin. The backlash compensation at the 12 minute mark will be a huge help when my new OTA come in. It should be so much easier than what I did the last time. Thanks!
Thanks Bruce. Glad it was helpful.
Thanks Martin, the backlash calculation is such an easy way of doing it. Wish I’d thought of that a long time ago
Thanks Ian. Glad it helped you. Clear skies!
Great step by step video. Well done. The clarity of your video is terrific.
Thanks Robin. Really appreciate your comment.
Another good and useful video Martin. Food for thought for when I go for a focuser in the not too distant future. Although I use APT so I will have to figure that out. Thank you.
Excellent video. So much helpful detail, especially for beginners. Including the driver setup was the cherry on the cake. Well done and thanks for sharing 👍🍻
Thanks you so much. Clear skies!
Great video and useful as always, particularly the backlash bit. My scope was slightly different however. What you call a friction adjuster is actually the focus lock on the 200PDS dual-speed crayford. As such, it gets totally removed during the installation as the EAF locks focus. Also, I had no need to drill out anything or buy new components. I wouldn't have loosened the friction grub screws as they are obviously still needed. It may also be worth noting that you don't need to remove the crayford at all to fit this unit; in my case I did, because I wanted to flip it 180 degrees, however it can just stay in place.
Thanks Andy. Very useful info. Thanks for sharing that. Clear skies.
Spot on Andy, hope folk don't leave they screws loose.
Very helpful. Hope to try it on my Orion 6" Reflector. Thank you for doing this.
That's a neat little trick drilling the mounting plate Martin. It's much more convenient to use the thumbscrew rather than those little fiddly grub screws.
Thanks for making this video, I was looking for this for my Dobsonian 👍🏻
Another awesome, and well-explained video Martin. Thanks!
Thank you so much Stephane. Clear Skies.
Great to see a video on the ZWO EAF, interesting in comparison to the Pegasus Focus Cube that I covered on my channel - but 1 focuser for myself is enough for the time being.
Thank you Martin! That was very helpful.
Wow great Vid, and awesome job explaining how to set up the EAF!!! Best Vid I have seen...
Thanks Christopher!
Extremely helpful!
Hi Martin, you convince me to buy an EAF for my telescope. Excellent tutorial, very clear. Thanks a lot, and i subscribed to your channel :-)
Thank you so much. You will not be disappointed with this purchase. Clear skies.
Thats great, I was not sure how to or even if I should use an auto focuser. Now it's time to spend more money, lol. Ohhhh well.
Grazie. Complimenti
bonjour à vous .
vidéo géniale .j'avais des difficulté à régler mon focuser EAF .
super vidéo .
merci à vous .
bon ciel et au prochaine vidéos .je m'abonne à votre chaine .
Patrick
Merci beaucoup Patrick! Bon ciel.
This told me all I was wanting to know about my new focuser before I order it. I'm a remote operator as I set up on my spot in the back yard {garden} and then Wi-Fi connect my mount computer to my indoor office computer, so all of my operations are via my computer displays. I was particularly thrilled to see your explanation of the EAF's on screen controller.
I do have one question; Does the temperature probe allow for the unit to correct for temperature changes during the night? I particularly do some exceedingly long duration subs and having auto temperature adjustment unattended would be really nice. Thank You for your detailed video!
Thanks for your comment Sonny. I use Sequence Generator Pro to control my sessions and this provides a temperature compensation feature for the focusing that uses the temperature probe. I don’t know what software you are using but look and see if it provides this option. Clear Skies.
I found this very informative thank you. The only thing I would ask is if you want sometimes do manual focus up using the crayford dual speed knobs, if you loosen the grub screw on the D bar of the focuser, are you able to still use the crayford manually?
Thanks Darren. I would loosen the grub screw at the EAF end of the coupler. The couple then acts as a convenient focusing knob.
@@martinsastrophotography you can manually focus with the hand controller. It plugs in to the jack for the temp sensor.
@@tommydowling6011 Hi Tommy. Yes, I have the Hand Controller and have tried that. However I now only use this port for the temperature sensor as I control everything remotely. Clear skies.
Thank you.You mentioned having the hand controller could we see that being used please?
Thanks John. CZcams videos cannot be modified once published, so I can’t add this without removing the video and publishing another one. There isn’t much to see when using the hand controller. You just plug it in and press one button to move the focuser inwards and another to move the focuser outwards. There is also a switch to set speed to slow or fast.
Hey Martin, great video. I have a question. I have a Meade LX 10 and want to add one of these EAFs to it. I have looked everywhere (including the ZWO website) but can’t find out, one, if it will fit directly as per celestron or two, how it will fit on the skywatcher Crawford SCT dual speed. Any ideas?
Thanks! Certainly possible. You can use two toothed GT2 pulleys and a GT2 belt to link the ZWO EAF to the focus knob's shaft. You just need to fashion a suitable metal bracket to hold the EAF in a suitable orientation. Watch out for the shaft diameters.... GT2 pulleys are available for a range of different shaft diameters! You can get GT2 pulleys and belts on Amazon pretty cheaply. You will need to include a slot somewhere in your mounting bracket so you can adjust the tension in the belt. I hope this helps.
@@martinsastrophotography Martin that it perfect! Many Thanks. It’s one of those brain teasers that has been driving me up the wall. I was starting to convince myself it was potentially going to send me loopy :). Welcome to the world of astronomy and astrophotography ah! Thanks again.
@@chrisrichardson007 Take a look at my custom focus video. A bit different as it’s for a camera lens but the principles are identical… Building a Custom Focus Control System
czcams.com/video/-P5RCB1L32c/video.html
How tight to do up the focus tensioner knob? I usually do not put it back on after installing the EAF. Is it necessary?
It should be just tight enough for the EAF to make the drawtube move. Do not overtighten.
Where did you source the longer tension knob?
I think it was eBay.
Hi, do you have sny vibration of the image when the motor is running? I have just fitted one to my 130pds following your excellent video I get a high frequency vibration/shake of the image when the motpr is run to focus.
Hi Andy. I am not a visual observer, so I do not look through the telescope while changing the focus. My EAF runs very smoothly and I would be surprised if I had the problem you describe. I wonder if it is properly aligned and the focus is fully unlocked and tuned correctly on the friction plate. I suggest removing the EAF, checking the focuser operates smoothly, then re-fitting and testing again.
@@martinsastrophotography thanks for the reply. I am currently using an asi224mc and can see the disturbance on that too. I will remove the eaf and then remount it without the coupler to the focuser and see if it still does it.
@@g1dtf Why is your EAF ‘running’ while you are taking photos? It should not be moving at all during an exposure.
@@martinsastrophotography lts not running whilst exposing just prior to the session when focusing the camera. I probably described the issue a bit poorly. Not used a motor focus before so not sure what to e xpect. Everything is one big learning curve atm so appreciate any help I can get. Thank Andy. 🤗
@@g1dtf Ah ok, good! I am puzzled how the EAF can disturb the camera if it is not moving. Does it vibrate when it’s not moving focus position? If so, it is faulty. If not, could the disturbance be from something else such as wind gusts?
Does it fit on GSO 8” pro edition Dob
To be very honest, I don't know. I suggest some Googling! Clear Skies.