Fully upgrading a 10" Sky-Watcher Quattro

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Fully upgrading a 10" Sky-Watcher Quattro

#1

Post by depratnt »


Hey guys!

This post has been a long time coming. After considering an 11" edge Hd, an 11" Rasa, or a completely newt Parallax 10" Newtonian.. I have agreed to save a couple thousand and just fully upgrade my current 10" Sky-Watcher Quattro.

I have decided to go for a fully motorized FeatherTouch focuser along with rotating parallax rings. The stock rings are a joke and are meant for a vixen dovetail. Not happening. Lol the stock focuser just sags and slips way too much for any desirable result. My ZWO EAF Hardly works with it anymore..

All that being said, I'm wondering what other nice, top of the line upgrades anyone with expletive here may recommend!

At this point, I'm up for anything.

Thanks friends :)
Scopes: GSO 8rc
Mount: iOptron CEM60
Camera: ASI1600mm-PRO
Guide cam: QHY5L-ii monochrome
Filters: Astrodon Ha/Oiii )3nm) / LRGB
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Re: Fully upgrading a 10" Sky-Watcher Quattro

#2

Post by Lady Fraktor »


Curved spider vanes, cooling fans for the tube and mirror, baffling the interior...
Is your tube flocked? How sturdy is the spider?
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
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Re: Fully upgrading a 10" Sky-Watcher Quattro

#3

Post by yobbo89 »


one word, moonlight xd, probably a 2.5'' is a good choice .

what coma corrector do you have ?. have any flexure?, do you need an off axis guider ?
dew heater ?,dew shield ?
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .

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Re: Fully upgrading a 10" Sky-Watcher Quattro

#4

Post by depratnt »


Lady Fraktor wrote: Fri Apr 23, 2021 3:57 am Curved spider vanes, cooling fans for the tube and mirror, baffling the interior...
Is your tube flocked? How sturdy is the spider?
The secondary assembly could definitely be improved. I wonder if Parallax offer anything. The tube is baffled already. I'm sure it could be flocked a bit better. I've never had an issue with reflections besides the light that comes through the primary mirror assembly.. this would be easy to fix but the entire assembly could probably be improved as well. I'm more concerned about the focuser and secondary mirror assembly.
Scopes: GSO 8rc
Mount: iOptron CEM60
Camera: ASI1600mm-PRO
Guide cam: QHY5L-ii monochrome
Filters: Astrodon Ha/Oiii )3nm) / LRGB
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Re: Fully upgrading a 10" Sky-Watcher Quattro

#5

Post by depratnt »


yobbo89 wrote: Fri Apr 23, 2021 2:11 pm one word, moonlight xd, probably a 2.5'' is a good choice .

what coma corrector do you have ?. have any flexure?, do you need an off axis guider ?
dew heater ?,dew shield ?
I know moonlight is nice, as is Feather touch: any reason you prefer moonlight? My coma corrector is the dedicated coma corrector from skywatcher. Has been working rather well. My ZWO OAG is well.. just okay. I don't like how it comes in two pieces.. it can introduce tilt at time.. an improved imaging train with machines adapters would be great too. But I would say my OTA needs improved first.
Scopes: GSO 8rc
Mount: iOptron CEM60
Camera: ASI1600mm-PRO
Guide cam: QHY5L-ii monochrome
Filters: Astrodon Ha/Oiii )3nm) / LRGB
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Re: Fully upgrading a 10" Sky-Watcher Quattro

#6

Post by Lady Fraktor »


As a owner of both, the Feathertouch is by far better than the Moonlite though it is a great focuser on its own.
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
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Re: Fully upgrading a 10" Sky-Watcher Quattro

#7

Post by yobbo89 »


can't say much for feather touch,never used one. , but it seems the difference between the two is, feather and moonlite is that the moonlite have full bearing support on the opposite side of the rack and pinion ,which gives no or very little flex when using heavy camera setup , well suited for my gear 9x2'' efw ectt .

alot of the cheaper crayfords you will see have like a dovetail wedge and bearings hug under in the dovetail with the rack and pinion ontop, all the support load is on oneside of the focuser, these cheaper focuser can have some flexure/sag.

feather touch have something simular with the dovetail but they also have 2 extra bearings that are about 60-90 deg apart so it may not be an issue at all.

atm i have a cheap gso crayford on my sct with a 7x2'' efw and zwo camera,small flex but no problems at f10, had the same gso type on my f4 newt with 9x2'' efw and it was a flexing mess,upgraded it to a moonlight was a delight :)

i guess it depends on what gear you're going to use and what focuser .
focuser_2.jpg
MoonLite-CHL-2.5-EdgeHD-Focuser-CHL.png
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .

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Re: Fully upgrading a 10" Sky-Watcher Quattro

#8

Post by yobbo89 »


do you have some bobs knobs ? a handy upgrade.
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .

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Re: Fully upgrading a 10" Sky-Watcher Quattro

#9

Post by depratnt »


yobbo89 wrote: Sat Apr 24, 2021 9:10 pm can't say much for feather touch,never used one. , but it seems the difference between the two is, feather and moonlite is that the moonlite have full bearing support on the opposite side of the rack and pinion ,which gives no or very little flex when using heavy camera setup , well suited for my gear 9x2'' efw ectt .

alot of the cheaper crayfords you will see have like a dovetail wedge and bearings hug under in the dovetail with the rack and pinion ontop, all the support load is on oneside of the focuser, these cheaper focuser can have some flexure/sag.

feather touch have something simular with the dovetail but they also have 2 extra bearings that are about 60-90 deg apart so it may not be an issue at all.

atm i have a cheap gso crayford on my sct with a 7x2'' efw and zwo camera,small flex but no problems at f10, had the same gso type on my f4 newt with 9x2'' efw and it was a flexing mess,upgraded it to a moonlight was a delight :)

i guess it depends on what gear you're going to use and what focuser .

Image

Image
Thanks so much for the additional info! Funny you say.. my GSO Crayford is just find on my f/8. Great to hear that the focuser upgrade on your newt helped as well! This is what I'm looking forward to. I was looking at the fully motorized options over at Feather Touch. I have a few friends who use FTs and have never had a bad thing to say. I can say the same for friends with moonlites
Scopes: GSO 8rc
Mount: iOptron CEM60
Camera: ASI1600mm-PRO
Guide cam: QHY5L-ii monochrome
Filters: Astrodon Ha/Oiii )3nm) / LRGB
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Re: Fully upgrading a 10" Sky-Watcher Quattro

#10

Post by depratnt »


Lady Fraktor wrote: Sat Apr 24, 2021 8:56 pm As a owner of both, the Feathertouch is by far better than the Moonlite though it is a great focuser on its own.

Thanks for the input! This is what I'm leaning towards.
Scopes: GSO 8rc
Mount: iOptron CEM60
Camera: ASI1600mm-PRO
Guide cam: QHY5L-ii monochrome
Filters: Astrodon Ha/Oiii )3nm) / LRGB
l
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Re: Fully upgrading a 10" Sky-Watcher Quattro

#11

Post by depratnt »


yobbo89 wrote: Sat Apr 24, 2021 9:23 pm do you have some bobs knobs ? a handy upgrade.
Bobs knobs are something I may consider if I don't upgrade the secondary assembly. I was looking into these:
https://www.astrosystems.biz/spiders.htm
Scopes: GSO 8rc
Mount: iOptron CEM60
Camera: ASI1600mm-PRO
Guide cam: QHY5L-ii monochrome
Filters: Astrodon Ha/Oiii )3nm) / LRGB
l
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Re: Fully upgrading a 10" Sky-Watcher Quattro

#12

Post by Lady Fraktor »


The machining tolerances of the Feathertouch focusers is well above the Moonlite, I recommend both to others but if you can afford the Feathertouch you will never regret it.

I have mentioned before that I have a bad habit of steering my refractors by the diagonal.
I will have to adjust the Moonlite 1-2 times a year but have never had to adjust the Feathertouch in almost 15 years.

The astrosystems spider vanes look good.
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
The only culture I have is from yogurt
My day was going well until... people
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