Back to forums

Replacement motor for EQ6R-Pro

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount Troubleshooting
andrea tasselliTõrva AstronoomiaklubiMatt Bateman
•32 replies•1.3k views
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi avatar
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi avatar
So I took my EQ6R-Pro for a drive tonight and found that my DEC axis is not moving. After a while I discovered that the stepper motor shaft has snapped in two.  Inside the motor itself. I don't really know the cause, but it is currently -22 in here Estonia. So that probably played a role. 



My question is to where could I find a replacement motor from Europe? Astroshop.eu sells EQ6-Pro motors (without the R) that seems to be different. At least by the look of the gear and plate on top of it. And I can't find a one for EQ6R-Pro, which uses a belt instead of gears. It seems weird considering EQ6R-Pro popularity.

All the help is appreciated.

PS: since the motor is pretty much useless, in the meanwhile I'm gonna try to fix it. I work as a mechanic, so I'm gonna try to tack weld it together and turn it on the lathe for the fun of it...
Engaging
andrea tasselli avatar
andrea tasselli avatar
Just get an equivalent stepper. The motor should have part number to look for.
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi avatar
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi avatar
Searching for the number:



gives me this: https://uk.farnell.com/astrosyn/y129/stepper-motor-1-8deg-12v/dp/9598642

But is it the one or not?
andrea tasselli avatar
andrea tasselli avatar
According to several sources it is, old model stepper.
Markus Gorski avatar
Markus Gorski avatar
Maybe it will help to ask Skywatcher (Synta) whether they supply a replacement motor.
Good luck!
Well Written
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi avatar
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi avatar
andrea tasselli:
According to several sources it is, old model stepper.



Could you share the sources?
Markus Gorski avatar
Markus Gorski avatar
Estonia
Unit 3, Woolpit Business Park Woolpit, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP30 9UP, UK
phone: +44 1359 244200
fax: +44 1359 244255
website: www.opticalvision.co.uk
email: [email]info@opticalvision.co.uk[/email]

The above information comes from this website:

https://www.skywatcher.com/where-to-buy/
andrea tasselli avatar
andrea tasselli avatar
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi:
andrea tasselli:
According to several sources it is, old model stepper.



Could you share the sources?

EQMOD@groups.io | NEQ6 Stepper Motor board upgrade

Other sources:
Motherboard HM6GT-F00-10 (EQ6-PRO) - Budapest Telescope Centre (tavcso.hu)

Source of replacement stepper:
Skywatcher Replacement RA Stepper Motor For EQ6 Pro - Rother Valley Optics Ltd
andrea tasselli avatar
andrea tasselli avatar
To be honest any 200 step NEMA 17 that fits the envelope and with an enough torque would do.
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi avatar
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi avatar
andrea tasselli:
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi:
andrea tasselli:
According to several sources it is, old model stepper.



Could you share the sources?

EQMOD@groups.io | NEQ6 Stepper Motor board upgrade

Other sources:
Motherboard HM6GT-F00-10 (EQ6-PRO) - Budapest Telescope Centre (tavcso.hu)

Source of replacement stepper:
Skywatcher Replacement RA Stepper Motor For EQ6 Pro - Rother Valley Optics Ltd



I'm sorry to say, but I struggle to see how your claim could come from these sources. First link deals with motherboards, second is the place where you can buy the motherboards and the third takes us to a place where you can buy EQ6-pro stepper replacement motors (RA, not DEC).
Well Written Insightful Respectful Concise
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi avatar
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi avatar
andrea tasselli:
To be honest any 200 step NEMA 17 that fits the envelope and with an enough torque would do.


What is the requirement for torque for EQ6R-Pro DEC motors and what does fit the envelope?
andrea tasselli avatar
andrea tasselli avatar
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi:
andrea tasselli:
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi:
andrea tasselli:
According to several sources it is, old model stepper.



Could you share the sources?

EQMOD@groups.io | NEQ6 Stepper Motor board upgrade

Other sources:
Motherboard HM6GT-F00-10 (EQ6-PRO) - Budapest Telescope Centre (tavcso.hu)

Source of replacement stepper:
Skywatcher Replacement RA Stepper Motor For EQ6 Pro - Rother Valley Optics Ltd



I'm sorry to say, but I struggle to see how your claim could come from these sources. First link deals with motherboards, second is the place where you can buy the motherboards and the third takes us to a place where you can buy EQ6-pro stepper replacement motors (RA, not DEC).

The motherboard uses that stepper hence the P/N is -10 instead of -1. Ditto for the second link. The third is just a page for both motors, the Dec one is on the bottom of the page and they are the same.
andrea tasselli avatar
andrea tasselli avatar
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi:
What is the requirement for torque for EQ6R-Pro DEC motors and what does fit the envelope?


Is the one quoted by the manufacturer. If you were a bit more adventurous you would have found the dimensions and relevant diagram in the same page.

Otherwise contact SW. Good luck.
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi avatar
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi avatar
Finally found some places. It seems that EQ6R-Pro shares motors with AZ-EQ6 and the RA and DEC axes are the same.

France: https://www.pierro-astro.com/materiel-astronomique/accessoires-astronomie/pieces-detachees/moteur-ad-ou-dec-pour-monture-az-eq6-ou-eq6-r_detail
Hungary: https://tavcso.hu/en/product/MotorAZEQ6ra
Spain: https://www.pierro-astro.com/materiel-astronomique/accessoires-astronomie/pieces-detachees/moteur-ad-ou-dec-pour-monture-az-eq6-ou-eq6-r_detail
Helpful
Karl-Heinz avatar
Karl-Heinz avatar
Try this,

https://teleskop-austria.at/MotorEQ6dec_Ersatzmotor-fur-EQ6-PRO-DEC-Achse
Giovanni Gherardi avatar
Giovanni Gherardi avatar
As suggested any nema 17 stepper with the same coil resistance will probably fit.
Alex M avatar
Alex M avatar
I have the same mount since 2019. It serves me well. But when I see this, I'm thinking should I buy a spare part in case the stepper dies… 
Do you guys know how often does the stepper cause issues?
Engaging
Thierry Boufflet avatar
Thierry Boufflet avatar
Ho Torva, you can find it here. There are importator for Europ of SW.
https://www.telescopes-et-accessoires.fr/moteur-dec-ra-pour-monture-eq6-r-az-eq6-sky-watcher-c2x34407604
Paulo Ribeiro Da Silva avatar
Paulo Ribeiro Da Silva avatar
Hello Torva,

I had the same problem :/

I ordered a replacement motor on telescopes-et-accessories.fr, the model given by Thierry.

Check the tension of the 2 belts. I think that originally they are too tight.
Philippe Vanbinst avatar
Philippe Vanbinst avatar
https://www.telescopes-et-accessoires.fr/moteur-dec-ra-pour-monture-eq6-r-az-eq6-sky-watcher-c2x34407604
Steven Bellavia avatar
Steven Bellavia avatar
I did a search and cannot find the On-Step conversion kit for an EQ6R-Pro.

That would be a last resort effort. (link to On-Step, V4, below). 
We just upgraded a CGE Pro with an On-Step conversion kit from Chad Gray, and it's awesome:

https://chadgray.info/cge-pro-bolt-on-stepper-motor-conversion-kit/

I am sorry this happened to you, and I hope you get the replacement motor quickly and everything works after that.
Please keep us posted

I want to build [another] tracking equatorial mount, and might use this to do it.  If it works, I will freely share the plans

https://www.terransindustry.com/collections/onstep-v4-kit


Steve
Thierry Boufflet avatar
Thierry Boufflet avatar
Paulo Ribeiro Da Silva:
Hello Torva,

I had the same problem :/

I ordered a replacement motor on telescopes-et-accessories.fr, the model given by Thierry.

Check the tension of the 2 belts. I think that originally they are too tight.

I dismount so many times EQ6R  mount and you need to verify the belt tension every time you mount them. It's difficult to explain how to find the good tension. They need to be tight with en little bit of side game.
Padraig Farrell avatar
Padraig Farrell avatar
Must be the time for this failure …

Dec motor shaft snapped the other night like above. 
Probably self inflicted as I tightened up belts about a year ago. 

( but my guiding did improve a lot …until now 🥴 )
Matt Bateman avatar
Matt Bateman avatar
Tõrva Astronoomiaklubi:
So I took my EQ6R-Pro for a drive tonight and found that my DEC axis is not moving. After a while I discovered that the stepper motor shaft has snapped in two.  Inside the motor itself. I don't really know the cause, but it is currently -22 in here Estonia. So that probably played a role. 



My question is to where could I find a replacement motor from Europe? Astroshop.eu sells EQ6-Pro motors (without the R) that seems to be different. At least by the look of the gear and plate on top of it. And I can't find a one for EQ6R-Pro, which uses a belt instead of gears. It seems weird considering EQ6R-Pro popularity.

All the help is appreciated.

PS: since the motor is pretty much useless, in the meanwhile I'm gonna try to fix it. I work as a mechanic, so I'm gonna try to tack weld it together and turn it on the lathe for the fun of it...

Did you get this sorted in the end? Ive come across this thread because my RA motor shaft snapped yesterday on my EQ6R Pro. I agree there seems to be plenty of outlets that stock the geared version but none that stock the belt driven motor. 

Anyway, Ive ordered a replacement from the first link in this thread, its meant to arrive tomorrow, unsure whats going to turn up, there's also the electrical connections side of things that to be correct, so hopefully we'll see tomorrow when it arrives.


Matt
Tom Marsala avatar
Tom Marsala avatar
Matt-let us know if you get it working again and how it runs;  This is not good news for us EQ6-R owners!
Tom