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Sessto Senso 2 Focuser on Telescope at Remote Site

PrimaLuceLab SESTO SENSO 2 Focuser Remote Astrophotography Troubleshooting Help Needed
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Jerry Gerber avatar
Jerry Gerber avatar
Oops!

My telescope is at a remote site so I can't walk up to it to fix this issue I created. 

The focuser thinks the drawtube is at it's endpoint (which end I am not sure).   But it's not, it definitely can reach focus. I made the mistake of setting the actual in-focus point to ZERO.  Since it won't move less than ZERO, I can only move in one direction, which of course takes it out of focus.  If there were a way to choose, say 1,000,000 as the focus point, then it would be free to move in both directions.  But neither NINA nor the PLAY software that comes with the focuser allows me to do that, I can't choose an arbitrary mid-point number (there's about 2 million steps) to represent the precise focus. 

Anyone know how I can resolve this remotely?

Thanks,
Jerry
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Dark Matters Astrophotography avatar
Dark Matters Astrophotography avatar
Tell the folks at the site to manually rack it in all the way. Then look at your last in focus sub and move it to that position. That should be close enough to run autofocus and be back in business.
Richard avatar
Richard avatar
I haven't used this focuser or PLAY software for some years so please forgive my memory. Isn't there a way to reverse the direction of travel for the focuser? If so, you may be able to move the focuser back to the original position and correct the zero position that way.
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Jerry Gerber avatar
Jerry Gerber avatar
Richard:
I haven't used this focuser or PLAY software for some years so please forgive my memory. Isn't there a way to reverse the direction of travel for the focuser? If so, you may be able to move the focuser back to the original position and correct the zero position that way.

I've looked all over the PLAY software and cannot find a setting to reverse the motor...
Jerry Gerber avatar
Jerry Gerber avatar
Dark Matters Astrophotography:
Tell the folks at the site to manually rack it in all the way. Then look at your last in focus sub and move it to that position. That should be close enough to run autofocus and be back in business.

I think that's my only option.  Thanks...
Dark Matters Astrophotography avatar
Dark Matters Astrophotography avatar
Jerry Gerber:
Dark Matters Astrophotography:
Tell the folks at the site to manually rack it in all the way. Then look at your last in focus sub and move it to that position. That should be close enough to run autofocus and be back in business.

I think that's my only option.  Thanks...



Should be a quick fix.
danieldh206 avatar
danieldh206 avatar
If you can see your scope via security camera then you just recalibrate using the Senso software.  You might have to do it twice. First use the calibration tool rack the focus tube all the way in and then restart calibration.  

If the remote site you are at doesn't have any kind camera you can use to easily view your gear tell them to get one.

I had to recalibrate the sensor once with my remote scope once but I can easily see the focus tube on the security camera.
Jerry Gerber avatar
Jerry Gerber avatar
If you can see your scope via security camera then you just recalibrate using the Senso software.  You might have to do it twice. First use the calibration tool rack the focus tube all the way in and then restart calibration.  

If the remote site you are at doesn't have any kind camera you can use to easily view your gear tell them to get one.

I had to recalibrate the sensor once with my remote scope once but I can easily see the focus tube on the security camera.

Yes,  I can see my scope via the webcam at the site.   It's been fixed now so hopefully I won't have to do anything other than image with it.  The manual says that during calibration do not let the focus tube be pulled all the way out.  I think with the webcam, which is good for an overall view, doesn't quite have the resolution to see exactly where it stops.  I'll probably rely on Chris if it happens again but it probably won't need calibration again for a while.
danieldh206 avatar
danieldh206 avatar
I only let the tube go about 3/4 of the way out during the remote calibration processes. Ever since I don't touch any of the auto focus settings.