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Skywatcher HEQ5 Max Payload Capacity for Good Guiding

Sky-Watcher HEQ5 PRO Equipment Equatorial Mount Guiding
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AstroCapture325 avatar
AstroCapture325 avatar
Hi,

I recently removed my Celestron Nexstar 8 from its AZ-EL fork mount so that I could use it with a dovetail bar on my HEQ5. I know the maximum payload specification is 30 lbs for the mount. The NexStar 8 OTA with dovetail bar is about 13 lbs. Does anyone know how much weight I can put on the mount before guiding starts to suffer? Can I go to 20 lbs?

Thanks,
Jim
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Wayne avatar
Wayne avatar
The answer to that is going to depend heavily on your specific HEQ5 copy and also on what you consider acceptable guiding, but I'd say try it and see. I have an 8" newt setup that weighs 29 lbs that I regularly run on a belt modded HEQ5 with great success so a 20 lb payload is not necessarily impossible. With such a heavy payload my setup seems to be extra sensitive to seeing conditions though and I won't even set it up if it seeing isn't great. I also can't image with even the slightest breeze although that may be due to the size of the OTA rather than the weight. With excellent seeing I have no problem guiding at or below 0.5" RMS but that falls off very quickly if seeing deteriorates at all so more common RMS I see on the better nights is around 0.7" which is still acceptable for me.
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Ryan Jones avatar
Ryan Jones avatar
I generally guide at 0.40 - 0.50 with 11kg of newt, camera and guide scope on my belt modded HEQ5 pro. I have put better bearings through the RA axis though and polished out the high spots on the worm drive. I often hear of sub arc second with the same equipment from others though without the extra work.
Michele Campini avatar
Michele Campini avatar


This with about 10,00 kg load (115/800 + ASi2600 + EAF + EFW + OAG).

I've used for two months a C8HD (see in my gallery) without guiding problem (0.5''-0.7'' with that).

Mine is Rowan modded with stock bearing.
AstroCapture325 avatar
AstroCapture325 avatar
Thank everyone for the quick replies. I think I will give it a try. My HEQ5 is unmodified and I typically have guide accuracy of 0.6"-0.8". Of course that is with a light rig (SpaceCat 51 + ASI183MM OSC + guide scope)

Jim
Miguel Noppe avatar
Miguel Noppe avatar
I have a HEQ5 pro with Rowan mod and upgraded DEC bearings.
Currently i have a small TS76EDPH on it with all extra's weighing about 9kg i guess, and it performs well, similar as my EQ6R pro i would say, guiding averaging around 0,5".
So around 10kg payload and a not too long tube is ideal i would say.
Clear skies and have fun !
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