Thank you for showing your observatory. I have built a budget one and have bought the same motorised system as yourself. I was deciding on ways to attach to the roof and operate and hadn't considered having it inside.
Glad to help! I do recommend mounting the rack on a piece of angle iron as I did. If you attach it directly to wood, eventually the wood will warp and it won't drive properly.
Just love it!! I am looking to put two scopes inside soon to be built. R OR. My question is, how far apart do the permanent piers need to be? I’m noticing that they don’t need to be aligned side-by-side. I could have them offset?
Looks really nice. Do you have any written details about all the equipment and where you got it like the gate opener and all the sensors? Why did you choose gate opener instead of garage door opener?
Thanks for taking the time to share your work Peter. Inspired! I love the garage door kit. Can I ask where you sourced the little sensors that are on your scope to confirm they are "parked" correctly? And who cares about the wiring, can sort that when you get bored from taking amazing images!
Hi Peter, thanks for the video. I had an old crappy motor and some chain driving my roof last year, but i ripped it out as it super noisy and not really reliable. Just by chance i do have a garage opener with the exact same rail system, so many thanks for the idea of using it. I also have a web enabled Relay that has ascom drivers written for it, so just wondering how you wired your motor into your relay to trigger the opening and closing ? Also share information about the tilt sensors that you are using. Many thanks, Rich.
Thanks Jered. The mounts are both doing well although the CEM 40 doesn't track quite as well as I thought it might. Averages around 1-1.5arcsec total RMS. I suspect there's some fiddling I need to do, but as the error is way below the image scale I'm using it for, it's not critical to figure out at this point. The CEM70 tracks around 0.8 RMS reliably.
Hi Peter , great setup, I am in the stage of installing the Dragonfly and finding it difficult, if its not too much to ask, could you send me a few close-up photos of you setup, and briefly indicate the different connection to the roof opening/closing etc. if too much a problem, dont worry. Thanks Charles
I'm not able to do that at the moment, but if you follow the documentation, especially the sample scenario it's pretty clear. Failing that, get in touch with their support, it's very good.
@petercoxphoto - any chance you can share how you setup your dragonfly ? or share the macros / scripts on github ? thank you - your observatory is amazing !
Hi Peter - great observatory set up you have there! Am looking to install similar motor to yours, and (eventually) the Dragonfly as well - but have a quick question - well, two actually... 1. Can you over-ride the Dragonfly for occasions when you actually want the roof open but don't want the Dragonfly to register the fact it is Unsafe and then close it again..? Perhaps an extra switch/sensor in the circuit somewhere that the Dragonfly can test for? 2. Is the SOLO necessary to have the Cloudwatcher running autonomously with the Dragonfly? Many thanks! Darren
Hi Darren - no problem! 1. You can. For each relay you can define limits in software (don't open this if certain conditions exist). I have one set on the roof relay that if a different, otherwise unused relay is closed, the roof relay can't change state. This allows me to leave the roof open during daytime, for example (which is considered unsafe by the Dragonfly). 2. I really consider the Solo a vital part of the package, I didn't want to faff around with connecting it to another computer that might crash or hang. The Solo is very reliable and makes the whole thing very painless. Jaime from Lunatico is also an excellent help when you're getting set up, he'll give you excellent support.
question, if in the middle of the night, while imaging your sensor activates and the roof shuts, won't it hit your scopes? Or will it also first put your scopes in the right spot again before closing it?
The roof won't close if the scopes are in an unsafe position - there are tilt sensors on all of them. So if the weather is bad, they all park and once that's done, the roof closes.
Peter, nice setup. I purchased a gate opener and in the stock configuration using it's controller, it only runs at one speed and tends to be difficult to close my roof without slamming. I see yours slowed down near the closed position. Is that the motor or the Dragonfly controller. Do you happen to know the make/model of the motor you are using or where you sourced it.
Hi Christopher - I got this motor: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B081GXM72K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 It had the same problem, no soft start and stop. I bought a new controller for it (same manufacturer, drop-in replacement) - www.ebay.com/itm/272298001857 That controller adds the ability to soft start and stop. It's not perfect as sometimes it "forgets" when to slow down. I suspect it might be due to higher than optimal resistance to movement of my roof, so YMMV. Still a big improvement though. I also recommend wiring open, close and stop commands to separate relays rather than a single toggle.
@@PeterCoxPhoto Thanks Peter. I'm going to investigate a soft close control board for my Topens gate motor. I will email that EBay seller to see if they have a compatible control board. Can't I ask how the control board knows when to start the soft close (slow down). Is there a switch/sensor or does it just use some adjustment of the offset from closed and open?
The wiring works just fine. Scopes can move without anything snagging. It may not look pretty, but it's perfectly functional. Sort of a ridiculous comment, but then there's always someone I suppose.
Very nice video. Fantastic setup you have there!
Great setup Peter. I’m planning to build an observatory in the next year or two and you’ve given me some great ideas. Thank you 🤓👍
Excellent setup. Lots of great automation and safeties.
Love your design. I hope to see more on your Observatory.
Fantastic, very impressive observatory. Thank you for the video.
Thank you for showing your observatory. I have built a budget one and have bought the same motorised system as yourself. I was deciding on ways to attach to the roof and operate and hadn't considered having it inside.
I saw the light… Now I know how to set an analog gate opener in my own shed. Thanks for that clever demo, Peter!
Glad to help! I do recommend mounting the rack on a piece of angle iron as I did. If you attach it directly to wood, eventually the wood will warp and it won't drive properly.
Loved it! I hope you have good insurance!
Fire insurance, that wiring job is such a mess 🤪🥸
Just love it!!
I am looking to put two scopes inside soon to be built. R OR.
My question is, how far apart do the permanent piers need to be?
I’m noticing that they don’t need to be aligned side-by-side. I could have them offset?
you have many rigs！
Awesome
Looks really nice. Do you have any written details about all the equipment and where you got it like the gate opener and all the sensors? Why did you choose gate opener instead of garage door opener?
Thanks for taking the time to share your work Peter. Inspired! I love the garage door kit. Can I ask where you sourced the little sensors that are on your scope to confirm they are "parked" correctly?
And who cares about the wiring, can sort that when you get bored from taking amazing images!
Nothing to sort out with the wiring. It works perfectly, so nothing to fix.
The sensors are from Lunatico Astro.
Hi Peter, thanks for the video. I had an old crappy motor and some chain driving my roof last year, but i ripped it out as it super noisy and not really reliable. Just by chance i do have a garage opener with the exact same rail system, so many thanks for the idea of using it. I also have a web enabled Relay that has ascom drivers written for it, so just wondering how you wired your motor into your relay to trigger the opening and closing ? Also share information about the tilt sensors that you are using. Many thanks, Rich.
beast mode
Cant wait for more videos, how is your CEM 70 and 40 doing for you? I purchased both this year. Great video. Clear skies!
Thanks Jered. The mounts are both doing well although the CEM 40 doesn't track quite as well as I thought it might. Averages around 1-1.5arcsec total RMS. I suspect there's some fiddling I need to do, but as the error is way below the image scale I'm using it for, it's not critical to figure out at this point. The CEM70 tracks around 0.8 RMS reliably.
Hi Peter , great setup, I am in the stage of installing the Dragonfly and finding it difficult, if its not too much to ask, could you send me a few close-up photos of you setup, and briefly indicate the different connection to the roof opening/closing etc. if too much a problem, dont worry.
Thanks
Charles
I'm not able to do that at the moment, but if you follow the documentation, especially the sample scenario it's pretty clear. Failing that, get in touch with their support, it's very good.
Does ice ever get in the "rails" and prevent it from opening?
Great setup! Which tilt sensor do you use and which software do you use to bring it all together with the cloud watcher etc.?
I use the Dragonfly as mentioned. The tilt sensors are also from Lunatico.
@petercoxphoto - any chance you can share how you setup your dragonfly ? or share the macros / scripts on github ? thank you - your observatory is amazing !
How much did the shed cost to build? Debating this or their actual dome
Hi Peter - great observatory set up you have there! Am looking to install similar motor to yours, and (eventually) the Dragonfly as well - but have a quick question - well, two actually...
1.
Can you over-ride the Dragonfly for occasions when you actually want the roof open but don't want the Dragonfly to register the fact it is Unsafe and then close it again..?
Perhaps an extra switch/sensor in the circuit somewhere that the Dragonfly can test for?
2.
Is the SOLO necessary to have the Cloudwatcher running autonomously with the Dragonfly?
Many thanks!
Darren
Hi Darren - no problem! 1. You can. For each relay you can define limits in software (don't open this if certain conditions exist). I have one set on the roof relay that if a different, otherwise unused relay is closed, the roof relay can't change state. This allows me to leave the roof open during daytime, for example (which is considered unsafe by the Dragonfly).
2. I really consider the Solo a vital part of the package, I didn't want to faff around with connecting it to another computer that might crash or hang. The Solo is very reliable and makes the whole thing very painless. Jaime from Lunatico is also an excellent help when you're getting set up, he'll give you excellent support.
@@PeterCoxPhoto Awesome! Thanks Peter! The motor arrived today (7th) so looking forward to getting that installed over the next couple of weeks!!
question, if in the middle of the night, while imaging your sensor activates and the roof shuts, won't it hit your scopes?
Or will it also first put your scopes in the right spot again before closing it?
The roof won't close if the scopes are in an unsafe position - there are tilt sensors on all of them. So if the weather is bad, they all park and once that's done, the roof closes.
Peter, nice setup. I purchased a gate opener and in the stock configuration using it's controller, it only runs at one speed and tends to be difficult to close my roof without slamming. I see yours slowed down near the closed position. Is that the motor or the Dragonfly controller. Do you happen to know the make/model of the motor you are using or where you sourced it.
Hi Christopher - I got this motor: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B081GXM72K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It had the same problem, no soft start and stop. I bought a new controller for it (same manufacturer, drop-in replacement) - www.ebay.com/itm/272298001857
That controller adds the ability to soft start and stop. It's not perfect as sometimes it "forgets" when to slow down. I suspect it might be due to higher than optimal resistance to movement of my roof, so YMMV. Still a big improvement though.
I also recommend wiring open, close and stop commands to separate relays rather than a single toggle.
@@PeterCoxPhoto Thanks Peter. I'm going to investigate a soft close control board for my Topens gate motor. I will email that EBay seller to see if they have a compatible control board.
Can't I ask how the control board knows when to start the soft close (slow down). Is there a switch/sensor or does it just use some adjustment of the offset from closed and open?
Have you built it?
The rails that run the roof do they come from Skyshed ?
They don't. Sourced them from a local garage door supplier.
Woww, could you share the designs for this? 🤩
The plans are available for purchase from Skyshed themselves. Google them and you'll find it easily.
Wiring, why does everyone build a nice shed then fail with wiring. Nice shed…
The wiring works just fine. Scopes can move without anything snagging. It may not look pretty, but it's perfectly functional. Sort of a ridiculous comment, but then there's always someone I suppose.
Wiring looks terrible