It's a good idea, but without the pier extension. I'm new to the hobby and was thinking of putting an AM5 mount on my Nexstar tripod and the more you look into it the more conscious you become of weight versus balance. I'm pretty sure by the looks of the pier extension that it can take a lot more than 10kg but the reason why ZWO only rate it at less than 10kg total is because of balance. As soon as you add that extra 200mm to a tripod you make it top heavy and decrease the amount of weight it can carry. If you then lower the tripod legs you decrease the footprint and you have the same problem.
Thanks for your comment. I heard that the AM5 mount is a harmonic gear, so balance is not a consideration. It is recommended to add a counterweight at 10 kg or more, but that is to prevent the tripod from tipping over, and seems to have nothing to do with guiding accuracy.
The higher the center of gravity, and smaller the footprint of the tripod, the easier it can tip with the weight of the scope pulling it off center. A weight low to the ground, pulling down on the tripod apex would help this without a counterweight. I'm thinking a portable power supply, like a Jackery, BLuetti etc. In a sling bag, like the supplied tripod already has.
Why modify a Gitzo plate when the base of the AM5 is designed to go on the PE160?? Which M10-3/8 adapter are you using for the sky-watcher mount? The Kaisa?
The Gitzo plate is used to take advantage of the very convenient quick-release functionality. 3 types of M10-3/8" adapters are shown in the video, all of which can be used to SkyWatcher mount.
Hi Masa, thanks for the video! I have a question going in rather opposite direction. I would like to use the PE160 with my RT90C tripod and sky tracker. The tripod plates are based on the GITZO systematic 5. My question is whether the PE160 can be used with such tripod and whether the plates can be hold by the PE160 to mount the tracker. I've seen the profile of the ZWO "plates" is slightly different so I cannot be sure how compatible it is. The ideal setup would be Tripod -> PE160 -> GITZO plate -> SkyTracker. Thanks for any info.
Thanks for the comment. The flat plate I used is Gitzo type 5 compatible but fits perfectly with PE160. Is there any way to find out if RT90C is fully compatible with Gizo type 5?
@@masaschumit1502 Masa, I am not sure what you mean by inside-out? I believe I'm doing it just as in the video, the holes in the PE70 are pretty far off of the holes in the PE160 top and bottom plate. Do you use the same bolts from the original PE160? The lock/unlock lever labels are in the "normal" orientation, the lip is on the top, and the base is facing the correct way. It looks like all of the PE70 threaded bolt holes are too far from the center of the PE70, so looking down from the PE160 you see only 1/2 of the PE70 bolt hole? Thank you so much for posting this video!
@@GlennEdens Look at 5:38, you can see that the holes in PE70 and PE160 are in the same position. Maybe your PE70 is a different version, because ZWO announced that PE70 will be improved. 6 bolts are the same as on PE160.
@@masaschumit1502 Masa, that must be it, my PE70s are different, not by much but enough to not line up. The ZWO website still has the PE70 as discontinued and the drawing doesn't match up to the PE160 post pattern. Thank you for taking time to answer, clear skies!
This guys stuff is always top notch. Very informative, thoughtful, and quiet. Thank you
Thanks for this extremely useful video !
It's a good idea, but without the pier extension.
I'm new to the hobby and was thinking of putting an AM5 mount on my Nexstar tripod and the more you look into it the more conscious you become of weight versus balance.
I'm pretty sure by the looks of the pier extension that it can take a lot more than 10kg but the reason why ZWO only rate it at less than 10kg total is because of balance.
As soon as you add that extra 200mm to a tripod you make it top heavy and decrease the amount of weight it can carry. If you then lower the tripod legs you decrease the footprint and you have the same problem.
Thanks for your comment. I heard that the AM5 mount is a harmonic gear, so balance is not a consideration. It is recommended to add a counterweight at 10 kg or more, but that is to prevent the tripod from tipping over, and seems to have nothing to do with guiding accuracy.
The higher the center of gravity, and smaller the footprint of the tripod, the easier it can tip with the weight of the scope pulling it off center. A weight low to the ground, pulling down on the tripod apex would help this without a counterweight. I'm thinking a portable power supply, like a Jackery, BLuetti etc. In a sling bag, like the supplied tripod already has.
With all the pier accessories you need with a regular mount, you might as well just get the carbon tripod
I agree!
Why modify a Gitzo plate when the base of the AM5 is designed to go on the PE160?? Which M10-3/8 adapter are you using for the sky-watcher mount? The Kaisa?
The Gitzo plate is used to take advantage of the very convenient quick-release functionality. 3 types of M10-3/8" adapters are shown in the video, all of which can be used to SkyWatcher mount.
Hi Masa, thanks for the video! I have a question going in rather opposite direction. I would like to use the PE160 with my RT90C tripod and sky tracker. The tripod plates are based on the GITZO systematic 5. My question is whether the PE160 can be used with such tripod and whether the plates can be hold by the PE160 to mount the tracker. I've seen the profile of the ZWO "plates" is slightly different so I cannot be sure how compatible it is. The ideal setup would be Tripod -> PE160 -> GITZO plate -> SkyTracker. Thanks for any info.
Thanks for the comment. The flat plate I used is Gitzo type 5 compatible but fits perfectly with PE160. Is there any way to find out if RT90C is fully compatible with Gizo type 5?
They claim it is exactly the same. The diameter is the same as for PE160, but the locking mechanism is different (conical for ZWO vs rail for gitzo).
@@bymartinek Thanks for the detailed info.
What did you use below the AM5 pier?
Ok, you outlined it -
How do you attach the PE160 plates to the PE70 as shown in your video, the holes do not line up at all?
Are the plates of PE-160 turned inside out?
@@masaschumit1502 Masa, I am not sure what you mean by inside-out? I believe I'm doing it just as in the video, the holes in the PE70 are pretty far off of the holes in the PE160 top and bottom plate. Do you use the same bolts from the original PE160? The lock/unlock lever labels are in the "normal" orientation, the lip is on the top, and the base is facing the correct way. It looks like all of the PE70 threaded bolt holes are too far from the center of the PE70, so looking down from the PE160 you see only 1/2 of the PE70 bolt hole? Thank you so much for posting this video!
@@GlennEdens Look at 5:38, you can see that the holes in PE70 and PE160 are in the same position. Maybe your PE70 is a different version, because ZWO announced that PE70 will be improved. 6 bolts are the same as on PE160.
@@masaschumit1502 Masa, that must be it, my PE70s are different, not by much but enough to not line up. The ZWO website still has the PE70 as discontinued and the drawing doesn't match up to the PE160 post pattern. Thank you for taking time to answer, clear skies!
Thanks a lot for this video! Could you tell which piece of classic music is it playing?