Motors for dome control

DaveGrennan wrote:

Michael just looking at your photos, its looks like whatever motors you attach you will need to mount the motor to the dome shell with a drive wheel bearing against the rail (just like the actual roller bearings. Problem is that the wiring would also need to rotate with the dome.

The motors will need to attach to the dome itself. However, the rail is too slippery to use for a friction wheel I think.
With the motor kit that comes from Pulsar Observatories, the motor sits on the dome and turn two new wheels which are positioned horizontally and rotate against the vertical ledge of the dome wall (which you can see on the RHS of the image). Their system also includes a solar panel and a rechargeable battery. This saves any tangling with wires. Their system is very expensive though (£1,169 pounds for the azimuth motor kit and £1,365 pounds for the shutter motor kit).

I was wondering, could I pass a current through the railing from underneath and attach the motor on the dome with a cable which slides along the railing to form the power connection?




DaveGrennan wrote:

I was given a very powerful motor by a friend which I plan to use to automate my roll off roof. I will probably develop the controller board and software myself. I could also be persuaded to do a variation to suit a domed observatory. We should chat about this sometime.

FWIW, the Lesvedome system works with a USB interface board. The controller software is ASCOM compliant, can work with ACP and is available for only €35. Might save you a load of hassel. AFAIK, it can be used quite easily with a Roll Off Roof also.
www.dppobservatory.net/DomeAutomation/DomeDriver.htm
Biggest issue I have is with the wiring and hardware, particularly for this design of dome I have.
It would be good to bounce ideas off you some day if you are down this neck of the woods.

Michael.

michaeloconnell wrote:

I was wondering, could I pass a current through the railing from underneath and attach the motor on the dome with a cable which slides along the railing to form the power connection?

Yes you could do that you need to take a lot of care to ensure that contact is not lost because of bumps etc. The best thing would be to use a wire brush contact to ensure connection is never lost.

Its really funny6 because I literally have one of those velleman USB boards in front of me at the moment as I was considering exactly the same use for it. Thanks for the heads up on the driver. I'll check it out and see if it will work for a roll off. Either way its no big deal to write another driver.

Yes we should definitely chat about this.