Starizona Balance Box Owner's manual

Balance Box
Brand
Starizona
Model
Balance Box
Category
Telescopes
Type
Owner's manual

Starizona Balance Box helps you achieve precise balance for your telescope mount, ensuring smooth and accurate tracking. Simply connect it between your power supply and mount to measure current draw. The box displays voltage in red and current in blue, allowing you to monitor power consumption. Use it to balance your mount's declination and right ascension axes by adjusting the position of the optical tube until current readings are approximately equal. The Balance Box is compatible with various mounts, including Celestron, Skywatcher, and Astro-Physics, using a standard 2.1mm plug.

Starizona Balance Box helps you achieve precise balance for your telescope mount, ensuring smooth and accurate tracking. Simply connect it between your power supply and mount to measure current draw. The box displays voltage in red and current in blue, allowing you to monitor power consumption. Use it to balance your mount's declination and right ascension axes by adjusting the position of the optical tube until current readings are approximately equal. The Balance Box is compatible with various mounts, including Celestron, Skywatcher, and Astro-Physics, using a standard 2.1mm plug.

Starizona Balance Box
The Starizona Balance Box is used to measure the current being drawn by a telescope
mount to determine if the mount is properly balanced. With some mounts, the usual
method of balancing by loosening the clutches and pushing the scope up and down is made
difficult by mount axes that stick with heavy grease and do not move freely when the
clutches are loose.
The idea behind the Balance Box is that the amperage drawn by the mount should be the
same in both directions for a given axis when the mount is properly balanced.
To use the Balance Box, simply plug it inline between your power supply and mount. The
box uses a standard 2.1mm plug which will work with Celestron, Skywatcher, Astro-Physics
and other popular mounts. When power is going to the box you will see the voltage in red
numbers.
Once the mount is powered up, you should see a current value in amps displayed in blue
numbers. When the mount is not slewing, this number will be low, usually under 1A.
It is best to put the mount in the standard balancing position, which with a German
equatorial mount is with the counterweight shaft and the optical tube parallel to the
ground. This will require the most effort from the motors if the mount is out of balance
and will give the most accurate readings.
The declination axis should be balanced first on a German equatorial mount. This is done
by sliding the optical tube forward or backward. Begin by pressing the north or south
button on the mount's hand controller and hold it for at least a few seconds. You will see
the current reading increase, usually to between 1 and 2 amps (depending on the mount
being used). Note the high value that is reached.
Now move the mount in the opposite direction (in the same axis) and note the high current
value again.
In this example, the current is 0.2A higher in one direction than the other. Adjust the
position of the optical tube and repeat the process to measure the current. When the
scope is balanced, the current readings should be approximately equal (usually to within
0.02A or so).
Now repeat the process for the right ascension axis and your mount is balanced and ready
to go. You can leave the Balance Box inline if desired to measure the voltage from a power
supply, for example.
Specifications
Input/Output Plug 2.1/5.5mm center positive
Voltage Input Range 4-28V
Voltage Resolution 0.1V
Current Resolution 0.01A
Power Cord Length Approx. 30"
Box Dimensions 2.25" L x 1.38" W x 1.5" H
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Starizona Balance Box Owner's manual

Balance Box
Brand
Starizona
Model
Balance Box
Category
Telescopes
Type
Owner's manual

Starizona Balance Box helps you achieve precise balance for your telescope mount, ensuring smooth and accurate tracking. Simply connect it between your power supply and mount to measure current draw. The box displays voltage in red and current in blue, allowing you to monitor power consumption. Use it to balance your mount's declination and right ascension axes by adjusting the position of the optical tube until current readings are approximately equal. The Balance Box is compatible with various mounts, including Celestron, Skywatcher, and Astro-Physics, using a standard 2.1mm plug.

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