StellarDrive 6 (N/EQ6 & Pro)

DARKFRAME StellarDrive 6  (NEQ 6 & Pro) - Only available for green ring EQ6's, and EQ6's after 2014.
Please enquire first before ordering.

£679.00 for mounts with the Rowan Belt Kit already fitted

(Stated price is for upgrade/tune to customers own mount)


Our StellarDrive™ rebuild is the ultimate iteration of a tuned EQ6/Atlas EQ-G Class mount. It has all the features of our celebrated hypertuned EQ6, plus reprocessed components to the highest tolerances possible.  

If you are happy with your payload but want the ultimate version of an EQ6/Atlas EQ-G, you can now upgrade your mount and access the performance you crave yet save money. The good news is that you can use your mount at up to 25 kilo payload (a stock EQ6 mount is circa 18kg payload for imaging but is 25kg with our rebuilt mount!), and still attain sub-arcsecond guided imaging. This is perfect for longer focal telescopes or for narrowband imaging requiring exposures over 10 minutes.

Check out how our StellarDrive™ 6 mounts compare in our performance charts.

Our tuning methodology provides a more detailed approach, using higher performance lubricants that help the mount perform better, which have been tested extensively over several years. 

As part of the StellarDrive™ rebuild, If required, we now also upgrade the main DEC and RA axis bearings. We also include new stainless steel bolts and screws to make your mount factory fresh.
 

StellarDrive™ EQ6 Series Notes:

The EQ6/Atlas EQ-G mount typically runs at 20-30 arcsecs from new unguided in independent tests. Once tuned and rebuilt our mounts run circa ±7.5 arcsecs, and circa 0.3-0.7 arcsecs RMS guided is often reported by our customers under load. Also the mount will run smoother and much quieter especially once belt driven. This mount responds well to a belt drive installation and wipes 10-15 decibels off the slewing noise. In PHD2, your Gen2 hypertuned mount is up to 40% as responsive to guide commands over stock. Backlash is virtually eliminated, which also improves pointing accuracy, and reduced axis tracking amplitude, typically ±0.25 ArcSec. We also fit StellarDrive™FX axis bearings, an improved and much smoother version of the RX we developed in 2016. Racy, huh? ;) 

The RA/DEC StellarDrive SPX worm-gears spin freely when upgraded with our new treated and tested Hybrid Ceramic bearings. These reduce the end-float, and provide a very solid feel to the mount, which in turn virtually eliminates the well known rocking motion in both RA/DEC. We calibrate the end-float to an accuracy of 0.01mm, to ensure a consistent dial-out of backlash and minimised play in the gear-train. Other bearing surfaces are polished to improve conformity and to reduce friction. As with our tuned EQ6's, periodic error has been reduced to ±7.5 arcsecs, and the StellarDrive 6 promises an even lower PE with a smoother sine-wave path that can be easily guided. This will result in a super low guiding error of just circa 0.16-0.25 arc-seconds RMS under PHD2 (weather permitting).

The AZ EQ6 GT is even better engineered, and tests have shown this to run 30-60 mins but is largely unwarranted the UK, unless you're narrowband imaging or running long focal lengths. Check out our testimonials page, for examples of our work. Again StellarDrive™ will improve guiding on payloads such as the Meade LX200 10" and Celestron C11 tested to 22kg meaning 25Kg is possible.

StellarTuned NEQ6 baseline Performance:

Upgrading the worm gear bearings to Hybrid-ceramic items and belt-driving the motors substantially reduces backlash and improves periodic error. Tuned mounts run typically at circa 3 arcseconds RMS, and can be autoguided to consistently perform sub-arcsecond tracking, especially when allied to a QHY Polemaster, and well driven via PHD2. We will advise you of the new settings as a basis to get the most out of your rebuilt mount.

We have HEQ5, NEQ6, AZEQ6GT and now EQ8 Reference mounts that are utilised to constantly improve our Zero Drop Frame tuning methodology, and demonstrate the benefits of enhancing the mount. That's the point, you can do more imaging with our mounts.

Here is a customer supplied PHD graph of one of our EQ6 Mounts (Build Type: Bonneville 6.3.x) which is the basis for our StellarDrive™ EQ6 mounts. The aim was to improve both unguided and guided performance and the new worm-gear does this. As part of our R&D we discovered other things we could do to improve the mount.

Image: 2016 (2nd generation) hypertuned NEQ6 running 5.86arcsecs RMS unguided with standard SKF bearings and Belt-drive Kit. Our DarkFrame Generation 2 (Build Type v6.3.x) NEQ6's run typically between 3.25-4.0 arcsecs with Hybrid-Ceramic bearings, yet no polished/precision worm-gear. This is all customer supplied data. StellarDrive™ improves on this.

Other customer supplied examples are available upon request.

E&OE - Mount Build Specification and components used are subject to change without notice. Example EQ mount tracking performance is not guaranteed, and is subject to the age and condition of the Donor Mount.