Nice video. I noticed you use a Pegasus power box to power your mount. I fried my mount with a Pegasus power box. I now use a separate power power source for my mount.
@@lcxt9 ouch, sorry to hear that, haven't had a problem doing it on my EQ6R for probably 4 years But not planning to use power from the powerbox on the 150i.
I also have the PE200 so glad to see that this mount works with it - thinking about this one vs. the AM5N. I want a mount that can handle whatever scope I buy moving forward. I have a 8 inch Newtonian that weighs about 35 lbs all in.
@@mantownmedia78 definitely you'll want the counterweight kit. I'm gonna the adapter for the eq6r when it comes out I think, for my larger scope setup I'm approaching that weight too, and even on the TC40 I just feel ill want something more solid from the tripod perspective I looked at the zwo mounts too for a while, but I'm not disappointed with this at all. Have some colleagues that have them and they work great too, but they are also locked into the zwo ecosystem, and I'm not (mini pc, pegasus products, etc)
The PE200 can be used to connect to Skywatcher and AVX tripods. Interesting that Skywatcher designed this new mount to work with the ZWO pier and TC40. So far the only thing I don't like about this mount is the power connections is pointing up to the dovetail. I'm wondering about dew accumulating in the connections. Will you do a review on how well it guides? I expect it to guide as well as other strain wave mounts using a small refractor. Do you have an SCT you can try on this mount for high focal length guide testing? Thanks for a very good unboxing and initial setup.
No SCT, but I do have a ES127 refractor (focal length 952) as well (haven't put it on yet, leery on just using it on the TC40 without a bit more support). My initial experience with guiding is I am matching exactly what I had with my EQ6R (0.5 to 0.8 roughly). I haven't noticed any dew on the connection, wondering if the heat generated from the unit combats that inherently. I did get several right angle connectors, that made a huge difference on the spacing with the dovetail and the RA panel on the back.
Hi. I was very interested in the adapter you used to connect your Star Adventurer to the new Triopod. Could you please clarify where your got the adapter with 3/8th bolt? Thanks
@@keithnisbet so it is just a 3/8 bolt (1.5 inches long) that I picked up from local hardware store (Lowes) The adapter plate is just to one that is on top of the ZWO TC40 or PE200.
Hello Brent! Greetings from Italy. I have been thinking about the very same changes in wiring you are doing here; my Wave 150i is still not available from my usual supplier and I come from my beloved AZ-EQ6. I heard about *potential* issues when powering the mount from a powerbox; I used to do that when powering the AZ-EQ6 from my Pegasus Astro Powerbox Advance (without any issue!) BUT I use a 13.6V LiFePO4 battery, granting me ALWAYS at least 12.8V when partially discharged; I hate to route a second cable, just because I am still not sure whether I will risk my equipment or not. I am thinking about a splitter cable with 2 5.5x2.1 jacks at the end of a single cable from my battery: one will power the powerbox (and running accessories), while the other will power the mount alone. Wouldn't this be cleaner than using two different cables? This way will the mount be still independent from the powerbox, or not?
So I am not an expert in this, but I have been weighing the same thing or something similar, would a single line from my Bluetti battery up to the mount, split it with a DC Y cord at the 150i. I'll probably post in a few forums on it, i'm sure Sky-watcher wouldnt recommend it, but I'm not positive that it WOULDNT work just fine My Bluetti does allow me to run both cables if I need to and I have them, so I may not bother, but it would simplify things a bit.
@@Brentless a few hours ago I asked the question to a friend of mine, who works as a technician on several electrical devices and he's really more expert than me. Well, he agreed that a single line with a splitter at the end, to power the mount directly and all other devices through the powerbox, would work just the same as two separate lines, but it is a cleaner solution. I my opinion we could imagine that empirically: two separate cable or one signle cable, but the battery has the same total load on it. The problem that people (Skywatcher itself too) are talking about is the behaviour of every powerbox, which could potentially be unable to give enough power to the mount when it slews and asks for more amps. So the main goal is only avoiding the powerbox between battery and mount. In my case, the battery runs between 13.6V and 12,8V, so I am still pretty sure that it's a non problem. But we manage costly toys, and you know what I mean.
Functionally, i don't think I can say one is better than the other. A lot of colleagues in my local astrophotography group have AM5's (don't thank any of them have the n's yet), but they do what they are supposed to do. If you are all into the ZWO ecosystem (ASIAIR, etc), it is a no brainer, just stay in the ZWO family. I have a level of trust with Sky-watcher (given my history with their mounts) that made me feel comfortable investing the extra couple hundred for the 150i. Plus outside of my camera, I'm not really in the ZWO ecosystem (using Windows Mini PCs, using Pegasus products, etc). I really like the in-mount cable routing, I don't know if any other strain wave mount has that right now.
Nice, I must have missed that addition. Looks like it is one way (not a problem if you have mini pc or asi air up top), Sky-watcher's can go either way, a small benefit maybe to people that still use laptops or what not but still have components up top. Neither here nor there. I think price will settle out, and Sky-watcher (late to the game) will continue to catch up. But honestly, I think it will start to come down to brand loyalty. The AM5n could definitely do everything I need the 150i to do. In the end, I was willing to roll the dice on this first release version.
Nice video. I noticed you use a Pegasus power box to power your mount. I fried my mount with a Pegasus power box. I now use a separate power power source for my mount.
@@lcxt9 ouch, sorry to hear that, haven't had a problem doing it on my EQ6R for probably 4 years
But not planning to use power from the powerbox on the 150i.
I also have the PE200 so glad to see that this mount works with it - thinking about this one vs. the AM5N. I want a mount that can handle whatever scope I buy moving forward. I have a 8 inch Newtonian that weighs about 35 lbs all in.
@@mantownmedia78 definitely you'll want the counterweight kit. I'm gonna the adapter for the eq6r when it comes out I think, for my larger scope setup I'm approaching that weight too, and even on the TC40 I just feel ill want something more solid from the tripod perspective
I looked at the zwo mounts too for a while, but I'm not disappointed with this at all. Have some colleagues that have them and they work great too, but they are also locked into the zwo ecosystem, and I'm not (mini pc, pegasus products, etc)
The PE200 can be used to connect to Skywatcher and AVX tripods. Interesting that Skywatcher designed this new mount to work with the ZWO pier and TC40. So far the only thing I don't like about this mount is the power connections is pointing up to the dovetail. I'm wondering about dew accumulating in the connections.
Will you do a review on how well it guides? I expect it to guide as well as other strain wave mounts using a small refractor. Do you have an SCT you can try on this mount for high focal length guide testing?
Thanks for a very good unboxing and initial setup.
No SCT, but I do have a ES127 refractor (focal length 952) as well (haven't put it on yet, leery on just using it on the TC40 without a bit more support). My initial experience with guiding is I am matching exactly what I had with my EQ6R (0.5 to 0.8 roughly). I haven't noticed any dew on the connection, wondering if the heat generated from the unit combats that inherently.
I did get several right angle connectors, that made a huge difference on the spacing with the dovetail and the RA panel on the back.
Hi. I was very interested in the adapter you used to connect your Star Adventurer to the new Triopod. Could you please clarify where your got the adapter with 3/8th bolt? Thanks
@@keithnisbet so it is just a 3/8 bolt (1.5 inches long) that I picked up from local hardware store (Lowes)
The adapter plate is just to one that is on top of the ZWO TC40 or PE200.
Once you have the mount adjusted for altitude can you put the mount back in the storage case at your set altitude? Thanks
I haven't tried, but no doesn't look like it without me picking the foam to the new angle
Hello Brent! Greetings from Italy. I have been thinking about the very same changes in wiring you are doing here; my Wave 150i is still not available from my usual supplier and I come from my beloved AZ-EQ6. I heard about *potential* issues when powering the mount from a powerbox; I used to do that when powering the AZ-EQ6 from my Pegasus Astro Powerbox Advance (without any issue!) BUT I use a 13.6V LiFePO4 battery, granting me ALWAYS at least 12.8V when partially discharged; I hate to route a second cable, just because I am still not sure whether I will risk my equipment or not. I am thinking about a splitter cable with 2 5.5x2.1 jacks at the end of a single cable from my battery: one will power the powerbox (and running accessories), while the other will power the mount alone. Wouldn't this be cleaner than using two different cables? This way will the mount be still independent from the powerbox, or not?
So I am not an expert in this, but I have been weighing the same thing or something similar, would a single line from my Bluetti battery up to the mount, split it with a DC Y cord at the 150i. I'll probably post in a few forums on it, i'm sure Sky-watcher wouldnt recommend it, but I'm not positive that it WOULDNT work just fine
My Bluetti does allow me to run both cables if I need to and I have them, so I may not bother, but it would simplify things a bit.
@@Brentless a few hours ago I asked the question to a friend of mine, who works as a technician on several electrical devices and he's really more expert than me. Well, he agreed that a single line with a splitter at the end, to power the mount directly and all other devices through the powerbox, would work just the same as two separate lines, but it is a cleaner solution. I my opinion we could imagine that empirically: two separate cable or one signle cable, but the battery has the same total load on it. The problem that people (Skywatcher itself too) are talking about is the behaviour of every powerbox, which could potentially be unable to give enough power to the mount when it slews and asks for more amps. So the main goal is only avoiding the powerbox between battery and mount. In my case, the battery runs between 13.6V and 12,8V, so I am still pretty sure that it's a non problem. But we manage costly toys, and you know what I mean.
@@gianlucabeccani6812 awesome, appreciate the research!
Spending more than 2k on that mount I am sure you did a lot of research of other mounts....do you think the 150i is better than the AM5n?
Functionally, i don't think I can say one is better than the other.
A lot of colleagues in my local astrophotography group have AM5's (don't thank any of them have the n's yet), but they do what they are supposed to do. If you are all into the ZWO ecosystem (ASIAIR, etc), it is a no brainer, just stay in the ZWO family.
I have a level of trust with Sky-watcher (given my history with their mounts) that made me feel comfortable investing the extra couple hundred for the 150i. Plus outside of my camera, I'm not really in the ZWO ecosystem (using Windows Mini PCs, using Pegasus products, etc).
I really like the in-mount cable routing, I don't know if any other strain wave mount has that right now.
@Brentless The new ZWO AM5n has the in mount cable plug ins.
Nice, I must have missed that addition. Looks like it is one way (not a problem if you have mini pc or asi air up top), Sky-watcher's can go either way, a small benefit maybe to people that still use laptops or what not but still have components up top. Neither here nor there.
I think price will settle out, and Sky-watcher (late to the game) will continue to catch up. But honestly, I think it will start to come down to brand loyalty. The AM5n could definitely do everything I need the 150i to do.
In the end, I was willing to roll the dice on this first release version.