The
dome is a vintage (1998) 10' Technical Innovations Pro Dome. It's all
fiberglass, 10 feet in diameter, with a two piece shutter that opens 105 degrees to
the zenith. The azimuth is driven by two belt drive friction wheels
located at opposite sides of the dome. The shutter is open and closed with
a system of cables attached to a screw windless. Both are powered by
manually operated 12VDC motors.
Over the winter of 2020-2021, the azimuth motors were upgraded to 24VDC gear
driven friction wheels with a resulting greater torque and more stable
operation. With the addition of a chain & sprocket encoder, the dome
is
now computer controlled with an ASCOM compatible LesveDome controller and 24V
power supply.
This is a DIY dome controller available from
LesveDome.Net. If you can load and solder a PCB, and wire a few relays, you
can make and install this with ease. The Arduino processor that runs the
controller comes pre-programed, and the associated ASCOM drives are available
online. The controller will automatically match the shutter oppening to
the direction of your OTA, and can automate the operation of the dome's shutter
as well.
Home..
![]() Old Motor Drive |
![]() New Moror Drive |
![]() Custom designed and 3D printed encoder assembly. |
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