Simple MoonLite-compatible motorized focuser controller. Thought to be used with INDI. Doesn't support temperature compensation. It also supports a non-official MoonLite-style command to change the state of all the Arduino's digital and PWM pins: in my case I control two dew heaters and a fan to cool the primary mirror.
I use a Nema 11 motor that moves the focuser knob using a belt. If you don't have a heavy focuser, also consider using a Nema 8. A 20 teeth pulley and a 6mm wide 160mm long belt are enough. Absolute and relative positioning, half and full step switching.
Define the customizable pins in the CUSTOMIZABLE_PINS
array in the Config.h
file and
upload the firmware.
AstroAllInOne is this firmware's companion INDI driver that allows the end user to change the state of every pin of the board (pay attention! do not change the state of the stepper motor driver's pins). Refer to its documentation on how to configure it. Without AstroAllInOne, the Arduino will behave just like a generic MoonLite focuser controller.
For my EQ5 I needed an illuminator and I added it to the focuser project.
It requires a potentiometer to dim the light and a red LED.
Can be easily disabled in the Config.h
file by setting the ENABLE_POLAR_LIGHT
field.
In the "Eagle" directory you can find the full circuit project, both schematics and PCB.
It's the one I use for my telescope, but feel free to modify it to
accomplish your necessities: for instance, you could add another dew heater controller,
or remove the Newton mirror cooler MOSFET.
Made with Eagle 9.2.2 Premium
I included the mounting brackets I made for the common SkyWatcher dual-speed Crayford focuser (I have a 200mm f/5 Newton OTA).
AutoCAD 2019 project, STL and IGS exported files.
Feel free to submit pull requests! New brackets are welcome!