Page 1
TEC APO110 FL
TEC APO110 FL
ECLIPSE
OWNER’S MANUAL
2010
110 manuals_110 manuals 6/27/2010 8:16 PM Page 1
Page 2
IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ THIS MANUAL BEFORE
USING YOUR TELESCOPE
SAFETY WARNINGS
Do not look at the sun through the telescope!
Viewing the sun through the telescope without special equipment (Solar Filter) will cause permanent
visual impairment and damage to telescope components.
Do not disassemble!
Disassembly of the telescope could result in personal injury and/or telescope malfunction.
CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions or need assistance - please contact us:
Phone 303 273 9322 • Fax: 303 273 0204
E-mail [email protected]
Web site www.telescopengineering.com
User’s group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tec-scopes
Address Telescope Engineering Company • 15730 West 6th Ave. Golden CO, 80401. USA
TEC APO 110 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Clear aperture 4.33” / 110 mm
Focal length 616 mm
Focal ratio 5.6
Image scale 5.6 arc min
Resolution (theor.) 1.0 arc sec
Focuser TEC- I 3.20” / 82mm ID
Eyepiece holder 2” Collet type
Focusing range 3.60” / 92 mm
One turn focus travel:
Coarse 18.3 mm
Fine (small knob) 1.8 mm
Back focus distance 6.70” / 170 mm
Focuser load capacity 12 lb / 5.5kg
Tube assembly dia. 4.44” / 112.8 mm
Baffle diameter 5.51” / 140 mm
OTA length (shortest) 18.95” / 482 mm
OTA weight 10 lb / 4.5 kg including ring
Weight with case 18 lb / 8.2 kg incl. keys
Case dimensions 21”x 13.5”x 8.25”
Price 2010 $4500 (first run only)
Includes : Optical tube assembly, front cover, plug, ring, case
2
110 manuals_110 manuals 6/27/2010 8:16 PM Page 2
Page 3
OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT (see www.telescopengineering.com for up to date prices)
Finderscope bracket with base $120
BP 8X50 finderscope (Germany) with illuminated eyepiece $160
TEC 9” narrowed dovetail plate for APO110FL only $70
Plate clearance adapter $15
Eyepiece Turret $500
Field Flattener (three-lens design) $750
OVERVIEW
The APO110 Fluorite is TEC’s smallest model, it was designed with customer input in mind and many
aspects of it’s design were discussed on tec-scopes yaoo group since April 2009:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/tec-scopes
As a result we have designed a very compact, relatively fast F/5.6 telescope that could be used for both
visual observations and wide field imaging.
Scope also has number of features that in given combination are rarely found in one scope:
- Compact, lightweight tube assembly with retractable baffle and shell type ring with handle for GG
action (“grab and go”)
- Case for telescope has “carry-on” dimensions for most airlines (since these dimensions could change,
please double check weight/dimensional limitation prior to your flight).
- Telescope objective being “oiled triplet” by design transmits more light than any other objective in it’s
class, thanks to the use of CaF2 as a middle lens and modern BBAR coatings on outer surfaces.
- Precision rotatable focuser with coarse and fine focusing, with 2”eyepiece holder.
- The focuser features a specially designed collet made of metal wich is insensitive to temperature and
holds loads with high precision when concentricity of focuser tube and axis of the eyepiece or camera
attained automatically by definition.
- All components of the telescope, including: mechanical parts, optics, coatings, etc. are MADE IN USA
3
Front view - rear view
110 manuals_110 manuals 6/27/2010 8:16 PM Page 3
Page 4
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR TELESCOPE
PARTS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS ARE IDENTIFIED AND DESCRIBED BELOW:
1 - Front Cover. Made of anodized black aluminum. It has TEC logo in the center.
2 - Retractable Sliding Baffle. This feature makes the OTA shorter for handling and transportation.
Open end of the baffle is rounded to improve aerodynamics of the front end of telescope. Rounded
edge creates less turbulence compared to straight cut baffles
3 - Baffle flange. It holds the baffle with four 2-56 Button Head Screws
4 - Tube assembly (OTA). The tube interior is coated with special light absorbent coating and has two
sharp edge diaphragms, which block internal reflections.
5 - Clamshell ring with handle (see separate description)
6 - Focuser (see separate description)
7 - Plug. It is a small part to keep the focuser end closed when not in use. It also has TEC logo.
CLAMSHELL RING
Clamshell contains upper and lower semi-round parts, handle (5.1), latch (5.3), hinge (5.4)
Handle can be removed by unscrewing the flanged screw (5.2) with 5/32” hex key. To remove OTA
from the clamshell ring, lift the latch wing up, make half counter clockwise turn, disengage latch upper
end from the small pin and open clamshelf.
The hole pattern of the bottom has two 1/4-20
(5.5) (5.6) and one 3/8-16 threaded hole (5.7)
these are standard threads for photo tripods.
1/4” holes are 48mm apart.
PLEASE NOTE, that max screw length
allowed to go into the clamshell bottom
must be 1/4” or shorter to avoid touching
the OTA.
4
1
7
6543
2
5.1
5.3
5.2
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.4
110 manuals_110 manuals 6/27/2010 8:16 PM Page 4
Page 5
TEC 110FL FOCUSER
The APO110FL dimensions asked for a focuser that would fit OTA in
good proportion and be large enough to avoid vignetting for wide
field imaging. The FT 3545 that we used on all our larger scopes
was too large.
The focuser has been designed and made in our shop - it is
entirely a TEC focuser. While similar in appearance to
other focusers on the market, it has a few special
features that were required for today's imaging:
- It is all metal 2" collet type holder; being all
metal it does not change holding force under
colder temperatures and would not be
damaged from sun heat exposure either.
- Holding capacity (axial load) of TEC
collet itself is over 5 times the telescope
weight - thanks to special design of the collet.
Compared to traditional thumb screw holders the
collet type holder keeps item's axis strictly
concentric to focuser axis by definition.
- Focuser draw tube is held in the focuser housing all the way
around that also makes the axis of draw tube strictly concentric
to the optical axis of telescope. Holding draw tube in such a
way makes the focuser more robust, focuser has virtually no
play under radial load, 7lb weight shifts fully extended draw
tube for less than 20mk.
- The F5.6 ratio required finer focusing compared to our
typical F7 telescopes since permitted defocusing is two times
less. The planetary mechanism ratio is 1:10 and one turn of the
fine focusing knob moves focuser tube 1.8mm.
- The TEC focuser is "dry" - no oiling is required on the focuser
draw tube - this will keep focuser draw tube free from dirt.
Focuser parts
1. Focuser locking collar
2. Tension adjustment knob
3. Focuser housing
4. Focuser draw tube
5. Draw tube end cap
6. End cap locking screws (3X)
7. Collet locking nut
8. Collet sleeve
9. Coarse focusing knobs
10. Fine focusing knob
11. Right knob set screw
12. Pinion shaft housing
13. Pinion shaft housing threaded holes (4X)
14. Pinion housing plastic screw
15. Pinion housing screws (3X).
5
1
2
3
9
10
9
9
11
12
13
13
14
15
4
5
6
7
8
110 manuals_110 manuals 6/27/2010 8:16 PM Page 5
Page 6
Focuser parts description
Focuser locking collar (1) connected to the OTA flange (not shown) and holds focuser on the end of tele
scope. Loosening it will allow you to rotate the focuser to any position.
NOTE: The focuser can be completely removed by unscrewing the locking collar completely and then
pulling the focuser from the OTA flange. This should only be done in rare special circumstances. Please
contact TEC before removing focuser for any reason.
The drag between the Focuser housing (3) and Focuser draw tube (4) can be adjusted by tightening the
Tension adjustment knob (2). Please note: tightening this knob with increase drag only ~ 20%, but will
not completely stop the movement of the focuser draw tube. Tetsion adjustmeent knob and the Fine fo
cusing knob (10) are both plated with fine Gold to avoid any oxidation from continuous finger contact.
Focuser draw tube (4) has laser engraved mm scale, inside it is painted with flat black paint and has a
number of knife-edge baffles to reduce internal reflections at low angles.
Draw tube end cap (5) with Collet locking nut ((7) and Collet sleeve (8) are assembled as one unit. This
unit can be removed by loosing three 6-32 set screws (6) and unscrewing it completely. The Field
Flattener for wide field imaging could than be screw onto the focuser draw tube end.
The Collet sleeve is made of Aluminum, its surface is tumbled and left unanodized to avoid scratching
the barrel of eyepiece or other equipment, also coefficient of friction of unanodized aluminum is higher
than for anodized aluminum. NOTE: keep the Collet locking nut tichtened at all times to avoid
droping /damaging your equipment!
Coarse focusing knobs (9) and Fine focusing knob (10) have round rubber grips for better tactile
feeling during focusing. Using rubber is also better for focusing at low temperatures.
Right focusing knob can be removed by loosening set screw (11), a Robofocus or other brand of
electrical motors can be installed instead, use 4-40 threaded holes (13) for motor bracket installation.
Fine focusing knob (10) can also be removed by loosening set screw (not shown), to access the set screw
of this knob the rubber grip has to be removed with toothpick.
Please note: the pinion shaft diameter is 1/4”, the fine focusing knob shaft diameter is 1/8”.
Pinion shaft housing (12) attached to the focuser housing (3) with 4-40 socket head cup screws (15).
Position of the pinion housing with pinion shaft relatively to the rack (installed on the focuser draw
tube), is precisely adjusted by TEC during assembly. Please avoid unscrewing these screws.
Pinion housing plastic screw (14) covers 1/4”-20 threaded hole, the purpose of this hole will be
described ahead.
The Focuser housing (3) also has two 8-32 threaded holes for finder base installation (these holes are on
the left from Tension adjustment knob) not shown on given sketch. If finder base is to be installed on the
focuser housing, make sure the screws being used are of correct length to avoid scratching/damaging
internal parts of focuser housing.
Please contact TEC if you have question about the length of the finder base screws.
WARNING: Do not ever try to disassemble the focuser for any reason, it can not be done without
proper tools and without knowing its internal structure. Attempt to disassemble focuser may end
with focuser parts damage and loosing warrantee. Contact TEC if you have any issues or question
about the focuser.
6
110 manuals_110 manuals 6/27/2010 8:16 PM Page 6
Loading...