DG-280 installation at 12deg lattitude

[tuyo]

According to the manual for 12degrees lattitude the elevation angle should be 78. However, the DG-280 will not go as far as the required 78 degrees. If I shimm the lower clamp is there a location that I can check the angle with an inclinometer?

[Rob Ram]

Originally Posted by tuyo

According to the manual for 12degrees lattitude the elevation angle should be 78. However, the DG-280 will not go as far as the required 78 degrees. If I shimm the lower clamp is there a location that I can check the angle with an inclinometer?

Possible try and extend the motor mount slot from 75 degrees elevation to 80 degrees elevation. A little extra should not hurt.
The correct angle reference is the motor shaft axis of rotation. Other than rotation, it does not move. It is not the 35 degree bent extension tube. The motor angle is set correct when the motor shaft is aligned to the Earth’s north south line. If you could look back through the motor shaft at night, you would see the true North Star’s position. This alignment is parallel to the Earths axis of rotation. A telescope polar mount uses the same axis to track the stars. If you use the bent extension tube you will introduce additional alignment error. The error is simply the result of measurement and part tolerance. However it is a convenient reference. Just subtract 35 degrees from the extension tube when the inclinometer is set on the tube and the motor is set to 0 (due south). Measure the motor shaft angle or adjusted tube angle; the correct result, either way, is 12 degrees.