Paramount User Guide
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The reason the right ascension axis can only be locked when the counterweight shaft is vertical is to
prevent unbalanced payloads from damaging the mount. If the mount’s right ascension axis were to be
locked in any other orientation, unbalanced payload could potentially exert destructive torque on the
locking mechanism.
When installed, the right ascension and declination axis locking bolts are designed to
prevent the axis from rotating during shipment or while adding payload to the mount.
As a best practice, always try to maintain a relatively balanced payload, even when
mounting equipment.
The shoulder bolts are not designed to carry the mount’s entire payload. If you mount an
excessively unbalanced payload on the declination axis, for example, you run the risk of
bending one or both of the bolts, making removal difficult.
The specifications for right ascension axis locking shoulder bolt are:
18-8 stainless steel shoulder screw
5/16-in. shoulder diameter
2-1/4-in. long shoulder
1/4 in.–20 thread
The declination axis locking shoulder bolt has the same specifications, but is 1 3/4-in. long.
Configurable Hard Stop Positions (Paramount ME II Only)
The Right Ascension Locking Holes also provide access bolts that define the Paramount ME’s configurable
hard stop position. For each “side of the meridian”, there are six different positions where a physical hard
stop mounting bolt can be installed.
After placing the Two Position Switch in the Balance mode, rotate the right ascension access and look into
one of the Right Ascension Locking Holes. As the axis is rotated, you will see five threaded holes that do
not contain a bolt and the sixth, at the maximum hard stop limit, with a bolt installed. The position of this
bolt defines the maximum allowable rotation for the axis in this direction.
Normally, the hard stop position need not be altered, and the configurable software slew limits (page 159)
are used to prevent the mount from slewing to undesired positions.
To change the position of the hard stop, remove the hard stop bolt using a square-ended hex wrench. A
square-ended hex wrench bolt captivates the socket head cap screw so that it can be extracted from the
Right Ascension Locking Hole. Once removed, the socket head cap screw can be placed at the desired
hard stop position.
Declination Axis Assembly (Dec Assembly)
The declination assembly is a permanent component of the Paramount and cannot be removed.
