Upgrading to Beaver Dome Controller

Pete Mumbower, I finally got the shutter and rotator installed yesterday morning and have to say the redesigned offset track with the metal sprocket are better than the old design. My only complaint is the mounting 2nd hole on the tract did not align with my connector on the dome, so I had to drill out the hole to get the screw in. Firmware update worked well with no hitches. This is the first time in over a year that the shutter has worked without stalling or skipping.

I am disappointed that the Beaver Dome Control interface isn't as informative as the version 3 ASCOM interface. Hopefully that will be corrected in a future update.

Steven

Thanks for the info @Steven Green I will have to reach out to Babak and see what will be involved with upgrading my existing rotator and shutter. Hoping it will not cost the entire amount of a new one. The existing (old)Arduino does do the job, but I do like to keep current with things. Also really want to get the new shutter design. Its sounds much better than the plastic sliding over plastic.

The two versions (ASCOM and Beaver=ASCOM Hub) are not compatible. I received a new shutter kit mid-July with the Beaver board, and my 2020 rotator kit will not update to Beaver. I contacted Babak, and he sent me a new rotator. I would suspect he'll make it right for you.

The Beaver system uses the rotator board to connect to the shutter (as the Arduino board did) but you no longer need to connect a USB cable to the shutter to update its board. All communications between the rotator and shutter happens wirelessly, including firmware updates.

It's been so hot here I haven't been able to get out to the dome to swap out the new rotator he sent me this past week, but I'm pretty sure it will work, as the Lunatico agent told me two weeks ago during a TeamViewer session.

Maybe one of the software, in the weeds, folks on this forum can chime in if I didn't get this right.

Steven