How to remove t2 to t2 adaptor from Electronic filter wheel?

banjo1000

My t2 to t2 adapter is screwed on to my motorized filter wheel to tightly. I cannot get purchase enough to unscrew it. There are two holes in the adapter that seem to be designed for a removal tool, but none is supplied. I hesitate to stick a metal tool in the hole because it would scratch up my EFW. Suggestions? Thanks!

wvreeven

Take a shoe with a rubber sole and press the sole onto the ring. Put your hand in the shoe, press and rotate. I do this all the time when rings etc get stuck and it works like a charm. No joke!!!

HTH, Wouter

moson

You could find a wire, bend it, and insert it into those two holes, and then unscrew the T2-T2 adapter.

banjo1000

Wouter, thanks for the suggestion. I tried, but unfortunately my ring is really stuck on my EFW. I really do need some kind of tool that catches the holes in order to apply enough torque.

It is hard to imagine others haven't encountered the same problem. Clearly, the designer was aware of the issue, or else there wouldn't be holes for a tool. It is unfortunate that a removal tool isn't supplied by ZWO with each electronic filter wheel. I'm still stuck, or should I say, the adapter is still stuck.

Best,

Joe

moson

Did you reverse the T2-T2 adapter?

If you still can't unscrew it, you could return it for fix. But it pays a lot.

banjo1000

A T2-T2 adapters the same on both sides. One can’t reverse a symmetrical adapter!

moson

We are sorry about this.

There is one way we can help you, that is return it back, then we can fix it. But this way will cost a lot.

banjo1000

Dear Moson,

Shipping back to ZWO is not a helpful solution. It would be cheaper to remove the T2-T2 adapter destructively by grabbing the exposed threads in a vice, and purchasing another T2-T2 adapter which is a $12 part if I recall. Unfortunately, I could still run into the same problem again in the future. Clearly the engineer who drew up the part was aware that it could get stuck, because s/he put the pair of holes in the part. My opinion is that it would be appropriate to include a removal tool with every motorized EFW and any other ZWO device which can suffer the same problem.

I spoke with a friend who works in a metal shop. He recognized the name of the tool that I want as an adjustable pin spanner. The tool is most often used in angle grinders, and it is often used to tighten/loosen retaining disks in the bicycle world. At the very least, ZWO should be advising its customers of the tool needed. ZWO support confirms that the pin holes in the T2-T2 adapter are 3mm. I have ordered a Park Tools SPA-1 adjustable pin spanner with 2.9mm holes from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-SPA-1-Hanger-Spanner/dp/B001B6RJXI/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Park+Tools+SPA-1&qid=1588087107&sr=8-1

I shouldn't have to purchase a 3rd party tool. I suggest that ZWO start including a fixed pin spanner matched to the pin holes of the T2-T2 adapter. It would not be an expensive part.

moson

Thank you very much for sharing this solution to us !

And we are glad that you have solved the problem. Also we will consider your suggestion.

banjo1000

Confirming, it was trivial to remove the T2-T2 adapter with the pin spanner.

HOMRising

banjo1000 Well, this thread might be three years old, but many thanks to banjo for suggesting the pin spanner tool to remove the T2-T2 adapter. Just bought my filter wheel and disappointed that ZWO did not engineer this better or did not provide the pin spanner tool to correct a foreseeable problem. Come on, ZWO, you can do better than this.

moson

Thank you very much!

Tech@ZWO

HOMRising Forwarded to our team. thanks for your feedback.

NigelRees

Help, I need to remove the t2 to t2 adapter from my EFW to achieve the correct back focus when using the Nikon Lens adapter. However the adapter has been installed from the inside before the filter wheel was installed - and yes this is how I purchased it.

Is it possible to remove the filter wheel? If so is it as easy as unscrewing the centre hub screw please?

Thank you in advance

w7ay

NigelRees Is it possible to remove the filter wheel?

Do you mean removing the carousel?

Look at the center of the carousel. There, you will find a large screw smack at the center. Do not touch that.

There are usually three or four smaller (and usually countersunk) screws surrounding the large screw. Remove the smaller screws, and the carousel should lift off from the body of the EFW. Try to be careful that you don't disturb the o-ring around the circumference of the carousel -- that is how the stepper motor friction drives the carousel. Likewise, when you replace the carousel, try to gently nudge the o-ring against the stepper motor shaft.

Once the carousel is removed, you should be able to see what is holding up the adapter.

But before you resort to that:

I'll bet that the T2 adapter is not really threaded from the inside, but is one of these threaded ring that is similar to one of these:

https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/product/m48-m42-adapter/

If so, just look for the indentations in the ring (just like the indentation on the rings that holds camera filter glass) that are 180º apart, and use what is called a "lens spanner" to give you enough leverage to remove the ring (plenty to choose from at Amazon) to remove that adapter. You can't live long in this hobby without sooner or later needing a lens spanner, so might as well buy one now.

A teeny tiny drop of 3-in-1 oil in a thread (and giving it 30 minutes to work through) will often help removal of a stuck thread. But I wouldn't use any oil in your case, since it is near optical elements. If everything is really stuck, and you have no choice, you can disassemble everything to use the oil method, and then throroughly clean any possible contamination with alcohol (multiple times) before re-mounting any optical parts again.

Chen