Dome Control - LesveDome driver
 
Last update 2010 01 20

 

At beginning, the LesveDome driver has been designed for HomeDome from Technical Innovations,
in the mean time it has been used on various dome brands : Ash, Exploradome, Sirius and DIY.

 

The dome control is based on a USB I/O controller, 2 relays, an Azimuth sensor and a Home position switch.
USB I/O interface is a main advantage of this solution as Serial and Parallel ports are less and less available on new PCs.
Two optional relays are also used to power on/off the Telescope and a SBIG camera.
It's also possible to control the dome shutter with additional relays.

A discussion group has been open on Yahoo, if interested, join : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lesvedome/

LesveDome driver is available on my download page

 LesveDome users

Since 2006

Mike Fleenor (Knoxville, TN. USA) 10' HomeDome Mike Fleenor Astrophysical Observatory
Jörg Hanisch (Germany) 8' HomeDome http://de.geocities.com/joe_hande/domepage
Max Mirot (USA) 10' Ash dome maxmirot@charter.net

Since 2007

Gustavo Pohls Vargas "David H. Levy Observatorio" (Mexico) 10' Exploradome  http://www.xosmos.com
Videos of the D. Levy Observatorio in action with the LesveDome driver (Credits G. Pohls)
Hi-Res (36 Mb, but worth it):
http://www.astroskies.com/temp/lesvehi.wmv
Med-Res (12 Mb...Good enough for the mildly interested):
http://www.astroskies.com/temp/lesvemed.wmv
Low-Res (4 Mb, crap resolution):
http://www.astroskies.com/temp/lesvelow.wmv
Patrick Coolahan (Australia) 8' home made  dome hpcoolahan1@bigpond.com
James Burgess – Bluemoon Observatory (Muncie Indiana –USA) Exploradome orianbelt1@yahoo.com  http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Boulevard/8409/
Allan R. Quebec Canada  - Exploradome      
Don W.  FL USA  - Exploradome
Dennis Harrow. NY USA Scenic Hill Observatory - HomeDome HD6
Charles H. NH USA - Exploradome
Keon L. South Korea
John A. MI USA
Chris Cappelli. CA USA  - Exploradome

       Since 2008

Wayne F. Hawai USA
Miguel P. Canary Island Spain
Graham B. Essex UK
Peter S. East Sussex UK - Home made dome
Joe H. GA USA - Turtle Creek Observatory - HomeDome HD10
Terry Pedroza. CA USA Antelope Valley Observatory- Exploradome
Robert L. TX USA
Huub J. Netherlands - Sirius
Donald Golka. Alberta Canada  - Home made dome 
Roger L. OH USA - HomeDome HD6
David M. New Zeeland - Home made dome
Anne and Dany L. Belgium Home made dome
Rodney Owens, NJ, USA RVO Observatory - Exploradome http://www.freewebs.com/rodbo1967/
Daniel R., NV, USA
Carlos M. Spain
Jeff OM. ??? HomeDome HD6
Gary M. Essex, UK
Byron W. Ohio, USA Exploradome
Andrushivka Observatory, Ukrainia http://www.aao.gluk.org/eng/index.html
Javier G.L. Madrid Spain

Since 2009

Paolo T. Milano, Italy
Neil M. Dursley, UK
Klaus W. Sulzburg, Germany
Hiroyuki W. Japan
Mashiro K. Japan
José Maria R. M. Malaga Spain
Gustavo M. Las Palmas Spain
Mike H. Finland
Mike S. Mastic, NY USA
Jose C. Jaen, Spain
Pere A. Mallorca Spain
Gary Walker Mass, USA Vestal and Loines Observatories of Maria Mitchell Association http://www.mmo.org/
Isidro A. Malaga Spain
Peter S. UK
Steve UK
Antonio G.S. Barcelona Spain
Derrick F. Newbury, UK
Mark M. Texas, USA
Janne G. Finland
Doug S. Ohio, USA
Robert T. Kent, UK
Jean-Luc M. Provence, France
Shyh-Yow T. Taiwan

Since 2010

Gary S. Nevada, USA
Gary L. West Yorshire, UK
Brett S. Bathurst, Australia
Edward Plumer Texas, USA - Exploradome http://picasaweb.google.com/eplumer/Observatory#




If your observatory is already using Lesve Dome Automation design and not listed above, let me know and I'll add it.

 

Block diagram


 

USB I/O controller

The USB I/O controller is available as a low cost kit K8055 (39 Euros) or as mounted module VM 110 (55 Euros) from Velleman (a Belgian company www.velleman.be ) but the product is also available from various resellers all over the world (see Velleman resellers at end of this page).
Mounting this module is easy is you have a good soldering iron, Velleman documentation provides a step by step procedure to mount all the elements. With the module you receive also a test software to verify all the functions.
Specifications: http://www.velleman.be/ot/en/product/view/?id=351346



 

Two digital outputs are used to activate motor relays

The position of the direction relay is also sensed with USB I/O, so if the dome is rotated with manual switches (see electrical diagrams at end of this page), the Ascom Lesve Dome driver will be aware of this dome move.
The list of used input/output channels of the USB I/O controller is provided at end of this page.

 

Azimuth sensor
from Technical Innovations (http://www.homedome.com) is based on wheel in contact with the Dome base.
As the wheel is contact with the dome base, this wheel will rotate when the Dome is in move
You could also consider buying only the two Photo micro sensors from an electronic retailer and making yourself the mechanic instead to buy and adapt the Technical Innovation Azimuth sensor for your dome. Azimuth sensor is just an arm with a spring supporting the azimuth wheel and the photo sensor.

 
 

The two photo sensors, shown with yellow lines are Omron EE-SX1042, Google provides a lot of links for this component.

Specifications http://ecb.omron.com.sg/pdf/photomicrosensors/non-amplified/EE-SX1042.pdf

For Exploradome users a specific design is also available.



A complete description of this Azimuth sensor is available in the Help file (see below)

Human Interface
 



 

A complete description of LesveDome driver is provided in the following help file.
To avoid problems opening the .chm file use the following procedure:
- right click lesvedomedriver.chm link (updated on 2010 01 20)
- choose Save Target as ... (choose a convenient directory)
- click Open folder

To unblock the file (new security added in Windows)
- right click on lesvedomedriver.chm and select Properties
- click on the button named "Unblock", this button is at the bottom of the Properties window
- clic OK

- double click on lesvedomedriver.chm
- if needed Uncheck "Always ask before opening this file"
- click Open

This Help file is also included in the installation file "LesveDome x x x  Setup.exe" (see download page)

Direct link to schematics.
Those schematics are also available from the lesvedomedriver.chm file
Principal schematic (Charles Harrow)
Dual Shutter Configuration
Dead Man Switch
Sirius Implementation


Ascom LesveDome Driver, installation program is available on my download page



 

Velleman resellers

http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=K8055
http://www.apogeekits.com/usb_interface.htm
http://store.qkits.com/moreinfo.cfm/VM110
http://www.oceancontrols.com.au/data_acquisition/usb_8055.htm
http://www.jaycar.com.au/  keyword search "usb kit"
http://www.jaycar.co.nz/  keyword search "usb kit"
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=42857
 


if you find other interesting reseller links, let  me know I'll add your inputs.