Setup
Overview
To get your dome fully up and running with the Caterpillar, you will need to perform a few tasks:
Read section →Example installations
Have got a Caterpillar? We'd really appreciate it if you sent us a picture of your setup so we can feature it here to assist other users.
Read section →Hardware
Hardware overview
The Caterpillar Dome FC is the "full" model, with separate boards to control the rotation and the shutter. For a standard dome, the system is comprised of two elements:
Read section →Home sensor
The rotation unit needs a home sensor. Both a mechanical or a hall-effect sensor (usually preferred) can be used. They are wired to the same connector on the board, which provides +5 V required…
Read section →Encoder
Rotation of the dome is measured by a rotary encoder, and the home position is confirmed by the home sensor. The combination of these allows for very precise positioning of the dome.
Read section →Stepper motor—external driver
For stepper motors, the Caterpillar board does not drive the motor directly. Instead, it outputs 5 V control signals to an external stepper driver (such as a DM860I or TB6600), which handles the…
Read section →DC motor—external driver
For DC motors, the Caterpillar board does not drive the motor directly either. Instead, it outputs a PWM speed signal and a direction (DIR) signal to an external DC motor driver (H-bridge), which…
Read section →Variable-frequency drive (VFD)
For 3-phase motors, the Caterpillar controls a variable-frequency drive (VFD) through its digital inputs (DIx), driven by relays on our relay expansion board—a convenient way to get run/stop and…
Read section →Relay expansion board
For motors or drives that are normally operated through simple on/off switches or contactors, the Caterpillar can automate that control using our relay expansion board. Rather than wiring to the…
Read section →Shutter hardware
The shutter board controls up to two independent elements: the opening and, if fitted, the flaps (AKA lower shutters). Each element has its own motor/driver and its own pair of limit switches.
Read section →Software and configuration
Software overview
The Caterpillar can be controlled from any operating system, but it's important to note that the first configuration has to be done with the Initial motor configuration and settings application,…
Read section →Initial motor configuration and settings
The Initial motor configuration and settings application is a small Windows application used to fine-tune the Caterpillar's settings. You will use it to:
Read section →Connecting via USB
Connect your computer to the board with a USB cable, and turn the Caterpillar on. Windows will detect a new device and may install the drivers automatically. If it does not, install the CP210x…
Read section →Connecting via WiFi
Once the board has been configured with your WiFi credentials (see Configuring board WiFi), you can connect to it over the network instead of USB.
Read section →Selecting a motor preset
Motor presets load a complete set of factory default parameters tuned for a specific motor and drive combination. This is the first thing you should do after connecting to a freshly installed board.
Read section →Configuring speeds
Speed configuration uses two layers, and the split is intentional: physical speeds describe what the motor and driver can do, while logical speeds describe what your specific dome needs given its…
Read section →Enabling the shutter
If your dome has a shutter or flap controlled by a separate Caterpillar board, enable it in the Shutter section of Initial motor configuration and settings.
Read section →Configuring board WiFi
You can use Initial motor configuration and settings to configure WiFi so the board can be reached over your observatory network. To do so, follow these steps:
Read section →Motor and encoder calibration
Calibration matches the encoder response to motor motion. Run it after initial setup, and after changing a motor or encoder.
Read section →Saving settings to the board
The green Save configuration to the board bar writes all current settings—speeds, WiFi configuration, calibration data, and motor parameters—to the board's internal flash (non-volatile) storage.
Read section →ASCOM dome driver
The Caterpillar's software includes the ASCOM dome driver and is available from this link. It has two components: the dome driver and a safety monitor driver for the optional weather input (a…
Read section →ASCOM Device Hub setup
ASCOM Device Hub lets multiple astronomy applications share a single dome driver connection, and handles telescope-dome slaving so the dome follows the telescope automatically.
Read section →ASCOM Safety Monitor
The safety monitor driver is included in the same installer as the dome driver ( Caterpillar-Install.exe), and allows your automation software to close the observatory automatically when unsafe…
Read section →INDI driver
Full INDI support is coming soon for Linux-based observatory setups running KStars/Ekos or other INDI-compatible software.
Read section →Configuration via internal webserver
Some settings of the Caterpillar can also be configured from its own internal webserver, accessed via its IP address, as in the screenshot below.
Read section →Troubleshooting
Connection issues
Install the CP210x driver: CP210x_Universal_Windows_Driver.zip. Try a different USB cable (some cables are charge-only and carry no data), and try a different USB port on your computer.
Read section →Unexpected stops
Should the home sensor not be found after a complete revolution, the system will stop and issue a warning. Check:
Read section →Other issues
Need: LED status indicator meanings (connected, AP mode, STA searching, etc.) and factory reset procedure.
Read section →