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magnus I can well understand what you mean by the improvement on "setting up and the dreaded teardown" - you now no longer have to worry about that Good luck with the remaining work - can't wait to see it installed. Jim

Magnus I've been following your progress rather quietly here but now is the time to say "Wow" That is an enviable remote observatory, it reflects well on your hard work, congratulations. Are there any significant hurdles to overcome before you are ready to position it and start commissioning? Jim

Gina, Paul, thanks for the advice, appreciate it. You know in the classroom I often remind pupils to confirm the output from the bench supply with a voltmeter and not assume it will kick out what the dial is set to. I should have taken my own advice. I need to be more respectful with this stuff or I'm going to lose some expensive kit. At the end of the day I think you are right in that I was just unlucky with this one, it wasn't meant to be my "forever" psu as Kirstie Allsop would say The new one is humming gently in the background and the my little panel meter shows a steady at 13.8V. I'm happy, and I've learnt something new about power supplies. Jim

Paul, yep I don't think I'd embarrass myself now by taking it into Maplin, I should have done that in the first instance - I'm too impatient at times. I may ask the technicians at school to take a quick look at it, if there is no easy fix then I'll chalk this one down to experience. I'm just so relieved that the mount wasn't damaged. Overall what is your experience with this line of psu regarding reliability? I was happy to go for a like replacement given the comments from other SGL users (above) and I must admit, I do like the build quality of it. Jim

Thanks for that, I must admit I've always had good a experience with Maplin, they do tend to be very reasonable. I've been a bit silly though - I opened the faulty psu to have a look inside. The variable resistor you described was there (2 x) one I believe to control the regulated output the other not sure - part of the regulation circuit. Could not see anything obvious - capacitors all looked good as was the external fuse. On the back panel it says there is also a internal fuse but I couldn't spot it - maybe a thermal fuse on the transformer - something was wrapped in heat-shrink coming off the transformer. I may yet have a word with Maplin to see if there is anything they can do but I'd need to let them know I've opened it - I think that will the killer - ach well lessons learned. Jim

Picked up a new psu all is well, looking like clear skys tonight as well - one happy astronomer Jim

Thanks Gina. There is a Maplin store in Dundee, I'll take a drive in tomorrow after work and pick up a replacement. This time I'll make sure to do two things - measure the output voltage and keep the receipt! Jim

Thanks Steve and Steve, good to have positive confirmation on the psu's normal output characteristics. In one respect, it looks like I've been lucky that the mount hasn't suffered, I suspect it has been operating like that for some time. Also ironic that the work I've been doing on the observatory was to install a control panel - few switches for the mount and ancillaries and a panel meter to monitor the supply to the mount. I should have known better but that is the first time I have checked the supply output. That little panel meter could well have just saved my mount from being fried! It may be cloudy tonight but I'm happy Jim

Yes you want to avoid any trip hazard, I only have a few metres to walk to mine but its always with trepidation as my eyes adjust to the dark - I've walked into the washing line a few times too many! Looks like the rotovator is the way ahead with the grass cut before. How are you planning to level out the path once the rotovator churns it over - would the tractor bucket smooth it over? Jim