wakefield area

[Soupy]

Cheers for all the support guys, some of this is way above me as well as way out of my comfort zone and Nick not sure if I want to risk the welder method, not that I have one anyway ,you're a braver man than me! Don't fancy blowing the garage or myself up!

I'll have a look at the 5star batteries on google cheers crash.

Damian would love some help with the diagram for connecting it all together as well, and will happily buy some of the spare parts you have kicking around, Paul also. Would love the help and expertise you both have. Do I not need to buy a conditioner anyway to keep it topped up with charge, or to recharge it after a nights use?

cheers again for all your input, I hope I can manage to make one after all this

[Nephalem]

Your welcome :-) Yes you would need a smart charger, you can get those for about £50+, depends on the model you buy.

A battery like this would be suitable...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Numax-LV26MF-12v-100ah-Leisure-Caravan-Marine-Battery-/261014338287?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item3cc5aabaef

and a charger like this... http://www.tayna.co.uk/CTEK-MXS-5.0-Charger-and-Conditioner-MULTI-XS-5.0-P8690.html

You then need to decide on a case and wiring, fuses etc which Damian and myself can help you with.

[nicks90]

what abiut using a caravan/boat 12/240v consumer unit? they are all built in to one unit, switched and fused, have a 240v inverter built in and often a battery charger too.

can be had for about £20 off ebay...

[mapstar]

Here's my powertank:-

And most of the bits and prices I used to make mine.

leisurebatterybox£11.50.jpg

5 x DC Power Plug 2.1 x 5.5mm Male & 5 x Black Plastic Panel Mount Socket£3.50

5 x DC Power Plug 2.1mm x 5.5mm - Right Angled Jack - L Shaped Jack£4.00

5mm x 20mm Fuse Holders (Panel Mount) - Value pack of 5£4.00

Digital Display Red LED -30°c~+70°c Thermometer DC Digital Panel Meter£4.20

New 4.5-30V DC Digital Display Voltmeter 3Bit Red LED Voltage Panel Meter£1.59

Rectangular Rocker Switch Car dash light ON - OFF - ON 12v 16A SPDT£2.49

ROCKER SWITCH ON OFF 16A MAX 250V SPST CARAVAN BOAT£3.00

Car Battery Terminals 1 Pos & 1 Neg - Brand New £3.00

The cigarette socket is used for charging so I don't have to take the top off, my charger has a cigarette plug wired permanently on. The meters are a bit of an extravagance so you could cut the cost by not bothering with them and also just go for a straight plug in. The cabling to connect it all I had already as well as the in line fuse holder and battery post terminals. Totting up around £41 plus battery.

Just make sure the battery box is big enough for which ever battery you end up with? Mine is a 50A banner battery which runs the scope all night and isn't too heavy but 85A would be better if a CCD is on the way ;-)

[mapstar]

Typical was on night's last night and clear as a bell at midnight right through to 4 in the morning.Breezy though! Just seen the forcast for later hope it's wrong as its gonna cloud up and start to rain was hoping to test out the flocking on my scope!

[stevemuir]

You leave your flocking scope out of it....

[mapstar]

Ha ha be interesting to see if it make's a difference?

[Nephalem]

mount is still faulty after replacement parts so they are ordering em a new one....should have it by thursday....hopefully.

[mapstar]

Good to hear Nephalem, hopefully just in time for the weekend as Friday nights forecast is looking o.k. via Metcheck but it could all change!!

[Soupy]

Look at the skies. Gonna be perfect for tonight!

[Soupy]

Oh forgot to mention my Herschel star atlas arrived today as well. I am gonna have to get out with the scope to hunt some objects down.

[mapstar]

I would be out too soupy but the cloud god know's when I work night's grrrr!

[Soupy]

I know I am sure someone up there is conspiring against us Damian. I was up till nearly 3am this morning doing school work so only had about 3 hrs sleep, so totally shattered, but really want to get out.

[nicks90]

looks out tthe window...... totally overcast with high hazy cloud and blowing a gale.

[Soupy]

Wind died down up where I am and sky is very clear so gonna set up in garden for an hour or so. See what I can get. Shame it's cloudy nick you are only 7/8 miles away, I am sure Emley would be clear but it might b a little exposed.

[mapstar]

Yeah I think someone is soupy.The sky on the way to work looked crystal clear best I've seen no hazy cloud just a few stragglers hanging about.I would've definitely been out.Did you get the battery sorted then?

[mapstar]

P.s. bet your shattered if you've had a day at work too and that much sleep? I'll try to get out during the night on the building roof and do some mk1 eyeballing

[mapstar]

P.s. bet your shattered if you've had a day at work too and that much sleep? I'll try to get out during the night on the building roof and do some mk1 eyeballing

[Soupy]

Got an hour in, there was some very high thin cloud spoiling the view but managed the cats eye nebula and m36 as well as the ISS through scope tried to keep up with it but it was moving pretty quick, and some Moon pics.

not got battery sorted yet no Damian, it has been on m motor bike optimiser and is at 10.5v but it loses this very slowly, so gonna leave it for a few days see how low it goes. I will end up getting a new one I know so might just build the chassis for now. I have an old wheeled tool box would work great.

[notaclue]

Managed a quick view of Saturn, but nothing else. May have seen Panstarrs earlier also. Not sure though.

[mapstar]

Sounds like you had a very good hour Soupy despite the high cloud. I've an in line fuse holder, outlet socket, straight and right angled jack plugs, cable ties, cable tie bases, cable and fuses you can have for your build. Think the only thing you'll need is some battery terminals and you'll have a basic power tank.

[Soupy]

Wow cheers Damian, yes it wasn't a bad hour couldn't get any decent pics though as scope wasn't tracking great even though alignment was pretty spot on, but all in all pretty pleased and managed to use atlas to help me locate objects as well so pleased with that as well.

[nicks90]

i went out a couple of times last night and everything had that fuzzy high cloud sheen to it. i had a gander at a few things with my new bins and it was like looking through milk and i could only just naked eye pick out the 5 main stars in auriga. so went back in and watched a prog about apollo 17 instead.

[crashtestdummy]

So far in guernsey its either been cloudy or foggy on a night and tonight its supposed to be clear but theres 30mph winds!!im cursed!

[Russty]

blowing a gale here too