lack of power

[murgen]

Hello, new person here, armed with a daft username/picture and an apology for asking for guidance with something that has most likely been well discussed already.

i'm just in the process of working up the courage to buy a skyliner 250px flex goto. It would appear that there are a number of other items i will need to add to the shopping list to get started, the first being a power source (i have read on here that the ep's supplied aren't up to much, but that "upgrade" can wait until i have "had a look"). I understand that the easiest option would be to add a SW power tank, but at over £100 this will have to wait for funds to regenerate or a more reasonably priced option. I have spoken to the astro shop, and they tell me a mains adapter can be supplied, with the lead to plug it in shouldn't come to more than £40!

Why does this far from cheap piece of electrical equipment not come with at least the bare minimum to get it working? Can you imagine buying any kind of appliance from Comet and finding out when you got it home that the plug/lead or power supply was an extra?

Anyway, will an apparently similar spec psu from Amazon for a tenner not do the job?

Also, I'm sure it wont be too long before I'll want to take the instrument further than the end of my extension cable. Can someone tell me about the Maplin/Halford car starting alternative?

Clearish night last night, watching Venus, Jupiter and Mars rolling past my back garden with my tiny bins.

Exciting isn't it - come on the Dob!

[brantuk]

You need 17ah at 12v - the Maplins car starters are ideal for 4-5hrs before they start running low. Here's the one I use:

Heavy-Duty 5-in-1 Jump Starter : Jump Starters : Maplin Electronics

They do others as well that don't last as long but are cheaper.

It's gone up a bit since I got mine for £35 - probably due to popularity from the astro community, but the do have them on sale periodically for almost half price.

You can also get a 5ah mains to 12v PSU for about £15 from them:

12V 5A Car Socket Power Supply : 12V Car Accessory Power Supplies : Maplin Electronics

I have that too - I like them both. For a longer lasting solution have a look at leisure batteries from camping and caravan shops. The branded field packs are way overpriced. Hope that helps

[Capricorn]

Ultimately you will need the following:

Power supply (as said) this can be a power pack, mains adaptor or car adaptor. I use the mains adaptors from Maplins, think they are £14 and are selectable for 13-6 volt and will supply 1.7A at 12V. No idea waht your scope takes. It has a selection of end connectors. Car adaptor is useful as you power it from the car, and can keep the bits in a box on the rear seat.

Collimator. You will need one to keep the scope collimated. £30.

Eyepieces: I think that you can get by with 4. I have and like the BST Explorers and at £41 a piece means £164. TMB's come in at £39 a piece so slight saving. The 8mm, 12mm, 18mm BST's should be good and a decent 32mm plossl for wide views. If you want to mix eyepieces then a 6mm, 8mm, 15mm and 32mm. BST's come in 8mm and 15mm but not 6mm or 32mm. I tend to prefer one make if it is sensible and with the BST's it made sense.

TV plossl's come in 8mm, 11mm, 15mm and are good, just presently at the £80 mark.

Add up that lot and you are looking at close to £200 on top.

[DOBBY]

I have one of these.... 900 AMP JUMP STARTER AIR COMPRESSOR CAR BATTERY 12 VOLT POWER SOCKET HEAVY DUTY on eBay! been a while since i bought mine...so this might be a good price...but, always worth hunting around

[murgen]

Thanks chaps, the Maplins one looks like the most sensible investment (if a touch industrial, i bet they use one like it at Jodrell Bank).

I presume the right leads to join it up to the scope are readily available?

Now, i'll just pop off an email to Skywatcher and explain their shortcomings :-)