Power supply

[Richard32]

I have just brought a scope and I want to connect it up to my laptop, would I still need a powertank or would the scope use the laptop as a power source?

[Tiago]

I think we'll all need more info to answer that question, but unless tehre's something special about it, you'll need a power tank, batteries or a transformer to connect to a mains supply.

That is, assuming there is something to be powered on your telescope.

[Richard32]

It's a sky-watcher 200p with an eq5 goto mount. looks like I will have to buy a power supply then.

[Bizibilder]

You will need a seperate 12v power supply. A 12v jump starter works and is a sensible price: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dautomotive&field-keywords=jump+starter (watch out for silly prices!!). If you want mains then a 13.8v regulated supply is the one to go for: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/power/maplins-xm21x-7a-138v-regulated-mains-power-supply.html

Don't waste your money on "Branded" Astro power tanks - they are ridiculously over-priced.

[Din]

Been toying with the idea of getting a car battery from a scrap yard. Currently using a motorbike battery to power my HEQ5.

Ed

[faulksy]

i use 6 12v alarm panel/emergency lighting cells giving me 35ah works fine, nice and light as well

[Jcousins]

For my celestron GT102 i bought a car jumpstarter from RS components for abut £35 has a 12v cigar lighter output and i have modified the light with red plastic for nighttime view

[glowjet]

As far as I am aware standard car batteries are not best suited to the the deep discharge associated with continual use for Astro work, the Leisure battery types in the 85 Ah and 110 Ah ratings are the ones used by Astronomers for this purpose, or the SLA dry cell types in 7 Ah and 17 Ah ratings

John.

[Din]

I was only thinking of the cost really. I use deep cycle batteries for providing power on my boat. But they are expensive. My local scrap merchant will give me a battery for next to nothing. Hopefully they will do the job, I'll just recharge after every session.

Cheers

Ed

[mapstar]

Just on with building a power tank myself and have got most of the bits together. Its not difficult plenty of advice on here if you search for power and battery. I'm going to use a 26Ah AGM (absorbed glass mat) deep cycle golf buggy type at around £45 as compared to the bigger leisure batteries they're half the weight for lugging about.