Which battery pack?

[Tim]

I just figured that you'd just plug the mount in, and away you go. However, Steve @ FLO, (hope he is feeling better) pointed out the dangers of traling cables in the dark, and the frequent absence of power outlets in the middle of a field.

So, if I go for a battery pack, what are you guys using? I already have here a whopping leisure battery I use for the caravan, but charging it is a pain in the posterior.

Steve mentioned the Maplins one, currently at £19.99 for a 17ah version (can also be used for blowing up your inflatable, erm, things.) but said that it was Rubbish, or words to that effect. Halfords are s'posed to do one, but I cant see that on their page. and also this place http://www.airflow-uk.com/shop_accessories_power-packs.html have that 18ah jobby for fifty quid.

I know asking you guys is dangerous, you devils have already spent nearly a months wages for me, but the thing is, I kinda trust your judgment (all except the 14 year old who tried to sell me an observatory on Long Island, I dont trust him!) so would really appreciate you putting fingers to keys and advising on what you have found to be good and bad.

Also, does anybody know if you get a mains adapter with the skywatcher heq5 mounts? Or indeed what kind I would need if not? Its this one http://firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=proheq5

Thanks again.

TJ

[Sam]

Hi TJ,

I went through this just last week when my HEQ5 arrived and I was wondering how to power it. The little battery container it came with didn't real seem like a good idea to me so it was time to find something that provides 12V. Off to Halfords and sure enough they've got two I looked at, Powerpack 100 and Powerpack 200 (good imaginative name). I went for the Powerpack 100, it's got two 12V out ports (like the ones in the car), a really bright fluorescent light - that I'll put a red filter on eventually. It also pumps up car tyres and will jump start the car as well (it's main purpose in life). It costs around 55 pounds. The 200 is the same except has an inverter as well to give a 240V plug (like in a house), costs about 80 pounds. I've been pretty happy with the 100. It took a day to charge and I just plug it in after each use. It has a lead acid battery so it can't be completely discharged or it's poked.

hope that helps

cheers

Sam

[James]

...

So, if I go for a battery pack, what are you guys using? I already have here a whopping leisure battery I use for the caravan, but charging it is a pain in the posterior.

...

Well... I use a 113AH deep cycle/marine battery (not too dissimilar to the leisure battery you have I suspect). Charging it is no different than charging my Halfords 20AH unit with its supplied charger as I use a SmartCharge charger from Maplins for the big battery. Yep, it costs a lot but you can set the charge rate up to 8 Amps on large batteries and unless I've drawn the battery right down it doesn't take long to get it back up again.

Halfords have done a power pack, sometimes its there sometimes its not. I bought one of these off them when they were doing a sale on them but right now they are a bit pricey.

HTH

James

[Andrew*]

I don't see for a minute why the Maplins one is carp... :?

I've used it about 10 times (= around 10 hours) since I got it to power my HEQ5 and I checked the charge on it today. You'll never guess - still over 100% :shock:.

Can't beat that for £20 anywhere IMHO...

Cheers

Andrew

[cygnusx1]

I don't see for a minute why the Maplins one is carp... :?

I've used it about 10 times (= around 10 hours) since I got it to power my HEQ5 and I checked the charge on it today. You'll never guess - still over 100% :shock:.

Can't beat that for £20 anywhere IMHO...

Cheers

Andrew

Agreed, not sure what Steve meant by that.It runs my HEQ5 Pro loaded to 13kg for a good 6hrs+

Only downside is it only has 1 power output slot, but it can be used to inflate car wheels and as a jump starter.

[Tim]

i better clarify as to not land steve in it.

think his actual words were, "You get what you pay for".

I can probably get this item through work so price isnt too much of an issue, but I do want the thing to do the job.

Also, I got one of them astrozap dew thingywotsits, does that controller run off the 12v dc too? So i'd need a 2 outlet one? Anything else?

Cheers

TJ

[James]

Also, I got one of them astrozap dew thingywotsits, does that controller run off the 12v dc too? So i'd need a 2 outlet one? ...

Cheers

TJ

Yes it does. I run my mount and dewheaters of this.

James

[Andrew*]

to be quite honest, i think for £20, you get a lot more than what you pay for. At £40 then it's fair to say you get what you pay for...

Also, I got one of them astrozap dew thingywotsits, does that controller run off the 12v dc too? So i'd need a 2 outlet one?

yes, the dew controller runs off that just fine. Not sure how you'd do it with just the dew strip though...

here's a link: http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=49038&doy=15m12

and here's how to get 4 outputs from it 8) http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=42895&doy=15m12

[Andrew*]

and here's how to get 4 outputs from it 8) http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=42895&doy=15m12

don't look so 8) any more do I?

That's the second time I've made a fool out of myself tonight :oops:

[James]

Sorry Andrew - pipped you by about 15 seconds! 8)

James

[Tinkerbell]

Lo TJ

(Open can of worms)

The Halfords unit that Sam uses is the one to go for it will power Your mount all night, but if You wish to use a Dew heater don't be tempted to use the same power supply as the mount as you are asking for trouble :nono: I use two of the Halford units to run the mount and the dew heaters and they ran flawlessly for 12 hours :shock:

(Close can of worms)

But if Your only going to be out for Two hours at a time get the Maplins one it will run everything for £19.99 :whip2:

[blinky]

Got to agree with Kev. If it's for short stints in the back garden the Maplin one (Or Makro also do them) will work fine.

I tried to use it for powering the mount, the laptop and a cooling fan for the meade DSI. I got about 2 hrs from it! The laptop sucks a lot of juice!

[DanDare]

Isn't it amazing, you finally decide that you had better get yourself some portable power and wonder where to put your hard earned, lo and behold the info you need is there on SGL

Looks like its the Maplins one for me, sounds a bargain with the 4 way adapter!

Roy

[beamish]

I'd agree completely with Moonplodger, if you plan on running 12v acessories as well as the mount, use seperate power supplies. In the past I noticed hic-cups in the mount's tracking and slewing when running it all off the one supply.

Karlo

Ps Get a really good charger, don't rely on the jack-plug charger that comes with the bat pack. I took Greg's advice and bought an Optimate 3.

[Tim]

Wow, thanks for the help and advice. What do I owe you guys?

I was passing Halfords today and bought an aerobie pro disc for my dog to chase. While there I also got a portable powerpack 100, which was less then 50 quid I think.

Im interested in this thing about dont run the mount and heater off of the same pack. Any definitive evidence of problems? Worth me getting another pack? If I use the thing at home then mains will run the laptop or PC if I ever go that far. And if I go out into the 'field' then I'd be in the car which has a big old battery anyways, (it'd just snigger at the halfords packs attempts to start it)

Thanks

TJ

[beamish]

TJ, not so much definitive evidence but there have been a no. of members as well as myself that have experienced the problems I've related, usually with the smaller 17ah type packs, whether they be DIY (such as the maplins ,Halfords et al) or the Powertank astro specific type bat packs. I won't run anything off the same pack as the mount these days and ensure it's always topped up.

I shouldn't expect Maccers with his huge deep-cycle leisure battery would have the same difficulties.

Karlo