Mount power

[sbj]

Very frustrating night last night when my power tank connection failed twice.  It's a maplins 5-1 booster going to my Neq6.  It seems the problem is a dubiously wobbly connection at the powertank end with the 12v cigarette lighter type socket.

So thinking about switching to a lesuire battery and wondered if anyone could recommend any better 12v connections or ways of "hard wiring"?

[Mr Spock]

I use the mains supply as I couldn't get on with batteries. I use a Halfords switching power supply, model No RL816U. Used it for years and it's perfect.

[sbj]

Yep, I like the idea of something mains driven but I am a long way from gaining an observatory so has to be an outdoor option.  Portability not so much of an issue though.

[sbj]

Am I right in thinking I can cut the cigar lighter bit off my cable and just clamp the wires to battery terminals?  Is an in-line fuse needed?  Presumably "tip positive" which is what I believe skywatcher mounts need, just means that the tip of the cigar lighter is the positive connector?

Afraid I am a complete electrical numpty (obviously)

[Wyvern]

Nothing wrong with making the connections direct to the battery. Make 200% sure as to which wire is positive and which is negative before cutting off cigar lighter socket and connect to battery via crocodile clips or preferably battery terminal clamps. Your local car spares emporium can assist there.

A fuse in the positive line is good practice, copy the value that is probably in the cigar lighter body and a simply on/off switch wired in the same line is also handy.

Whatever you come up with, make sure that positive and negative wires/components are unable to touch each other - nasty things will happen if they do, to say the least!!!!!

Les