Powering my mount

[zubenelgenubi84]

Hi all,

Just thinking about how I am going to power my mount (still planning on getting the HEQ5 Pro and a SkyWatcher ED80 to stick on top of it.

Is there such a thing as a "power brick" plus long cable to power the mount? Similar to that of a laptop or similar.

For starters I wanted to just run a cable from the utility room out to the back garden. Then possibly look at a mobile setup. 12V acid batteries? or Lithium Ion batteries? The lithium batteries seem like the logical choice (if more expensive)

I'm a bit lost with this for sure. Do I need specific plugs to go into the mount? the other end being cigarette lighter style?

Any help and advice is appreciated....

Z

[mylatestwhim]

Hi mate, I'm a beginner so don't hold my word but I use a 110 ah leisure battery in a battery box. It's a heck of a power plant but won't need regular charges. I use a 12v splitter with 2 outputs and a USB socket. It also has pos and neg screw poles so you should be able to use a variety of sockets/ outputs. It has in-off switch and charge indicator.

Runs a 36lb boat motor all day easily so powering a scope is easy.

The big chunky carry strap is a must to save your hands as it weighs a few stone.

Hope this helps.

[Sammyb]

I use one of these....

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/portable-power-jump-starter-5-in-1-300a-260-psi-compressor-a67hy

You can buy them from FLO but they are more expensive for the amount of juice they have. Leisure batteries are significantly better.

The mount should come with a cable that plugs in the 12v cigarette lighter style sockets.

When in the garden I run a cable from the conservatory (RCD protected) and use a power supply I had to purchase separately. Not advised to do this so you need to exercise care in damp conditions. I keep everything off the ground

[all-on-black]

I use the skywatcher power tank. Its the small one but its brilliant. 2 cigarette ports, 2 usb ports, 2 flash lights inc. A red cap for one of them to make it a red light, and can even jump start a car with it!

It lasts for at least 2 long sessions even in icy conditions and is a smooth power supply.

[ChrisLX200]

I use a 34Ah power pack from Halfords, it has a 12V cigar lighter socket to which I added a 3-extention, it has a light which I put red celophane over, it has an inverter too for powering a laptop using its own 18v mains psu. It even has a USB charging port. 

ChrisH

[zubenelgenubi84]

Thanks everyone for the tips and suggestions.

Good to hear the mount should come with a cable, if it doesn't I can pick one up.

Anything that involves too much DIY and mixing moisture and with electricity scares me a bit. I still remember putting my finger in a light fitting once

I heard mixed reports on the Skywatcher Power Tank. But I think most of this can be put down to the type of battery it is. Although I had no idea they had USB sockets..... 

From what I can understand they need care and attention, for example don't let it sit in a cupboard for months without charging it and expect it to work.

Chris is the halfords one something like this http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_858677_langId_-1_categoryId_255206#tab1 

also excellent image gallery Sammyb, hope for something like that one of these days!!

[ChrisLX200]

Thanks everyone for the tips and suggestions.

Good to hear the mount should come with a cable, if it doesn't I can pick one up.

Anything that involves too much DIY and mixing moisture and with electricity scares me a bit. I still remember putting my finger in a light fitting once

I heard mixed reports on the Skywatcher Power Tank. But I think most of this can be put down to the type of battery it is. Although I had no idea they had USB sockets..... 

From what I can understand they need care and attention, for example don't let it sit in a cupboard for months without charging it and expect it to work.

Chris is the halfords one something like this http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_858677_langId_-1_categoryId_255206#tab1

also excellent image gallery Sammyb, hope for something like that one of these days!!

It's this one I think http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_862345_langId_-1_categoryId_255206  but the pic looks to be an old one because the two fluorescent tubes have been replaced with four LEDs. Don't be fooled by the pic either, the battery case extends out quite some distance (it's a fat battery!) which is handy because my 3-way extention sits nicely on that 'shelf' held in place by some heavy-duty Velcro. The thing weighs a fair bit.

ChrisH

[Tinker1947]

Depending how far from a mains PSU you want to go i run a 20m lead from a Maplin PSU, they sell them also in FLO

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/power/maplins-xm21x-7a-138v-regulated-mains-power-supply.html

[rob0971]

A lot of people on here, myself included, use a leisure battery either on its own or fitted into some sort of box. I used a 2 part Stanley toolbox on wheels with the battery in the bottom & all my odds & sods in the top part. I have 4 sockets fitted into the side to power everything (camera, laptop, mount, dew heaters) & a volt meter. If you are only going the visual route, then a small power tank or battery will suffice. If you intend to start imaging then you will probably need to look at something a bit bigger. There are loads of diy power threads on here, do a search for some inspiration.