Celestron NexStar 6SE Power Pack

[astrotyke]

Hi there.

Im looking to purchase a Nexstar 6 very soon, and im wanting to know what power packs people use with this scope when they dont have it running on mains power?

Ive seen mixed reviews about the lead acid batteries that you get in the power tanks, so ive been put off them somewhat and would probably prefer a good lithium ion battery pack

So, which lithium power packs perform well when used with this scope?

what do people recommend?

Thanks in advance, Chris

[ronin]

The small lead acid batteries used in the power packs are simply too small and get drained and damaged too easily.

You can build your own deep cycle based one, which is what many do.

In the Li ion line there are the Tracer power packs. They do an 8AH one at close to £100 and I guess that that is the one you will need, there is a 4AH one as well at somewhere around £80. Not sure if Rother Valley sell them but FLO and Tring Astro do. Check Greenwitch at Leeds also.

As I recall the Tracers are rechargeable from a car so that can be a bit of a bonus and convenience.

One other plus is you sit them on the scope base and there are no leads to get wrapped around the scope.

[astrotyke]

Thanks Ronin, have you used one of the Tracer power packs yourself?

I think thats the way that im going to go, as you said the lead acid power packs just seem alot more hassle than there worth. I was wondering what the cold weather performance of the Tracer packs are like in cold weather.

[baggywrinkle]

I bought one of those car compressor/starter packs which has two 12v outlets. Works well and is cheaper than the Celestron/Skywatcher packs where you are paying for a name.

[Dixey D]

I had an electric golf trolley and since I hardly ever play golf now I have used the re-chargeable sealed lead battery from it and built a plywood box to house it in and make it portable. I connected it to a car cigarette lighter socket from which I power my Celestron 6SE. The battery is rated 12V22Ah and seems to have more than enough power for what I need astronomically which is hardly surprising when you think that the golf cart carried my bag of clubs, etc., weighing about 30 - 40 lbs  up and down steep hills for at least 18 holes, say 4 miles. After that the battery used to come back almost fully drained but after an overnight charge it was back on top form again.

I'm not sure that starting from scratch it would have been any cheaper than going out and buying a commercial power tank as the battery (new) and the charger would have come to around £60, then there's all the other bits and pieces so probably a total of £80-ish. The stuff was lying around doing nothing before and it's not now so that makes me feel better  .

[astrotyke]

nice use of exsisting equioment Dixey. I wish I had some batteries like that spare