EQ5 GOTO Power help please.

[tad2106]

OK I have my new EQ5 GOTO all set up and ready but realise I now need a power supply.  I will probably only be in the garden for now but may in future want to be more portable. I am not at all electrically minded so not a clue what I'm looking for but I guess something that I charge up and then take with me - or that uses batteries (?) - I had thought I might be able to use an old battery from my husband's golf cart but it's not looking like the right connection. I assume I'm looking at something that the lead that looks like it plugs into a car cigarette lighter goes - see I told you useless at this stuff!  Can anyone link me to exactly what I need to get this thing up and running from Maplins or Amazon?  Many thanks Tx

[Skipper Billy]

A golf cart battery (providing it is 12v - it should say on it somewhere - it probably is) would be perfect for powering your mount. They are designed for deep discharge rather than short bursts of high power and they are a good size (amps wise) and quite portable.

You just need a lead that connects to the battery and has a female cigarette lighter socket on the end - providing the lead for your mount has a male cigarette lighter type plug on the end.

If you PM me a photo of the battery terminals I will gladly make you up a suitable lead - then its just plug and play.

Do you have a battery charger ??  You will need one!

The other option is to remove the fag lighter plug from your lead and put connectors on the end instead that will just fasten straight to your battery.

Either way its easily sorted. The socket and lead etc is about a fiver plus postage. No charge for labour!!!

Just PM me if I can help in any way.

[Tinker1947]

If its in the budget then one of these will keep you powered up all night......there complete will charger mains/car  and power lead...

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/batteries-powerpacks/tracer-12v-14ah-lithium-polymer-battery-pack.html

[tad2106]

OK that sounds great - I'm certainly going to develop good upper body strength from this new hobby!  By needing a charger I presume you mean to charge the golf cart battery?  If so must have one somewhere!  I'll have a chat with my husband and come back to you - thank you for offering to sort the leads

[tad2106]

If its in the budget then one of these will keep you powered up all night......there complete will charger mains/car  and power lead...

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/batteries-powerpacks/tracer-12v-14ah-lithium-polymer-battery-pack.html

Thanks for this - if the golf cart battery thing doesn't work out, I'll have to save my pennies!!  As a note - can't believe the lack of instructions for this thing about power - the booklet tells you how to use the goto but not a mention about suitable power supply or indeed where the wires go!  So pleased to have found this forum!  Thank you!

[Tinker1947]

i'v not seen a post depicting a problem, that somebody hasn't sorted out.....

[ronin]

For home use you could look at the Maplin L06BR unit, I use one, actually 2, on my scopes.

Check but the EQ will most likely be centre positive, just make sure you get it right.

They are pretty small, Maplin have a bigger one, not sure what the reference is and their searching is close to useless.

For non-home use I have a small Tracer Li-Po unit, they are however not inexpensive.

Have been looking at these: EBay

It is the smaller size that I am interested in and the inexpensiveness of them.

Come in assorted Ah reatings and all seem to be 12v.

It is an option.

Another option for non-home is simply an extension for the power outlets in the car, the drain on a car battery from a scope is minimal, I can run my scopes from the power outlet in the boot of the car and then as the boot is open I have somewhere to put things. Better if you have a plastic storage tub in the boot and put things in that. But all in one place. To an extent why take a battery when there is a thumpng great car battery. Just do not turn the car on as the voltage at the outlets drops and you may need to perform the alighment again.

[Cornelius Varley]

Thanks for this - if the golf cart battery thing doesn't work out, I'll have to save my pennies!!  As a note - can't believe the lack of instructions for this thing about power - the booklet tells you how to use the goto but not a mention about suitable power supply or indeed where the wires go!  So pleased to have found this forum!  Thank you!

The manual gives the minimum power requirement for the mount. The decision on exactly how the mount is powered ( mains psu or rechargeable battery) is left to the user.

[tad2106]

Thank you for the replies - golf cart battery is defunct!  So as it's my birthday present my lovely husband has just said 'you better get what you need'!  So I've found the actual Skywatcher Power Packs - either 7Ah or 17aAh - I assume as he is being so generous I might as well go for the bigger one which is about £20 cheaper on Amazon at the moment with free P&P!  If only he could sort out the weather for me too! Dismal in Cambridgeshire! 

[Bizibilder]

Beware the branded powerpacks as they are very overpriced!  You could buy this:  https://www.tayna.co.uk/Numax-LV22MF-Sealed-Leisure-Battery-P7672.html and the appropriate charger conditioner:  https://www.tayna.co.uk/Numax-Lawnmower-Battery-Charger-4A-P6121.html   

The total cost being around £90 (+ P&P) - and you are getting a lot more battery for your money!!  (usual disclaimer).

A battery is rated in Ah or Amp-hours.  Simply, this means that for a 75Ah battery you can draw a current of 1amp for 75 hours (or 2 amps for 37.5 hours etc).  However it is unwise to let a battery drop below 50% charge so: maybe 1A for 30 hours or 2A for 15 whould be a reasonable starting point.  Your mount when tracking will draw about 1Amp.  This leaves you ample to add a few extras if you wished to.  The Skywatcher powerpack is only 17Ah and will quickly "run out" if you try to do much more than power the mount with it.

I used to use a 75Ah battery to run my mount (1A), laptop (3.5A) and camera (2A) for a 6 hour stint with no issues. (6.5 A x 6 hours = 39 Amp-hours)

The charger I mentioned will both charge and condition your battery (ie keep it "topped up" during periods of low use = cloudy nights!!)

You could use something like this:   http://www.electricalcarservices.com/Power-Socket-with-cable-and-crocodile-clips-ECS-D060191/p-1483?gclid=CL_9vMnljMYCFcnKtAodxzYAwQ  to connect up.

[Pyrodave]

+1 for the leisure battery 

I've had 3 powertanks in the past and all have developed issues over time 

Since changing to a leisure battery and decent charger I've never been without power .There's nothing worse than eventually getting a decent night, and having to pack up early because the power pack is dead.

[brantuk]

+1 for the leisure battery - much more cost effective. The branded power tanks are way over priced and nowhere near as serviceable.

[astroalex]

I have Skywatcher 17Ah. It works, but it is expensive, has cheapish Chinese look and feel. Integrated lamp gets stuck all the time, the same for lids covering sockets. And as others say it gets exhausted in a matter of few hours if I run mount + dew heater from it. And they say running on low battery can ruin motors in the mount.