Battery for HEQ-5 non pro

[EA2007]

Hey kids,

My friend has a HEQ-5 non pro scope and she doens't know what battery to get to power it.

Not after a power tank only a battery, so what does it take?

[steppenwolf]

It takes 8 X 1.5V C cells = 12v so ......... obvious choice is a power tank although I'd actually get one of these

[beamer3.6m]

I thought it took d cells!

[Ant]

mine took D cells!

[steppenwolf]

In that case I am outvoted but the real point I was making is that it is 12v - so an external supply makes lots of sense !

[EA2007]

Hee hee,

Thanks guys....... have a 12v power tank but were off away on a mini-holiday next week and she's taking her scope but she has never used it with a battery in before (women eh!)

Some other people might have a powertank to use, thanks though

[pgholdri]

Hey Steppenwolf, do those jump start/compresser thingymebob-units from Maplin have the standard cigarette sockets?

Cheers,

Pete.

[jgs001]

Pete, I have one for my NexStar and yes it has a standard cigarette lighter socket on the side. They can also be charged from the socket in the car if need be when out and about.

[Ant]

If you mean this one...?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=49038&C=Maplin&U=SearchTop&T=12v%20power%20station&doy=24m4

Then yes it does - just bought one myself and it's great!

Ant

[Joe Bloggs]

Those Maplin ones are very good, plenty of power to do a HEQ5 C8 for a good few hours. I think you can still get them for £20 aswell in some places.

[Brinders]

I've got two to power my EQ6 Pro and they work a treat. Quality appears to be an issue though. The first one I got was fine, the second though was rather more flimsily built and the cigarette lighter socket became detached and would not charge up. Maplins swapped it for another which was just a flimsy but at least would take a charge but the same thing happened - the cigarette socket became detached and fell inside of the casing. Rather than go to the trouble of returning it (Maplins are on the other side of town to me) I opened it up and fixed it myself.

I notice that although they look alike, and have the same labelling, there are minor differences between the two powerpacks (no grommets where the cables disappear into the casing on the first but they are there on the second). My first powerpack is better built than the second and a slightly darker yellow. I suspect they are made in two different factories in China.

Brinders

[philsail1]

I use 8 "Uniross" "D" type 2600mAh re-chargeable batteries. I find they last a very long time before needing a re-charge (but then again I don't do much observing!). I got them from "B&Q" and they cost about £4.00 for a set of 2. (So obviously 8 are going to cost in region of £16.00). And you have to buy a suitable battery charger.

I've had a set in use for the past month and they are still holding the tracking on my HEQ5 mount.

Reason I use these rather than a "Powertank" unit, is that they are smaller, and I can hang the battery case from the tripod.

(click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

Regards.

philsail1

[MikeP]

I copied another member of the forum by completely removing the battery from the yellow case. They (I have two) take up much less space. To charge them, I use an OptiMate III charger which is much better than the silly little charger they come with. If you want to continue to use a cigar lighter socket, they can be purchased from eBay - I have ones that fasten to the terminals with small bolts.

Mike

[GazOC]

I use re-chargeable D-Cells, that way I can leave the mount set-up permanently and carry the whole rig out in one trip.

[geoff_k]

Although I upgraded to Go-to, I bought a mains power supply from Bern for the original set-up (which has now disappeared I know not where). However, the D-Cells worked fairly well, even ones from the pound shops.

I must admit there are times when I am tempted to buy a 'back-up' non Go-to mount but financial probity gets the better of me.

Geoff