MESU 200 Power Supply

[kirkster501]

Hi MESU owners,

I wondered how you guys supply the MESU with power?  From a 12v-12v cable (cigar type or something?) or from the PSU you can buy?

I could rig up my own Power cable from the power box I am making when I get the mount but wanted to see what type is used first.

I see Bernard sells these PSU's but there are no further details.  I could ask him but wanted to ask the owners here first.

http://www.modernastronomy.com/shop/accessories/power-supplies/100240v-ac-input-12v-dc-5a-output-psu-with-right-angle-plug/

I suppose in the context of a 4500 mount then 28 quid for a PSU is not a big deal.....!

Steve

[Neil27]

Hi Steve,

Have you pulled the trigger on the mount yet or is it already in your possession? Quite interested in your thoughts regarding the mount and why did it come top after all others taken into consideration.

And yes £27 is nothing compared to the overall price of the Mesu .... but we all love a bargain :0)

Regards,

[derrickf]

I have used both my own PSU and the one supplied by MA; the plug on my home-made 13.8V PSU did not sit as well in the Sitech socket as I wanted so I bought the PSU from MA. Both have worked well (although the poorly fitting plug on my home-made PSU meant that there were one or two intermittent drop-outs - hence the change) so my conclusion is that as long as you have a clean 12 -24V  into the mount you are OK - therein lies my one reservation about the MA supplied PSU which has a 12V output - by the time this gets to the mount the voltage has dropped to around 11.6V, this has not yet caused any issues but creates a lingering concern: the ServoDoc manual states on page 8 "The internal protection diode is not wired in series with the power lead as is typical, because the extra .6 volts is crucial to operation of the servo when running at 12 volts." so it would seem that the tolerance on the 12V spec. is small.

The reason I didn't just change the plug on my original 13.8V PSU is that I have wasted too many hours of my life trying to match "standard size" (2.1mm in this case) male and female connectors from different sources but I may well do so if the voltage derop in the cable of the MA PSU ever causes a problem (the MA PSU I have has several 2.1mm plugs so I can just snip one of these and patch it to my PSU)

 

HTH

Derrick

[steppenwolf]

I use this 12v PSU from FLO  for my Mesu 200 and it seems perfect for the job. It also powers my, focuser, CloudWatcher and flat panel. Highly recommended.

[kirkster501]

14 minutes ago, steppenwolf said:

I use this 12v PSU from FLO  for my Mesu 200 and it seems perfect for the job. It also powers my, focuser, CloudWatcher and flat panel. Highly recommended.

Thankyou Steve.  What is the type of connector at the mount end of the cable on the Mesu please?

I would rather power al my gear from the power box I am building if I can.

[kirkster501]

1 hour ago, Neil27 said:

Hi Steve,

Have you pulled the trigger on the mount yet or is it already in your possession? Quite interested in your thoughts regarding the mount and why did it come top after all others taken into consideration.

And yes £27 is nothing compared to the overall price of the Mesu .... but we all love a bargain :0)

Regards,

Hi Neil, no, not pulled the trigger as yet.  MA do not have any in stock and Bernard says he won't have any until at least June. Apparently Lucas cannot build them quickly enough and they take him a long time to make to his exacting standards.  That's fine with me, I can wait.  

No particular reason I think the Mesu is good for me other than the feedback on here. The 100Kg payload carrying capacity is attractive.  More importantly, if the Mesu is good enough for Steve and Olly then they are good enough for me  !

[steppenwolf]

Quote

What is the type of connector at the mount end of the cable on the Mesu please?

You know what, I cannot remember what connector the Mesu came with but from day one up until a few weeks ago, I used a cigar lighter plug into a four way adaptor from the PSU. During January, I installed a computer controlled switching unit which means that the power is now connected via a terminal block connection.

[ampleamp]

Steve, for what it's worth, I also use a mains 13.8v supply, but through one of the constant on terminals on a Mount Hub Pro. It works perfectly and has powered my Mesu for three years. I can't remember what power lead it came with, but I think it was a cigarette plug (??)

[gnomus]

Steve

For what it is worth, I use the same PSU as Mr Richards.  I take one cable from my warm room to a home-made (and looks it) distribution box  attached to the pier.  No power issues so far.  My Mesu came with just bare wires at one end and the correct plug at the other.  I fixed these to a marine cigar plug.

BTW, I don't know if you have noticed but Sara Wager is also using a Mesu now.  

[steppenwolf]

[weirdo alert mode on]

I am very particular about the 12v cigar lighter plugs that I use and insist on this type only in my observatory. I have never had an unexpected disconnection fault!

[/weirdo alert mode off]

 

[gnomus]

1 hour ago, steppenwolf said:

[weirdo alert mode on]

I am very particular about the 12v cigar lighter plugs that I use and insist on this type only in my observatory. I have never had an unexpected disconnection fault!

[/weirdo alert mode off]

 

So particular, it seems, that they are out of stock.  

[NigeB]

Hi Steve,

A bit late replying, but I just use one of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00Y9YLLJM

I use it to power a simple 12 V / USB socket hub, which is strapped to the side of the mount opposite the latitude adjustment controls:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0083ZDLDM

The Mesu (mine came with a 12V cigarette lighter style plug), dew controller and other bits and bobs plug into the hub, and all seems fine.

I have the PSU mounted in a box under the observatory desk, and the cables run in some ducting underneath the floor, then up the pier and into the hub, just to minimise the clutter. Everything plugged into the 12V hub is independently fused.

Cheers

Nigel

[steppenwolf]

Quote

So particular, it seems, that they are out of stock.  

Ahhh yes, my empty wallet ........