Eclipse 17/imaging power supply.

[Tony G]

 Just wondering if any of you guys from the solar forum will pursure the upcoming eclipse? Speaking of, the totality path is bout an hour and half drive south  if I'm lucky and skys are clear there. If not I'll then have to decide east or west depending on weather. This be my first total. Anyways.. I bought a celestron battery supply for my mount. I'm confused as to what will be best way to supply my laptop which also powers my cam. Any of you guys already have something in place to power yours in remote locations give me some idea the amount of time I'll have? Still plenty of time to prep. Extra laptop batteries, external laptop battery. My laptop battery life is horrible. Maybe 30 mins.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Is replacing the laptop battery an option

[Tony G]

Not sure, but would that buy me much more time? What's a good laptop last now a days? Mine is sorta old.

[xtreemchaos]

my HP lasts 2.5 hours on low power settings, that's running cam only. charl.

[RayD]

There are some great solar chargers available, and given that what you're going for will only be possible with the sun out, perhaps that's an option?

[michael8554]

Hi Tony

What kind of imaging are you doing, and how much of the eclipse phases will you capture?

If you are planning an avi of Totality, well that's only a couple of minutes.

I doubt you're recording 1st Contact to 4th Contact, that's hours.

Perhaps you're taking 10 secs every 10 minutes, so power down in between, and you  won't need to power the mount for that, just point and shoot.

Well you can do the math, I'd take a spare laptop battery and use that for Totality, and have it ready if the old battery is flagging during Contact 3 to 4.

Michael

[Macavity]

What you need is one of these, no? (A random image) 

Usually available in high street stores, Ebay etc. Variously:
"Laptop 12v DC Universal Power Supply" for cars, boats...
Basically a 12V inverter with multiple output voltages and
a series of interchangeable headers for various laptops.

They usually come in a specified WATTAGE (e.g. 100W)
so you have to check e.g. the Volts (times) Amps on the
underside of your laptop for the right voltage & power!

My Notebooks are only 40W... A laptop rather more?!?!
Typical Celestron Power Tanks have a "Cigar connector"
rated at 12V x 10A, so should be enough... maybe(?)

I note my Powertank doesn't hold charge (well) now...
BUT if you are near a *vehicle* which a cigar socket, so
much the better. Don't flatten your battery though?

CAVEAT: I know such things work with a "Deep Cycle"
12V Boat Battery. Less certain re. "automotive" ones!