Cable management .... best options???

[SlimPaling]

Hi ...

I am getting to the stage of thinking about trying to keep the cables to my various bits of kit ( on my main refracting scope and piggy-backed solar scope ) under control ... especially as I am looking to get more equipment added at some point.

I can see that my Optec FocusLynx control box and my dew heater control box will need to be mounted onto my mount's saddle .... but other bits of kit (two CCD cameras, SSM etc) will need a power hub and also a USB hub in order to cut down on cables.

However I am getting a bit confused after watching several YouTube videos and searching on the 'net there seems to be quite a few options for DC Power hubs and powered USB hubs. There seem to be quite a few firms making this stuff .... (RIGrunner/HiTech/Pegasus/Orico/ and probably more that I have not spotted yet!)

I do not need outlets to charge mobile phones, etc. ...... just USB devices ...... and do all devices run off 12v anyway?

Can anybody give me some suggestions as to my best options here ????

Thanks in advance ?

Mike

[hughgilhespie]

Hi Mike,

My answer was a Kingdel mini-computer and a Pegasus Astro Ultimate Power Hub both mounted on the OTA. This combination gave me 4 off USB3 ports and 4 off USB2 ports from the mini-computer and another 5 USB2 ports from the Pegasus hub. The Pegasus hub also runs the focus motor. My setup has just 3 cables from the mount to the outside world, 13.6 volt power in, a USB2 lead to control the homebrew Observatory controller and a Cat6 patch cable that connects to my wired network. All the other equipment is connected within the OTA.

My observatory is designed to work remotely, so I use the wired network to power up the computer using WakeOnLan then run the computer remotely using Microsoft Remote Desktop. 

Some - poor quality - pics of the set up.

HTH.

Regards, Hugh

 

[Joel Shepherd]

I have a Pegasus Ultimate as well, though my set-up isn't as advanced as @hughgilhespie has. I have on USB cable from my laptop to the hub, a second to the mount, and otherwise everything runs off the hub including dew heaters, camera, autoguider, filter wheel and focuser. I like the design philosophy of keeping the power hub and computing equipment (laptop, stick PC or what have you) separate, so you can easily upgrade the latter without having to replace the hub itself. The Pegasus hub was smaller and sturdier than I expected and overall I've been pretty happy with its performance.

[SlimPaling]

On ‎11‎/‎08‎/‎2018 at 09:49, hughgilhespie said:

Hi Mike,

My answer was a Kingdel mini-computer and a Pegasus Astro Ultimate Power Hub both mounted on the OTA. This combination gave me 4 off USB3 ports and 4 off USB2 ports from the mini-computer and another 5 USB2 ports from the Pegasus hub. The Pegasus hub also runs the focus motor. My setup has just 3 cables from the mount to the outside world, 13.6 volt power in, a USB2 lead to control the homebrew Observatory controller and a Cat6 patch cable that connects to my wired network. All the other equipment is connected within the OTA.

My observatory is designed to work remotely, so I use the wired network to power up the computer using WakeOnLan then run the computer remotely using Microsoft Remote Desktop. 

Some - poor quality - pics of the set up.

HTH.

Regards, Hugh 

Many thanks for taking the time to do these pictures for me ?

I like the look of the Pegasus Power hub but am not 100% sure if,on it's own, it will do what I need to do. I "think" that I need a "DC Power Hub and also a "Powered USB Hub"

I am looking to expand the number of USB ports available to cut down extra cables that are growing in number and also have some 12v DC outlets available to power up devices . It looks as if the Pegasus Power hub needs 12v input ......... so I would need a "DC Power Hub" on my OTA assembly with a 240v input .... this would then (I assume) be used to power the Pegasus unit and also have some 12v outlets to power up some of my other equipment.

Any suggestions as to the best "DC Power Hub" ?

Mike

[SlimPaling]

15 hours ago, Joel Shepherd said:

I have a Pegasus Ultimate as well, though my set-up isn't as advanced as @hughgilhespie has. I have on USB cable from my laptop to the hub, a second to the mount, and otherwise everything runs off the hub including dew heaters, camera, autoguider, filter wheel and focuser. I like the design philosophy of keeping the power hub and computing equipment (laptop, stick PC or what have you) separate, so you can easily upgrade the latter without having to replace the hub itself. The Pegasus hub was smaller and sturdier than I expected and overall I've been pretty happy with its performance.

Hi Joel ... thanks for taking time to respond ?

How do you get "mains power" to your system ... or are you running off 12v batteries?

Mike

[RayD]

The Pegasus hub is a 12V hub as well as powered USB hub.  You supply it with one 12-14V and one USB2 cable, and you then have 4 x 12v outputs and 6 USB2 outputs.  It also gives you dew heater outputs and a RJ45 connector to use an auto-focuser via the built in controller.  The only additional thing you need is a PC.

[RayD]

Alternatively you can go the full hog like I have done in Spain by using the PrimaLuce Eagle2, but this comes at a premium price.  This method only needs 1 power lead and that's it.

 

[SlimPaling]

After a bit more research on the 'net .... maybe the answer to my problem is to combine a "West Mountain RIGrunner" (to give me 12vDC output ports) and a "Pegasus Power Hub" (to give me USB ports)

Has anybody used a RIGrunner?

Mike

 

[hughgilhespie]

Hi Mike,

Just to repeat Ray's comment - the Pegasus Ultimate is both a Power Hub with 4 switchable DC outputs and a powered USB hub with 6 USB2 ports.

Regards, Hugh

[Joel Shepherd]

14 hours ago, SlimPaling said:

Hi Joel ... thanks for taking time to respond ?

How do you get "mains power" to your system ... or are you running off 12v batteries?

Mike

I run off household current: imaging from my back yard. One extension cord from our basement, with a GFCI so I don't accidentally electrocute myself. Much. I have a 12v DC adapter between mains and the Pegasus hub. You could run it off a battery. Without dew heaters on, but with focuser, camera, guide camera and filter wheel I use 7-8 amp-hours over 8 hours or so. Dew heaters add more but I regrettably don't recall how much. In any event, it can run off an appropriate battery w/o an adapter, or off of mains with one.