Field Power system

[Luna-tic]

I just finished a field power system that will proved me both AC or DC power. The heart of the system is a 96 amp/hour wet cell deep cycle battery, so light weight wasn't on the priority list of features. It sits on a small dolly, so it can be moved relatively easily, but I wouldn't want to haul it across a field. I can usually take my cargo trailer within a few yards of my viewing spot, so it isn't a big deal. It will sit below the tripod, I can even strap the tripod to it to add stability.

AC power is provided by a 1000 watt pure sine wave inverter, DC power is channeled through a RigRunner. There is a master power switch that shuts down everything and isolates the outputs for when I charge the battery. The system has a main fuse, and the inverter and each DC connection are individually fused. It has a battery monitor that shows volts, amps, watts and energy, and the inverter has its own monitoring panel and has a 5V USB port. The system has a secondary use as a backup power for loss of power scenarios in the home, to augment a small generator. The battery is contained in a box made of 1/2" plywood with a 3/4" pressure treated base, and is finished with a spar urethane, so it should "weather the weather" . Of course, rain would be out, but who sits in the rain with a telescope?

 

[Davey-T]

Looks pretty comprehensive, the only thing missing is a solar panel connection which may be needed come the apocalypse 

Dave

[Chriske]

Impressive ...!!!

[Luna-tic]

4 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

Looks pretty comprehensive, the only thing missing is a solar panel connection which may be needed come the apocalypse 

Dave

Easy enough to add, and in the plans. Hopefully, any apocalypse will wink out civilization so nobody has to suffer long. I'd much prefer a simple disaster like a blizzard or wind storm.?

[Skipper Billy]

@Luna-tic  Do you mind me asking where you got the display panel from??? Much more useful than the standard volts and amps.

Cheers

 

[RayD]

You can get them on Amazon here.

EDIT:  See below for actual DC version required. 

[fozzybear]

47 minutes ago, RayD said:

You can get them on Amazon here.

I am looking for one as well but be careful that link is for the A/C version wouldn't one be better off with the D/C version?

[RayD]

1 minute ago, fozzybear said:

I am looking for one as well but be careful that link is for the A/C version wouldn't one be better off with the D/C version?

Ah yes.  They do DC ones too here.

[Luna-tic]

23 hours ago, RayD said:

Ah yes.  They do DC ones too here.

That one looks identical to mine, but mine  goes by another brand name. I imagine they all come from the same factory in China.

I did an all-up test on my system last evening. I hooked up my EQ6R-Pro mount, the dew heater strip (turned up full) for my C8 corrector, (both of those to DC connections), my DSLR with its AC adapter, and my laptop to AC power. The battery was at 12.9 volts no load when I started, slightly less than its 13V full charge. With all the above named gear running, voltage stayed at 12.32-12.45V, current load varied between 4-6.5 amps (current drain would go up about 2.75 amps when the mount was slewed), and was using a total of 54-56 watts, 10 of those coming through the inverter (it has its own watt/volt display). Total energy drain over the 15 minute test was 1.35 amp-hours.

This bodes well for a long session, The only other items I might connect would be an EP dew heater, which would draw less than the larger corrector strip, and my guide camera. I could even run a second mount without undue load.

 

Edit: It's interesting to note the amps drawn from the mount alone. While tracking, as one might expect, it's drawing 0.5amp or less. When it goes into a high-speed slew, as when you select a target and go-to it, current increases to about 2.75 amps, also as expected, but when the slew drops to its "creep mode" as it centers on the target, current increases to almost 4 amps before dropping back to the 0.5 amp tracking level.

[fozzybear]

Have ordered one from amazon.fr due for delivery Friday, Just out of curiosity what cable awg or mm did you use want to make sure don't use to thin a supply cable as amazon do not specify for the load side?