How to power an EQ5 RA motor

[IamLost]

What is the best thing I can use to power my EQ5 RA motor and what kind of supply do I need (what voltage and current)? Also, would a normal laptop charger work as long as it has the correct output? Thanks.

[Cornelius Varley]

20 minutes ago, IamLost said:

What is the best thing I can use to power my EQ5 RA motor and what kind of supply do I need (what voltage and current)? Also, would a normal laptop charger work as long as it has the correct output? Thanks.

The EQ5 RA motor is rated at 6v only. A suitable 6v psu or a 6v rechargeable lead/acid battery is required.

[DaveL59]

did it not come with a battery box and controller?

The EQ2 clock drive (simple version) the battery went in the motor box but the clockwork drive one I have came with the above. Isn't the EQ5 one similar, or is it just you're added a motor only?

[IamLost]

13 hours ago, DaveL59 said:

did it not come with a battery box and controller?

The EQ2 clock drive (simple version) the battery went in the motor box but the clockwork drive one I have came with the above. Isn't the EQ5 one similar, or is it just you're added a motor only?

I’m not sure because it hasn’t been delivered yet but it may come with a battery box. Do you know what kind of batteries I will need to power it?

[IamLost]

19 hours ago, Cornelius Varley said:

The EQ5 RA motor is rated at 6v only. A suitable 6v psu or a 6v rechargeable lead/acid battery is required.

Thanks for the help

[Cornelius Varley]

3 minutes ago, IamLost said:

I’m not sure because it hasn’t been delivered yet but it may come with a battery box. Do you know what kind of batteries I will need to power it?

The RA motor is supplied with a battery box that require 4 D sized batteries. You might find that this is all you need because the batteries should last a long time.

[Dan13]

On 23/03/2020 at 13:09, Cornelius Varley said:

The RA motor is supplied with a battery box that require 4 D sized batteries. You might find that this is all you need because the batteries should last a long time.

Hi, I have this device and have seen on a youtube video (unfortunately Spanish and i dont speak Spanish  ) that the user had this plugged into there home mains supply. I have have a lead that fits it and im wandering if this would be ok? maybe id need a converter?

[Cornelius Varley]

5 minutes ago, Dan13 said:

Hi, I have this device and have seen on a youtube video (unfortunately Spanish and i dont speak Spanish  ) that the user had this plugged into there home mains supply. I have have a lead that fits it and im wandering if this would be ok? maybe id need a converter?

I assume your "lead" is an AC/DC adapter with a 6 volt output and has the correct polarity at the plug ? If it doesn't then you shouldn't use it.

[Dan13]

1 minute ago, Cornelius Varley said:

I assume your "lead" is an AC/DC adapter with a 6 volt output and has the correct polarity at the plug ? If it doesn't then you shouldn't use it.

Hi Peter thanks for the swift reply, ive just checked and i think its an AC adaptor that i use for LED lights which outputs 12v...im guessing the hand controller wont like this?!

 

Im happy to keep using the supplied battery pack but my battery's dont seems to be lasting long at all and costing me a small fortune!

[Cornelius Varley]

25 minutes ago, Dan13 said:

Hi Peter thanks for the swift reply, ive just checked and i think its an AC adaptor that i use for LED lights which outputs 12v...im guessing the hand controller wont like this?!

 

Im happy to keep using the supplied battery pack but my battery's dont seems to be lasting long at all and costing me a small fortune!

12v will burn out the handset.

[Dan13]

1 minute ago, Cornelius Varley said:

12v will burn out the handset.

Just as i thought thank you, ive just found two more, one is AC/DC output is 9v and the other doest state AC/DC but outputs 5.6v (its a electric shaver. (guessing this may work.

[Alien 13]

The EQ3 and EQ5 will happily run off a 5V mobile phone battery bank, these normally supply 5.2 V. You would need an old USB cable and chop of one end and fit a DC power connector (cant remember if its 5.5mm x 2.1mm or 5.5mm x 2.5mm) to the cable, note you only need to use the Red (positive) and Black (negative) wires in the cable.

You can get 10A/hour powerbanks very cheap but the latest's smart models (that usually have two outputs) can sometimes shut down if the load is too small (the current drawn for the motor is between 150-400 mA depending if its slewing or not) but this can be fixed by putting a load like a red LED light into the other socket, I would say that I have never had this issue though.

The reason that 5V powerbanks work is because the basic 6V system controllers for both single and dual axis motors do not have voltage regulators or protection circuitry which is one reason they are easily killed when used on 12V etc. The other thing to remember is that the standard battery case with 4 D cells has to also work with rechargeable versions that would only give a total of 4.8V.

Alan

Edited March 25, 2020 by Alien 13

[Cornelius Varley]

6 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

(cant remember if its 5.5mm x 2.1mm or 5.5mm x 2.5mm) 

Skywatcher plugs are 5.5x2.1mm

8 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

You would need an old USB cable and chop of one end and fit a DC power connecto

I have a powerbank that came with an assortment of plug adapters (or I bought them separately from ebay)