Pictures of your electric install in dome.

[tooth_dr]

I’m getting my electrical stuff bought today so looking for some ideas on how everyone has setup their sockets etc.

In a row or column?  I reckon 6 doubles will cover it. I plan to run directly into the consumer unit via MCBs. I have two cables pulled into dome to split the load.  Is dew an issue in the dome? In my ROR obsy all my sockets are in the warm room with cables fed through the wall.

Ive seen some nice photos on here, but haven’t been able to locate them. Would you mind posting photos of your dome set up please?

 

Thanks

Adam. 

[Stuart1971]

26 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

I’m getting my electrical stuff bought today so looking for some ideas on how everyone has setup their sockets etc.

In a row or column?  I reckon 6 doubles will cover it. I plan to run directly into the consumer unit via MCBs. I have two cables pulled into dome to split the load.  Is dew an issue in the dome? In my ROR obsy all my sockets are in the warm room with cables fed through the wall.

Ive seen some nice photos on here, but haven’t been able to locate them. Would you mind posting photos of your dome set up please?

 

Thanks

Adam. 

If you have pulled two mains cables into the dome from your consumer unit, then best to create a ring main with them, rather than split into two... 👍

[steppenwolf]

I have a panel spaced off from the side of the dome to allow all the cabling to be hidden but accessible when required. Here is a picture showing the sockets, one of which is remotely switchable and has an extension lead plugged into it to turn on the dome and turn off the de-humidifier at the same time:-

[Laurin Dave]

Here’s mine..  much the same as Steve’s..  the board screws on to 4  wooden blocks which are stuck to the dome with plastic padding ..  

 

[tooth_dr]

Thanks @steppenwolf and @Laurin Dave

That was my plan, to use a wooden board and mount it to the dome via spacers glued to the dome.  Good idea with the lights on the panel too, hadn't thought of that.  Was considering those LED strips around the circumference of the dome under the lip of the wall.  Dave is that a candle in the middle of your lights?  I like the wall mounted 12v power supply, that is a good use of space.  I currently use 14 sockets in my observatory, as I run extra meteor detecting PCs and monitors.  These will stay where they are, so I should be ok with 10 sockets, I'll put in 12 to have spares.

 

@Stuart1971 thanks Stuart.  I had considered that, but wasn't sure if it made any difference.

 

[Laurin Dave]

It’s a “Canary”..   monitors temp and humidity has video and lets me know when it thinks there’s someone in the dome ie when the trees cast moving shadows on the dome..  mounted on an upturned bookend my son made many years ago 

[Stuart1971]

6 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

Thanks @steppenwolf and @Laurin Dave

That was my plan, to use a wooden board and mount it to the dome via spacers glued to the dome.  Good idea with the lights on the panel too, hadn't thought of that.  Was considering those LED strips around the circumference of the dome under the lip of the wall.  Dave is that a candle in the middle of your lights?  I like the wall mounted 12v power supply, that is a good use of space.  I currently use 14 sockets in my observatory, as I run extra meteor detecting PCs and monitors.  These will stay where they are, so I should be ok with 10 sockets, I'll put in 12 to have spares.

 

@Stuart1971 thanks Stuart.  I had considered that, but wasn't sure if it made any difference.

 

Well I dont think 5 sockets of each single wire is too bad, but for ten sockets....Personally I would use a ring 👍

[pmlogg]

When I planned the electrics for my dome 11 years ago I decided, as a precaution, to house all double sockets in IP66 boxes and similarly for dimmer switches, timer socket for the dehumidifier, fixed power supplies for the mount, my main imager and other ac to dc adapters.  I boxed in the pier with plywood, with a gap to prevent vibrations. That produced four wooden surfaces to screw components to.  The cabling from the house all comes to the pier initially but then power, usb and networking cables all go under the decking floor to a desk area.  I didn't want to alter the dome itself so I sandwiched one of the section joints with uprights and screwed plywood to that. White and Red lights, a 12V supply and more power points are attached to that, located under the fixed desk.  One decking board is double hinged so that it can be lifted up, crane like, to access the cables.

I've had no shortage of electric points.  Now I have a monitor on an arm fixed to more wood, this time sandwiching the joint above the desk.  It can rotate the monitor flat against the dome wall or move it out for convenience.  The lamp shown in the picture is now mounted on that wood.  The computer is in the house, under the stairs, with another screen , keyboard and mouse - that's the 'warm room'.

The only thing I would have done differently would have been to have a larger diameter pipe for pulling more cables though e.g. usb3.  I do have a wire to pull more through but not sure it wouldn't snag.  The dome rotation is powered now but by 12V battery.  After use it is recharged from the mains, although there is an external solar panel for recharging too.

[tooth_dr]

56 minutes ago, pmlogg said:

When I planned the electrics for my dome 11 years ago I decided, as a precaution, to house all double sockets in IP66 boxes and similarly for dimmer switches, timer socket for the dehumidifier, fixed power supplies for the mount, my main imager and other ac to dc adapters.  I boxed in the pier with plywood, with a gap to prevent vibrations. That produced four wooden surfaces to screw components to.  The cabling from the house all comes to the pier initially but then power, usb and networking cables all go under the decking floor to a desk area.  I didn't want to alter the dome itself so I sandwiched one of the section joints with uprights and screwed plywood to that. White and Red lights, a 12V supply and more power points are attached to that, located under the fixed desk.  One decking board is double hinged so that it can be lifted up, crane like, to access the cables.

I've had no shortage of electric points.  Now I have a monitor on an arm fixed to more wood, this time sandwiching the joint above the desk.  It can rotate the monitor flat against the dome wall or move it out for convenience.  The lamp shown in the picture is now mounted on that wood.  The computer is in the house, under the stairs, with another screen , keyboard and mouse - that's the 'warm room'.

The only thing I would have done differently would have been to have a larger diameter pipe for pulling more cables though e.g. usb3.  I do have a wire to pull more through but not sure it wouldn't snag.  The dome rotation is powered now but by 12V battery.  After use it is recharged from the mains, although there is an external solar panel for recharging too.

Thanks for taking time to share your installation.  Looks very comprehensive.  The raised floor is a nice idea, as is building the desk around the joints.  I hadnt thought of doing it that way, but that is actually the strongest point.

[wxsatuser]

15 hours ago, Stuart1971 said:

Well I dont think 5 sockets of each single wire is too bad, but for ten sockets....Personally I would use a ring 👍

There is no limit to the number of sockets on a radial, just make sure it's protected with a breaker no more than 20Amps
when used with 2.5mm cable.

Edited May 26, 2020 by wxsatuser

[tooth_dr]

57 minutes ago, wxsatuser said:

There is no limit to the number of sockets on a radial, just make sure it's protected with a breaker no more than 20Amps
when used with 2.5mm cable.

Thanks.  I have just bought a 20A MCB for my CU, and there is already an RCD on the main switch.   I was considering an RCD at the obs end too, but I dont think thats now necessary.

[Stuart1971]

1 hour ago, wxsatuser said:

There is no limit to the number of sockets on a radial, just make sure it's protected with a breaker no more than 20Amps
when used with 2.5mm cable.

Hmmm, No Limit... 🤔 not sure that is correct, Especially on a single 2.5mm cable 

[Jokehoba]

6 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:

Hmmm, No Limit... 🤔 not sure that is correct, Especially on a single 2.5mm cable 

The limiting factor is the 20A breaker to protect the cable, which can carry 25A. So no limit to the number of sockets as long as the total current isn't exceeded.

[wxsatuser]

11 minutes ago, Jokehoba said:

The limiting factor is the 20A breaker to protect the cable, which can carry 25A. So no limit to the number of sockets as long as the total current isn't exceeded.

There is also a floor area to take into account (50m²), an obsy not really a problem, plus what equipment is intended.
Most obsy gear will more than likely be low power so not a real problem.

Remember also a double socket is only 13amps split between both sockets not 26amps.

 

[R26 oldtimer]

1 hour ago, Jokehoba said:

The limiting factor is the 20A breaker to protect the cable, which can carry 25A. So no limit to the number of sockets as long as the total current isn't exceeded.

Down here the standards are a bit stricter (elot HD 384). We protect 2.5mm cables with 16amp fuse, 4mm cable with 20amp fuse and 6mm cable with 25amp fuse. Try not to exceed 2/3 of the fuse amperage when calculating/distributing your loads.

[tomato]

Not a big fan of 240v in the dome as condensation can be an issue after a long session, and the AC can upset the comms cables running through the same conduit. 
There is therefore a heavy duty 12v DC supply from the adjacent warm room, there is however a 240v supply to a double moisture proof socket, for daytime use (dehumidifier etc).

[tooth_dr]

42 minutes ago, tomato said:

Not a big fan of 240v in the dome as condensation can be an issue after a long session, and the AC can upset the comms cables running through the same conduit. 
There is therefore a heavy duty 12v DC supply from the adjacent warm room, there is however a 240v supply to a double moisture proof socket, for daytime use (dehumidifier etc).

I dont have a warm room on my dome so thats not option.  In my current config, I indeed run only 12v into the open bit, and keep 240v in a sealed warm room.  I have separate ducts in my dome, one for power and one USB etc.

[SnakeyJ]

Thanks Adam (tooth_dr), this thread came along at just the right time as I'm finally getting my obs and gear sorted after managing occassionally with a long extension lead from the house....

The current setup brings everything to the mount on an external 16A supply, 5 way PDU and then plugged in to my mount power box, containing 12v PSU, USB3 hub and power for dew tapes.

The other side of that 16A to 5 way PDU is currently rather more haphazard.    I would like to improve this with a small consumer unit on the outer wall, with power outputs for lights, dehumidifier, dome drive (currently in build) and run an earth bond for the mount.  I might also add a small UPS 1.5KVA to smooth out the power and keep things running through any blips.   Good to see some of the ideas posted here.

Once the dome drive is running, I will run this remotely from the house with a SFF PC running headless at the base - the 2.2m dome is barely big enough to swing a 14" Meade ACF.

 

Edited May 26, 2020 by SnakeyJ

[derekf]

Following this with interest  lots of great ideas. Got my Pulsar 2.2 dome on order through FLO's, but due to Covid delivery is going to be July/August, on the plus side though i will have ample time to prepare

Edited May 26, 2020 by derekf

[tooth_dr]

Just for anyone interested - my finished electrics.  I trimmed and glued two ikea shelves to the curved wall.  I used Turbo Bond, similar to No More Nails type stuff.  This gave a suitable surface for mounting monitors and sockets, and made it easy to hide the wires behind it all.

 

 

 

[tomato]

Very nice, are there any other hobbies that have a greater appetite for 3 pin sockets?

[tooth_dr]

34 minutes ago, tomato said:

Very nice, are there any other hobbies that have a greater appetite for 3 pin sockets?

I actually could do with 1 more 😂

[Nigella Bryant]

I've 12 sockets, six on the wall and six on the mount pilar via a simple six socket circuit breaker extension fed from the two underground armoured cables.