Taming the power cable monster

[stevepsheehan]

My take on 12v distribution: single, 12v 10a PSU, 8-way distribution box (home made) supplying 2 x 12v dewheaters, mount, camera, focusser, plus a couple of spares for future use, eg rotator. Plastic "snakes" to keep all the loose ares neat and tidy. Cables from distribution box to equipment are all home made, and cut to optimum lengths to prevent snagging. Hope you like 🙂

Next project is to do something similar with the USB cables.

[pete_l]

and not a "cigarette lighter" connector in sight!

Great work.

[stevepsheehan]

No, but could easily have a cable made up to power from a car's cigarette lighter if wanted. Personally, if I were going mobile with it (which I'm not), then a big leisure battery, and a cable with a couple of crocodile clips would do the job fine I think.  

[DaveS]

3 hours ago, pete_l said:

and not a "cigarette lighter" connector in sight!

You don't know how annoyed I get with manufacturers who terminate every power cable with a blasted "cigarette lighter" plug, requiring me to cut them off and put propper plugs on or even bare ends to a terminal block.

 

That's a pretty neat setup you have there. Do you have to set up and strike each night?

I have been advised to have more than one PSU, for Mount, Camera, and "dirty stuff" such as dew heaters.

[Paul M]

That's a nice tidy job. Looking at knocking up a 12v distribution box myself. I plan on getting a biggish leisure battery soon and want to keep it tidy. It'll have a couple of USB charging sockets on it too.

I recently had trouble with the 12v mains supply for my mount. Started getting "tingles" from the tripod legs!! Maybe mains leakage, but certainly excessive ripple on the 12v. It was a very, very slight tingle. Either way, it started upsetting my other gear (and me). So temporarily my mount is powered from a project I made about 39 years ago. A 2amp series regulated PSU (2 x 2N3055 transistors) and some nice big electrolytic caps. It's not big enough to power everything and those electrolytics will be getting dry at that age. Hence going over to a big battery, less chance then of cross talk and spikes on the 12v line. Make the battery standard practice so then an easy option for mobile use.