ZWO EAF - powering the new model's 5V USB via Raspberry PI / Pegasus Powerbox Advance

[SiD the Turtle]

Hi folks,

Was about to push buy on a ZWO EAF to move to further automation of my imaging process. I've noticed that they've switched from the usual power adaptor to USB power.

My setup uses a Pegasus Pocket Powerbox Advance which delivers multiple power options over the normal power adaptors and 4 USB ports. I think only one of these USB ports can deliver that many volts, and that's powering the Raspberry PI.

I don't think I can power the ZWO EAF over USB either on the Powerbox or the Raspberry PI.

Any ideas on adaptors or alternatives? Pegasus have a focuser but it's more expensive. Else I might go and find one on the second hand market I guess!

Thanks!

(Also sorry was not sure what sub-forum to best ask this question!)

[Davey-T]

Mine has 12volt power socket and USB for control.

Dave

[StevieDvd]

The new EAF units are made to be powered by the Asiair & AsiAirPro as well as laptops etc. Same lead for power and data to simplify usage.

According to ZWO there may be a few problems with some USB hubs but the Raspberry Pi & Pegasus are enough to power the new EAF.

[SiD the Turtle]

6 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

Mine has 12volt power socket and USB for control.

Dave

I might have the wrong end of the stick, but now you can only buy ones that take power over USB, probably because it makes more sense for the more common setup of everything going through a laptop.

https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/product/eaf-5v

Edited June 9, 2021 by SiD the Turtle

[Davey-T]

1 minute ago, SiD the Turtle said:

I might have the wrong end of the stick, but now you can only buy ones that take power over USB, probably because it makes more sense for the more common setup of everything going through a laptop.

https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/product/eaf-5v

Yes, bit of a backward step, guess it makes them cheaper to manufacture.

Really nice focuser so worth looking out for a second hand older version

Dave

[iapa]

7 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

Yes, bit of a backward step, guess it makes them cheaper to manufacture.

Really nice focuser so worth looking out for a second hand older version

Dave

I’ll not be letting go of mine for a while. Like it too much.

A second, or order, is the USB only variant.

I measured current draw of the powered unit and it was minuscule.

[Davey-T]

Works really well with the ASIAR Pro autofocus.

Dave

[iapa]

13 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

Works really well with the ASIAR Pro autofocus.

Dave

Certainly does.

1st one was on the Equinox ED80 - powered from ASIAir Pro.

Adapter not quite suitable for lining up secure points and the connection barrel is a very close fit in the OTA focuser; a drummer sander on the connector will sort that.

The USB only will be going on the RedCat initially using BlackCat.

I may swap one of the above onto the 8” SCT or RASA - I have the Pegasus on the SCT just now.

 

Edited June 9, 2021 by iapa

[Davey-T]

Made a new bracket so I could fit it how I wanted.

Dave

[powerlord]

not sure what you mean by only one of your USBs deliverying that many volts.

USB is 5v. They vary in how much load (amps) they can provide, but for a focuser I doubt it will be over 500ma - which is the basic standard of usb2.0.

So any of your usb ports will work fine to power it.... But I mean, assuming you are going to have it controlled by a PC or ASIAIR you need to plug it in there of course - and it gets power and comms from that. I imagine that's the way they expected most users to use it.

stu

[bottletopburly]

Alternative is Af3 unit by deepskydad now stocked by @FLO temp sensor and hand controller available separately , adapter available for a wide range of telescopes.

[SiD the Turtle]

Thanks all. As ever I'm probably getting my volts, amps and watts muddled but if the old EAF was 12V at 500mA (i.e. 6 watts), to get the same wattage at 5V over USB surely I'd need 1200mA over USB?

That's the maximum draw across all ports on the PI (https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/hardware/raspberrypi/power/README.md). The Pegasus power box I'm not sure what the USBs are rated to except the one that can do 3A (that's powering the PI anyway).

But maybe I'm worrying about nothing, may take a punt and see what happens, given the feedback here. Plus eventually it'll got into a dedicated ZWO astro cam when they're back in stock which I think have hubs that are better designed for this!

[iapa]

12 minutes ago, SiD the Turtle said:

Thanks all. As ever I'm probably getting my volts, amps and watts muddled but if the old EAF was 12V at 500mA (i.e. 6 watts), to get the same wattage at 5V over USB surely I'd need 1200mA over USB?

That's the maximum draw across all ports on the PI (https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/hardware/raspberrypi/power/README.md). The Pegasus power box I'm not sure what the USBs are rated to except the one that can do 3A (that's powering the PI anyway).

But maybe I'm worrying about nothing, may take a punt and see what happens, given the feedback here. Plus eventually it'll got into a dedicated ZWO astro cam when they're back in stock which I think have hubs that are better designed for this!

The 1st model had a 12V power socket, I doubt that there was anything like 6watts consumed. This is just a rating for the PSU, not the demand by the EAF.

I posted, somewhere else, the power draw for a variety of items, one was the EAF. I will look it out.

The new one will run fine on a USB A port.