EQ6R Pro power requirements

[mike1485]

I am patiently awaiting delivery of my new EQ6R Pro mount.  Reading through the specs it states under power requirements: DC11 - 16V 4A, but the supplied power cable is a 12V DC Cigarette Power Cable.  Can anyone shed any light on this apparent discrepancy?  Does it require 16V?  Many thanks for any help.

Edited June 19, 2021 by mike1485

[wulfrun]

No, it should work anywhere between 11V and 16V and 12V is within that range. The way I read it, 11V is the least it'll work from and 16V is the most it will tolerate.

[mike1485]

Hi. Thanks for taking the time to reply. Obvious really now you say it. That spec is 11v up to 16v.  Thanks

[fifeskies]

The use of 13.8v DC power supplies is very common for powering Skywatcher mounts. 

Smaller switch mode (laptop style) power bricks often struggle to output enough current for this so choose carefully , larger switch mode will be fine. I would suggest 12v minimum to be on the safe side and 15v max to be cautious on the upper range.

These need to be good quality REGULATED supplies. Unregulated ones can drift to high voltage off load and fry electronics when connected.

Or use a charged leisure battery if you are away from mains supply, the fully charged "12v" lead acid battery as used in cars actually is 13.8v when 100% charged.

Lower voltage end of the range can be unreliable as when the motors kick in the sudden start up surge can make the voltage dip below 11v and cause the mount to be unreliable.

Beefy linear DC supplies are often advocated. I use a large one in my observing shed.

 

Some typical units are shown below, from a small unit just for the mount , to a large unit for powering everything in an observatory (mounts, heaters, cameras, lights etc)

 

Whatever way you power the mount be very careful to get the DC polarity the right way round,

REVERSE POLARITY WILL DAMAGE THE MOUNT ELECTRONICS

 

 

Edited June 19, 2021 by fifeskies

[mike1485]

Thanks for these really helpful thoughts.  I am thinking of investing in the Nevada PSW-30 25-30A Switch-Mode Power Supply which gives a cigarette socket on the front.  I would then attach the Lynx Astro Silicone Female Cigarette Socket to M8 Ring Tongue to the binding posts on the back (red to red, black to black - thanks for that warning!) That would give me two cigarette sockets.  I would use one to power the mount and the other to power my ASIAIR which would in turn power the  camera, dew heaters and focuser.  That feels like a fairly robust set up.

[fifeskies]

Not used a Nevada switch mode  (I am old school linear PSU) but I have seen the model you are thinking off used by many astronomers as a main observatory supply. 

Only heard good things about them so you are looking at the correct choice , but others with direct experience can maybe comment better.

[fifeskies]

The raw outputs from these supplies can dump lots of current into faults and release the magic fairy smoke

I put a fuseholder in-line with my mount cable to offer some degree of protection as it should not be drawing much over a few amps and that is with both motors running , I thinks its a 3A antisurge fuse I have but would need to check.

I have the fuse near the mount end for easy replacement though fortunately it has never popped on me.

 

 

[StuartT]

1 hour ago, mike1485 said:

Thanks for these really helpful thoughts.  I am thinking of investing in the Nevada PSW-30 25-30A Switch-Mode Power Supply which gives a cigarette socket on the front.  I would then attach the Lynx Astro Silicone Female Cigarette Socket to M8 Ring Tongue to the binding posts on the back (red to red, black to black - thanks for that warning!) That would give me two cigarette sockets.  I would use one to power the mount and the other to power my ASIAIR which would in turn power the  camera, dew heaters and focuser.  That feels like a fairly robust set up.

I have an EQ6R Pro and I power it from the Nevada PSW-30 25-30A Switch-Mode Power Supply. I set it to 12V and it works perfectly.

I got one of these adapters so I can also power my dew heater

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005IPM5GE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Edited June 20, 2021 by StuartT

[mike1485]

Thanks - looks like this is the way to go.  I appreciate your help and advice.