EQ5 & HEQ5 Goto Kit Upgrade power question

[Rob]

Hi All,

Been thinking about a goto upgrade for either my EQ5 or HEQ5 (yes me.. mr non goto!). More likely my EQ5. Can I use the current 12v 8 D-cell battery pack to power this?.

Thanks

Rob

[russ]

Hi Rob,

I'm not sure the D Cells will last that long.  The standard drives only draw a tiny amount of power. The Pro series will kill the D cells really quickly. I'm guessing. 

I put the Pro kit on my EQ5, ran it for a month and then took it back off and sold it. Put the Enhanced drives back on. Got fed up running the mains out and refused to go the leisure battery route again.

Now run my mount from a phone power tank, which is epic. Don't even use the D Cells.

Edited September 28, 2021 by russ

[Rob]

1 minute ago, russ said:

Hi Rob,

I'm not sure the D Cells will last that long.  The standard drives only draw a tiny amount of power. The Pro series will kill the D cells really quickly. I'm guessing. 

Hey Russ, hope your good!.

Thanks. Thought it maybe a push for them. Its interesting as Bresser offer their goto for the Exos 2 /EQ5 with a 8 d-cell battery pack?!

Cheers

Rob

[russ]

1 minute ago, Rob said:

Hey Russ, hope your good!.

Thanks. Thought it maybe a push for them. Its interesting as Bresser offer their goto for the Exos 2 /EQ5 with a 8 d-cell battery pack?!

Cheers

Rob

All good thanks Rob, hope you are too.

Oh right, perhaps you can then. I'll probably kick myself now.

[malc-c]

An HEQ5 draws around 2 amps when slewing both axis, and around 1amp when tracking.  From my RC modelling days, most D cells were around 1800mA - 2400mA, so that would mean they would last around 2 hours tracking (less if you slewed a lot) before the voltage drop would cause the mount to fail.