Advice on new imaging setup please.

[ashworthacca]

Astronomiser sells cables that will allow you to take power directly from a battery to a suitable mount connection.

Astronomiser - Automated Astronomy and AstroImaging Solutions

Brilliant, so it could work then? Do you think the battery has enough power to run the HEQ5 mount to give a few hours power?

[ashworthacca]

I use a collection of similar buggy batteries, 20Ah gel cells. Works very well. You will need a suitable triple stage charger to prevent over-charging.

Mine are now well over three years old and still function 100%

Ken

I'm not sure what you mean by suitable triple stage charger?? My battery is on trickle charge permanently as this is advisable according to Powakaddy.

[Merlin66]

The 20 Ah outlasts me most nights, so I'd say the 27Ah would easily do the job.

Ken

[Merlin66]

I'm assuming from what you say that the buggy battery charger must be a triple stage one.

They work by increasing the charging current until it reaches 80% capacity then steps down the current until full charge, after that it further reduces the current as a trickle charge indefinately.

Ken

[ashworthacca]

The 20 Ah outlasts me most nights, so I'd say the 27Ah would easily do the job.

Ken

Thanks Ken, that puts my mind at ease.

[ashworthacca]

I'm assuming from what you say that the buggy battery charger must be a triple stage one.

They work by increasing the charging current until it reaches 80% capacity then steps down the current until full charge, after that it further reduces the current as a trickle charge indefinately.

Ken

Ah, I understand now....yes it must be triple stage because it does work as you say from what I was told by my Golf Pro.

[funoooo]

My advice:

1. ED80

2. Skywatcher Heq5 Pro - must be with Sync, don't buy the old version. Otherwise, you will never to do the autoguiding.

3. T-ring

4. Modified Canon Camera.

5. Reducer 0.8X

6. CLS light pollution filter.

7. Battery

I think that is good enough for starting. (tracking 2~3min without any problem.)

Option for the future:

1. Guiding scope

2. Guiding CCD

3. Laptop Computer

For me, I will say that don't go to autoguiding now. Because that is a lot of technical for connection and control. It will kill you. First to enjoy by simple setup. Mount + scope + reducer + camera. That will be easy to handle, and take a picture for 2~3 minutes without problem. When you are ready, then go the next step - autoguiding.

Of course, if you buy the Sbig SG4 autoguider, that will so easy to do autoguiding just push one button to turn on. However, that is very expensive.

That is my $0.02

Cheer,

funoooo

[ashworthacca]

funooo, that's a great help, many thanks.

I have just received the Orion ED80 which is a lovely looking scope. I'm picking up the HEQ5 GOTO on Tuesday, got a v good deal on this one. Talking to a member about his Modified Canon DSLR and have ordered a leisure battery 85Ah for £54 from eBay....... Just a few more bits and piece and I can get going. Oh, and the book, "making every photon count" arrived yesterday so I'm working my way through that.

Good times ahead I hope.

[ashworthacca]

which 0.8x reducer would you guys suggest to work with my scope?

[ashworthacca]

This may be a silly question but is it ok to leave my scope/camera/weights etc on the mount whilst not in use or is it best to take everything off the mount?

[ollypenrice]

Be very careful not to get the polarity wrong in the dark.

Olly

[ashworthacca]

Be very careful not to get the polarity wrong in the dark.

Olly

Thanks Olly, good tip that I need to make sure I remember.

[brantuk]

If you're on a campsite with 16A hookup you can get a small mains to DC transformer pretty cheaply. Maplins have several around the £30 mark.

[ashworthacca]

If you're on a campsite with 16A hookup you can get a small mains to DC transformer pretty cheaply. Maplins have several around the £30 mark.

I'll keep that in mind, thanks.

[ashworthacca]

I'm going to be using an unmodded Canon 1000d to start with but will also be adding a SBIG ST7ME in a couple of weeks. I'm looking to get a 0.80 reducer and also a light pollution filter. Which ones should I be looking at, taking into account my DSLR is unmodded.

I was thinking the William Optics 0.80 reducer and Astronomik CLS-CCD EOS Clip Filter. Anyone any comment on whether these are the way to go or are there any better alternatives?

Regards