Telescope Reviews: How do You power Your mount ?

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Equipment Discussions >> Mounts

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PhilCo126
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/14/05

Loc: coastline of Belgium

How do You power Your mount ?
#3031914 - 04/08/09 11:58 AM

Hello, I have been using the "Blue Wave MC Power" power supply BW 1205z which used 230-220 Volts IN and gave 13.8-12 Volts OUT. The great thing about it was that it only had a few interfaces so You didn't have to worry which one to use.
I have switched to the larger PentaFlex 12V PowerTank 7AH which has 2 interfaces to put the power stick (usable in a car) into... Which one to use, the - Minus (Left) or the + Plus (Right) ?

In the photo above I've connected it to the - Minus (Left)

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LLEEGE
True Blue

Reged: 03/03/05

Loc: Cloud-chester,NY

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: PhilCo126]
#3031971 - 04/08/09 12:32 PM

I use one of these for remote locations. Kipor Generator
It's light, quiet and cheap. I picked one up at Harbor Freight for $150.

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GShaffer
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 02/28/09

Loc: Bogart, Ga USA

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: LLEEGE]
#3031987 - 04/08/09 12:38 PM

That generator looks intresting.....thanks for the link!

habor freight and I have a love/hate relationship lol

Greg

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Luigi
Postmaster

Reged: 07/03/07

Loc: MA

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: GShaffer]
#3032014 - 04/08/09 12:50 PM

17 AH glass mat SLA battery.

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Al Canarelli
Post Laureate

Reged: 12/06/07

Loc: Central New Jersey

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: Luigi]
#3032045 - 04/08/09 01:06 PM

My first choice is always to use 110 volt current, often available at many viewing locations. Where it's not available, the next best thing is battery power. I use 17 AH units and ALWAYS make sure they are completely charged before leaving home. A poorly charged battery makes goto units act very strangely.

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Fortune07
super member

Reged: 06/17/08

Loc: Adirondack Mountains, Upstate ...

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: Al Canarelli]
#3032077 - 04/08/09 01:25 PM

I use a deepcycle marine battery with a 150 watt power inverter. Have powered my set up for over 5 hours with battery power left even when the temp was 15 deg F. I power my Atlas EQ-G w/EQMOD, Atik 16IC-S imaging camera, Dell laptop, Atik 16IC guide camera, FCUSB,GPUSP,Atik USB filter wheel, 7port USB hub and a small portable radio. Here is a pic of my setup, this was taken at home but its the same set up I use in the field. http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/vv60/Fortune07_photos/North-Country-Observatory.jpg

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hudson_yak
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/15/07

Loc: Hyde Park, NY, USA

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: PhilCo126]
#3032078 - 04/08/09 01:25 PM

Quote:

Which one to use, the - Minus (Left) or the + Plus (Right) ?

What makes you think they are different? Seems like that would be really unlikely.

Mike

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Lane
Post Laureate

Reged: 11/19/07

Loc: Frisco, Texas

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: hudson_yak]
#3032317 - 04/08/09 03:16 PM Attachment (41 downloads)

After the original power pack stopped working and I found out there was no way to replace the battery, I decided to build my own so I could easily switch out the battery when I needed to. Right now it contains a 12 volt 12 amp-hr deep cycle batter. I use the charger from the original.

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PhilCo126
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/14/05

Loc: coastline of Belgium

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: hudson_yak]
#3032329 - 04/08/09 03:24 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Which one to use, the - Minus (Left) or the + Plus (Right) ?

What makes you think they are different? Seems like that would be really unlikely.

Well Mike, because these are labeled - and + underneath each socket...

So which one to use...

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PhilCo126
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/14/05

Loc: coastline of Belgium

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: PhilCo126]
#3032342 - 04/08/09 03:31 PM

Those - & + charge indications might ONLY be valid when charging the PowerTank from a car battery ?

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hfjacinto
I think he's got it!

Reged: 01/12/09

Loc: Land of clouds and LP

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: PhilCo126]
#3032357 - 04/08/09 03:37 PM

I have the Celestron version of your power pack. Powering 2 scopes, I got five hours out of it. I think with a dew heater it might last 3-4 hours. I keep the charger in the EP case. So I can charge it if an electrical outlet is available.

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Trebor777
Hazy

Reged: 01/04/08

Loc: Connecticut - U.S.

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: PhilCo126]
#3032368 - 04/08/09 03:42 PM

A 100 amp hour deep cycle marine battery. Oh yeah, and I also have a 7 amp hour & 17 amp hour power tanks that I'll bring if I go on camping trips. I never want to run out of power when I'm under dark skies...

Edited by Trebor777 (04/08/09 03:46 PM)

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hudson_yak
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/15/07

Loc: Hyde Park, NY, USA

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: PhilCo126]
#3032397 - 04/08/09 03:58 PM

Quote:

Those - & + charge indications might ONLY be valid when charging the PowerTank from a car battery ?

I believe you are misreading the info there, it's indicating which polarity the outer ring is and which the center contact is and applies to both sockets. You can see a similar graphic on the single smaller output jack to the left.

They could have done a little better job with their depiction, certainly, since there's obviously a potential for confusion.

Mike

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PhilCo126
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/14/05

Loc: coastline of Belgium

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: hudson_yak]
#3032399 - 04/08/09 04:00 PM

O.K.Mike that makes 100% sense
And of course two mount could be powered in this way

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Kolenka
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 06/01/08

Loc: Seattle Area, WA, USA

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: PhilCo126]
#3032401 - 04/08/09 04:01 PM

Quote:

Those - & + charge indications might ONLY be valid when charging the PowerTank from a car battery ?

The -/+ indications isn't talking about which port is positive/negative. It is talking about how each of the ports are setup. In this case, the tip is expected to be positive, and the shell negative, with a potential of 12V. So if you are building your own power connector, you have to build it such that the tip is positive, the shell is negative, and that you are assuming 12V as the potential between the two terminals in your plug.

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hfjacinto
I think he's got it!

Reged: 01/12/09

Loc: Land of clouds and LP

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: hudson_yak]
#3032403 - 04/08/09 04:02 PM

Hudson Yak,

Totally agree, both left and right plugs are hooked up the same way. The picture is telling you that the Male part of the cigarete lighter adapter is positive and the 2 sides contacts are negative.

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mclewis1
Thread Killer

Reged: 02/25/06

Loc: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: Trebor777]
#3032412 - 04/08/09 04:07 PM

Those little markings are not identifying the two power outlets differently. It is a graphic that tells you that either outlet is configured as Negative (-) on the outside and Positive (+) on the inner tip. It is one graphic or picture that applies to both outlets ... they just put it in a bad place so it looks like it is referring to each outlet separately.

At home I use two 12v 5amp power supplies with a 3 to 1 outlet splitter on one supply ... so I have 4 12v outlets available (mount, dew controller, camera, spare). When I'm in the field I simply replace the two AC/DC power supplies with two 12v 17a/hour batteries, all the cabling is the same.

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Dubboy
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 07/05/05

Loc: Western Kentucky

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: PhilCo126]
#3032985 - 04/08/09 09:15 PM Attachment (36 downloads)

When my Celestron power tank battery "bit the dust" after minimal use, I threw away the battery and strapped on a "power scooter" 36AH battery and tied it into the external connections on the power tank. Work likes a charm...much better than the original 7AH.
(Celestron offered to replace the unit but the shipping was around $15

...the scooter battery was free

...and has a nice carry handle)

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blueman
Vendor Blue Sky Accessories

Reged: 07/20/07

Loc: California

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: PhilCo126]
#3033122 - 04/08/09 10:56 PM

115 amp hour Marine Deep Cycle battery for trolling motor. Cost$65 and it lasts all night long running Laptop, G-11, ST2k camera and never has run low, even after 8.5 hours.
Blueman

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mnaf
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 01/03/06

Loc: Bay Area, CA

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: blueman]
#3033250 - 04/09/09 12:14 AM

Don't mean to hijack the thread but all these posts prompt me to ask - What am I doing wrong?
85A/hr deep cycle marine battery running a 400W inverter with AC adapter for an Atlas an AC adapter for a Dell laptop and 2 (USB) DSI's - all through the inverter.
Didn't seem to last an evening much less 8 hours - inverter shut down at 11.?V. Is the inverter an issue?

P.S. WiFi is active but does it make *that* much difference?

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blueman
Vendor Blue Sky Accessories

Reged: 07/20/07

Loc: California

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: mnaf]
#3033413 - 04/09/09 02:45 AM

Inverters are not efficient, they use a lot of current to make 110v ac from 12v dc. It is best to use a converter that does dc to dc from 12v to whatever volt you need.
I use one for my laptop that makes 18v and one for my mount that makes 18v and one for my camera that is also 18v and they do not use as much power as a 400watt inverted that I tried to use.
You can find dc to dc converters pretty cheap on line, usually made to run laptops or other things. If needed, you replace the plug to match the device you are using.
Blueman

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Fortune07
super member

Reged: 06/17/08

Loc: Adirondack Mountains, Upstate ...

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: blueman]
#3033508 - 04/09/09 05:56 AM

How old is the battery? 400 watts is a lot you don't really need that big an inverter. Most laptops only use about 60 watts and the rest of your equip uses even less. WiFi dosen't make a diff. Maybe a smaller inverter would be the way to go.

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Arbacia
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 04/18/07

Loc: Madrid, Spain

Re: How do You power Your mount ? new

[Re: blueman]
#3033525 - 04/09/09 06:15 AM

At home I use a 220v/12V 2A transformer. In countryside I use spare 36Ah sealed batteries rejected from a disabled scooter we have in the family. Not full power, but every year I replace two of them. Besides of that I have enought power for several nights of observation.

Patricio

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