namrats
member
Reged: 02/29/08
Posts: 69
Loc: California
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Its a well known fact that the SS chews up batteries like there is no tomorrow. I dont think rechargeable batteries are the answer.  My experience is that they discharge at a "faster" rate and do not really get the same reading on the voltage as an alkaline type battery..
SO the question i am asking (probably has been discussed already, i apologize if thats the case) has anyone tried the Lithium batteries? they're not cheap for sure....can i expect to get a lot of mileage out of them?
Is there something else to feed that battery eating machine???
Thank you
Gilbert
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When im right no one remembers
when Im wrong no one forgets
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Covey32
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/09/04
Posts: 921
Loc: Georgia
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In my opinion, just the cheapest of the cheap. I've tried just about all of them from Lithium to rechargeables and it eats pretty much at the same rate, so I buy the inexpensive ones via the internet in quantity.
Incidentally, the same seems to hold true for me when using them in other devices as well. Very small life differences, so I just stick with the cheapest across the board.
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Hank
12.5" Mag1 Portaball
Orion 120mm F5 Refractor
Skywatcher 120ED F7.5 Refractor
1982 Celestron C8 Orange tube
Celestron ED80 Refractor with Lunt 50mm HA
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namrats
member
Reged: 02/29/08
Posts: 69
Loc: California
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Thank you Hank. I was hoping for a magic battery that i was not aware of -- yet..
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When im right no one remembers
when Im wrong no one forgets
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bigbeck
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/13/08
Posts: 582
Loc: Trenton, NJ
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Quote:
I dont think rechargeable batteries are the answer.
Thank you
Gilbert
Just for the heck of it,I tried a pair of energizer 2500mah rechargeable batteries. It acquired my location but would not identify anything correctly,not even Saturn or the moon!The battery meter in the SS only read about60% on the fully charged batteries. I'm guessing the lower voltage of the rechargeables is causing that.
Everything works fine when I use my external power supply or standard alkaline batteries. However,when the alkalines get down to about 25% charge,SS fails to identify correctly.
Don
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rmollise
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/06/07
Posts: 4566
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Quote:
Its a well known fact that the SS chews up batteries like there is no tomorrow. I dont think rechargeable batteries are the answer. My experience is that they discharge at a "faster" rate and do not really get the same reading on the voltage as an alkaline type battery..
SO the question i am asking (probably has been discussed already, i apologize if thats the case) has anyone tried the Lithium batteries? they're not cheap for sure....can i expect to get a lot of mileage out of them?
Is there something else to feed that battery eating machine???
Thank you
Gilbert
I dunno about that. Granted, I don't take the thing out every night and cruise around the heavens till midnight, but I've been happy with battery life.
My experience, and the experience of others, has been that rechargeables don't work well.
You know what does? El cheapos from WallyWorld. I.e. good, ol' Rayovacs. They are significantly cheaper than Duracells and Energizers, but frankly seem to last about as long.
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Uncle Rod
Rod's New Book:
Choosing and Using a New CAT
Available now!
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Covey32
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/09/04
Posts: 921
Loc: Georgia
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Bingo ! I've discovered the same thing, and right across the board. I use Rayovacs for all my stuff and they are just as good as any others and a full squirt cheaper.
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Hank
12.5" Mag1 Portaball
Orion 120mm F5 Refractor
Skywatcher 120ED F7.5 Refractor
1982 Celestron C8 Orange tube
Celestron ED80 Refractor with Lunt 50mm HA
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CarboAl
member
Reged: 11/30/08
Posts: 43
Loc: USA PA
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i've been using 2500 energizers for six months with no problems. however they never show fully charged but the charge lasts several nights of viewing. just make sure the covers are centered on the batteries.
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Nexstar 8SE
13mm Nagler 6, 25mm plossl, 9.7mm Plossl, 40 mm Plossl
Sky Scout/with connect
JMI motofocus
9 x 50 RACI
Drum Throne
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GShaffer
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/28/09
Posts: 644
Loc: Augusta GA
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Just got mine today and I would swear the engineer that designed this thing owns stock in batteries......other than that it appears to be a great tool/toy well worth the asking price......
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APM 8" f/9.0 Achro
Meade 6" AR6 f/8.0 Achro
Celestron C11, Intes MK67
Vixen ED102SS, FL102S, ED102S, NA140SS, R200SS, WO Megarez 80 w/TMB Fluorite Optics
SV70ED, AT66ED
LXD75/LX200, Ioptron Mini-tower, SP, GP-DX, CG5 ASGT, LXD650, GM-8, GM-100, G11, Gemini 40
4" portable AP convertable 44" or 70" pier
APM 100mm Binos Millenium Mount, Dobstuff 10" DOB
Augusta GA
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snowdragonusa
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/04/07
Posts: 1128
Loc: Denver, CO
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I have been using the Energizer Lithium 2500mAh and they seem to work really nice. I don't keep the unit on for long periods of time but in the 10 months I have had the SS I have changed the batteries once from regular Duracells. I do use it at public outreach so they get a bit of work from folks there.
Also, in the Colorado cold they hold up better - but not a consideration if you are in a warm environment I guess.
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Adam
12" LX200R, AT80LE
Lunt 60mm Ha & CaK solar scopes
DMK41.AS, DSI Pro, DSI-C, LPI
Denver Astronomical Society
Brighton Astronomical Group
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Bill C
newbie
Reged: 11/13/06
Posts: 4
Loc: Woodinville, Washington, USA
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Quote:
Everything works fine when I use my external power supply...
Don
Just got my SkyScout and was reading up on it in the #1 resource (Cloudy Nights forum) and this quote threw me. Is there a way to use an external power supply with the Sky Scout> 
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Orion Atlas EQ-10
SkyScout IYA ed
Cannon Rebel XTI
Guide scope: Phillips SPN900NC SC1 built
into 9x50 finder scope per MSFASTRO.NET
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Tek465
super member
Reged: 06/18/07
Posts: 128
Loc: Show Low, Az
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Quote:
Just got my SkyScout and was reading up on it in the #1 resource (Cloudy Nights forum) and this quote threw me. Is there a way to use an external power supply with the Sky Scout>
I believe he wired a dummy battery pack to an external supply. Although, I can't recall what thread I saw that in.
I wish I could power the SkyScout through the USB. Maybe in the next version.
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Z10 Dob w/ Telrad
Celestron 15x70 binoc
SkyScout
FirstScope
Meade ETX-60AT
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johnfdean
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/04/06
Posts: 1031
Loc: southern tip of Illinois
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I find a set of batteries last me about 2 or 3 night for what I use it. I don't see where brands batteries matter much.
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Celestron C6 f/5 by Vixen with Polaris GEM
14" Tscope dob f/4.7 with Argo Navis
80mm Nighthawk on Eq 2
Celestron C-4 f/10 GEM
Sky Scout
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bigbeck
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/13/08
Posts: 582
Loc: Trenton, NJ
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Quote:
I believe he wired a dummy battery pack to an external supply. Although, I can't recall what thread I saw that in.
It's in a thread on page 2 called "power SS with wood batteries.
I originally did this mod to use SS as an object locator on my dob,but it has proven to be a real PITA for that purpose.Not accurate enough and shuts off too often.
I've since installed the Intelliscope system on both my 12" and 8" dobs. That is an excellent system! It also has an identify function on it. Just point the scope at any object,press the button and it identifys it,also gives the location and description. I no longer have a use for the SS. It just sits in my junk box. I'll be giving it my neighbor for 20.00.
Don
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Lord Beowulf
professor emeritus
Reged: 10/13/08
Posts: 674
Loc: Cedar Park, TX
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Quote:
I'll be giving it my neighbor for 20.00.
Wish I was your neighbor!  I want to get my hands on a second one cheap so that I can feel free to hack it without messing up my "good" one.
One note on the power off.. When connected to a mount through the SkyScout Connect the auto power off appears to be disabled. It's just a shame that it doesn't get power through the connection too. Why not is still a mystery to me!
Beo
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Celestron 8SE w/ Zhumell Focuser, Orion ST-80 & StarShoot AG. 11" NexStar GPS w/ MotoFocus.
CGEM w/ ADM Saddle, Knobs, and SBS Dual Saddles.
Modded Canon 450D & Nikon D90 DSLR w/ various adapters.
Denkmeier PowerxSwitch S2, WO 1.25" & 2" Dielectric Diags.
TV 8, 13, 17 mm Ethos, 1rpd 30 mm, Astro Tech 40 mm, Celestron 1.25" EP & filter kit.
1.25" Filters: TV OIII Filter; Lumicon selector, UHC, H-Beta, & Deep Sky.
f6.3 reducer/corrector & SCT filters.
Various custom carrying cases.
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bigbeck
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/13/08
Posts: 582
Loc: Trenton, NJ
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Quote:
Wish I was your neighbor! I want to get my hands on a second one cheap so that I can feel free to hack it without messing up my "good" one.
Beo
You still messing about with the SS? Can't you use your 8SE to identify stars? Or doesn't it have that feature? Oops. That's a goto not a pushto. It could take forever on that.
Don
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Lord Beowulf
professor emeritus
Reged: 10/13/08
Posts: 674
Loc: Cedar Park, TX
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Quote:
You still messing about with the SS? Can't you use your 8SE to identify stars? Or doesn't it have that feature? Oops. That's a goto not a pushto. It could take forever on that.
Don
Actually I'm not using my SE mount anymore as I've moved to the CGEM for AP and have an 11" NexStar GPS for visual work. I use the SS with the SS Connect on the CGEM as a GPS. If I could get it to use USB power, I'd leave it connected and play with it for the "Move Telescope" function when I'm doing visual work on the CGEM. Otherwise I primarily just use it with the speakers when I'm showing things to others or not willing to get out a scope!
But yes, the NexStar remote does have Identify and Info features, although the scrolling display is painful. It'd be nice to have a bidirectional link with the scope and SS to allow the SS to know what the scope is targeted to and use the SS database description.
Beo
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Celestron 8SE w/ Zhumell Focuser, Orion ST-80 & StarShoot AG. 11" NexStar GPS w/ MotoFocus.
CGEM w/ ADM Saddle, Knobs, and SBS Dual Saddles.
Modded Canon 450D & Nikon D90 DSLR w/ various adapters.
Denkmeier PowerxSwitch S2, WO 1.25" & 2" Dielectric Diags.
TV 8, 13, 17 mm Ethos, 1rpd 30 mm, Astro Tech 40 mm, Celestron 1.25" EP & filter kit.
1.25" Filters: TV OIII Filter; Lumicon selector, UHC, H-Beta, & Deep Sky.
f6.3 reducer/corrector & SCT filters.
Various custom carrying cases.
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Nordmann61
member
Reged: 07/11/09
Posts: 47
Loc: Norway.
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I use Kodak Max batteries, and they seem to last longer than other brands I have tired. Nothing special about them though, just normal alkaline batteries, but they seem to last longer in my SkyScout, maybe you could give them a try.
Kind regards,
Nordmann61.
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Celestron SkyScout 90 Scope-90mm f/7,7 refractor on a Skywatcher NEQ3-2 mount.
Celestron Nexstar 130 SLT-130mm f/5 reflector.
Celestron SkyScout Handheld Planetarium.
Celerstron Skymaster 15x70 binoculars on a Slik tripod.
Nikon Action 7x50 binoculars.
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CarboAl
member
Reged: 11/30/08
Posts: 43
Loc: USA PA
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ive been using rechargeables for the last year and a half and still going strong. sometimes i use the ss connect for the GPS but only if i forgot to get long and lat from google earth. since i dont know the sky that well i allways use it to find my alignment stars. and it fun at star watches.
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Nexstar 8SE
13mm Nagler 6, 25mm plossl, 9.7mm Plossl, 40 mm Plossl
Sky Scout/with connect
JMI motofocus
9 x 50 RACI
Drum Throne
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pete haggerty
member
Reged: 12/03/08
Posts: 12
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what is your external power sourse Pete
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