Power Plant and Distribution Device

glend (Glen) · #1 05-02-2021, 08:37 AM

If you have the need for a power source which caters for a number of different output voltages, maybe this will interest you.
I spotted a couple of different models of this type device on the Harley Benton music equipment website.

https://harleybenton.com/product/powerplant-iso-12-pro/

It seems to be targeted at powering typical guitar effects pedals, eliminating many plug packs cluttering up the floor ; however it may have astronomy uses. It is not a high amp output device.

Harley Benton is located in Germany, but do provide AUD pricing and GST remit where required. Shipping should be considered.

The_bluester (Paul) · #2 05-02-2021, 09:03 AM

Handy looking device. Though I have actually looked at the Pegasus Powerbox micro and advanced. They have 12V and an adjustable voltage output, with or without a USB hub. Not cheap though.

I was considering one of the pegasus boxes for the SCT due to the dew heater controller. The SCT will dew up in a flash if conditions go that way so the default is to leave the heater on all the time and running flat out which is a bit wasteful when it pulls about 2A!

glend (Glen) · #3 05-02-2021, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_bluester

Handy looking device. Though I have actually looked at the Pegasus Powerbox micro and advanced. They have 12V and an adjustable voltage output, with or without a USB hub. Not cheap though.

I was considering one of the pegasus boxes for the SCT due to the dew heater controller. The SCT will dew up in a flash if conditions go that way so the default is to leave the heater on all the time and running flat out which is a bit wasteful when it pulls about 2A!

Paul, if you use a heater controller, like the Kendrick 2 Ch one, you can dial the individual channel current up or down as required for conditions.
This is life with an SCT, dew is always an issue to be managed. And nothing in Astro in cheap.

If your handy, you can buy 12V PWM s on eBay for just a few dollars, and build your own heater controllers. I used PWM s to power my Peltier cold finger cooling system that I built for my DSLR, some years ago.

Sunfish (Ray) · #4 05-02-2021, 11:58 AM

Looks like an interesting and reasonably economical board. Unfortunately limited to 500ma and some of the things I run need two amps. Be good to be all in one. The Kendrick I use is good for heater straps and fans but limits the output so not much good for coolers .

I have tried a Jaycar voltage converter so the 12v can be throttled to 10v to save battery power but it requires a big heat sink . Perhaps the heat sink can act as a dew heater using the waste heat and a fan.

The_bluester (Paul) · #5 05-02-2021, 02:52 PM

I am using a controller on it. The trick with the one in the power box is it is a bit more intelligent than me just switching it on and turning it up to be sure it will stay clear all night.

The power box has a temperature and humidity sensor with it so it can calculate the dew point and ramp the heater up and down accordingly, with an aggression setting to modify that output. The corrector on the CST would be milky white before my refractor even thought about dew. If I could arrange the money I would be quite tempted for the SCT by the version with the inbuilt USB3 hub.

AdamJL · #6 05-02-2021, 03:10 PM

Voltage look good, but the Amperage looks low?
At 12V, it outputs max 500mA. Not sure that'd be enough.

Rerouter (Ryan) · #7 05-02-2021, 07:17 PM

Sunfish, what regulater did you pick, a DC-DC should not be getting hot unless your pulling a lot of amps,

I wonder If I should look into building a decent one of these as a project, compared to bus power systems with 400V load dumps, the actual difficulties are just the ease of use factors, e.g. could make a 2 PCB design in an extruded case, the bottom for all the power conversion, and the top for silkscreen and cutouts. let me guess usually its like 5-10 outputs, some fixed some variable, and dew heater control outputs,

Sunfish (Ray) · #8 05-02-2021, 09:00 PM

This one

https://www.jaycar.com.au/dc-to-dc-s...odule/p/AA0236

The metal plate is to attach a heat sink so I just bolted it to my oversized cooler heat sink. Seems to work but won’t work without a heat sink I think. I tried a pot but it cut power down. The cooler plus many amps. Maybe 6 ?

Maybe you can tell me what I should be using.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rerouter

Sunfish, what regulater did you pick, a DC-DC should not be getting hot unless your pulling a lot of amps,

I wonder If I should look into building a decent one of these as a project, compared to bus power systems with 400V load dumps, the actual difficulties are just the ease of use factors, e.g. could make a 2 PCB design in an extruded case, the bottom for all the power conversion, and the top for silkscreen and cutouts. let me guess usually its like 5-10 outputs, some fixed some variable, and dew heater control outputs,

Rerouter (Ryan) · #9 05-02-2021, 09:34 PM

He is rated for a max of 1.5A no wonder its running hot. You would be better off with the motor dimmer

https://www.jaycar.com.au/12vdc-8a-d...oller/p/MP3209

As its just a thermal device pwm control wont be an issue. Just dont use it for sensitive electronics.

Sunfish (Ray) · #10 05-02-2021, 10:54 PM

Thanks for that.
I can give that a try.

It would be good to find a 12v box that was not the cost of the Pegasus but could handle higher amps. I find a good quality Targus USB3 hub covers those requirements with ease, even unpowered. The SBC mini computer requires 2 amps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rerouter

He is rated for a max of 1.5A no wonder its running hot. You would be better off with the motor dimmer

https://www.jaycar.com.au/12vdc-8a-d...oller/p/MP3209

As its just a thermal device pwm control wont be an issue. Just dont use it for sensitive electronics.

astro744 · #11 06-02-2021, 06:32 AM

I use a couple of these. See https://www.jaycar.com.au/12vdc-3a-c...utlet/p/MP3671

I have an old Meade 2080 GEM that is reverse polarity to everything else I have so I got it it’s own controller. The polarity is easily changed by reversing the plug pins. The voltage is selectable via the red dial. If you have a battery just get a separate cig lighter socket with leads like https://www.jaycar.com.au/cigarette-...clips/p/PP2007

(I’d cut the clips off and put on insulated spade lugs to avoid shorting the battery in the dark). Amazon Au has heaps on offer too as far as automotive battery accessories go.

The Harley Benton unit looks good though and price is reasonable but yes output needs to hit a bit more for most astronomy use. Also 5.1V USB output would be handy to have on board too (a few sockets at different Watts).

Rerouter (Ryan) · #12 06-02-2021, 07:01 PM

Sunfish my usual approach is to open up whatever I am dealing with, and fit or update the internal regulator to suit,

e.g. the panorama mount I just bought had an LM7805 in it that got concerningly hot and rated at 10-14V, 10 minutes later it has a Murata OKI-78SR-5 fitted and now it can handle 7-36V at up to 1.5 Amps.

The nice thing is many buck converters have a bypass mode, when the output is lower than the voltage its trying to regulate, it essentally bypasses itself, meaning for some 12V devices finding a suitable current 12V DC-DC regulator means you can modify your devices to be much harder to hurt,

personally I prefer this method to the regulated external 12V option, but I can understand why its the norm, e.g. stuff you care about the warrenty on.

Rerouter (Ryan) · #13 06-02-2021, 07:36 PM

For 6A probably this

https://core-electronics.com.au/120w...-12vat10a.html