I just wanted to get an idea of what people use for a 12v power supply. I've got a NEQ6 Pro and I have a 240v adapter to use while I am at home, but there's a wetlands area nearby home with very good open areas but, obviously, no power.
I know I can use a car battery, but they're pretty heavy and I am looking for something a little bit more portable.
For the past seven years I've been using a series of 20Ah gel cell batteries for all my gear. If they are looked after (using a triple stage charger) they will almost last forever. Mine are now over 7 years old and still as good as new!
Your set up sounds interesting. Would you please explain a little more about it, e.g. how many batteries make up your power supply, we did you get them from, etc?
I have three 20Ah gel cell batteries - the type used in Golf Buggies and mobility scooters. I bought at least one of them from a place in McIntyre Rd Sunshine, the others from ELDO in Heidelberg.
I fitted a 12V socket to each.
I'll check the make and model of the charger for you but it gives initially a hi charge to a flat battery, then a slower medium charge and finally a trickle charge - you can leave the battery connected forever without overcharging!
One for the mount, one for the camera and one backup.
Seriously, one of the best investments I've made.
This is what I use.
Some May Say overkill, but if you are running a GoTo mount and several dew heaters at a remote site, excess is good.
Quote:
Genuine WAECO manufactured rugged deep-cycle battery with superior discharge/charging cycle capability
Features include cigarette and hella style sockets, digital volts display, empty and full LED lights at the press of a button, secure screw connection for your charging lead,
+ and - charging posts for easy connection to WAECO electronic chargers. The inside features genuine 36 Ah deep-cycle AGM battery cells, thick plates for reserve energy storing with high density active paste material
and stronger acid than conventional car batteries for degradation resistance. These features allow for a longer life in deep-cycle applications, allowing you to run your fridge for longer without damaging the battery.
Price $335.00 (RRP)
Dimensions W230 x H245 x D227 mm
Weight 13.6 kg approx.
Capacity 36 amp hours
Voltage Heavy duty 12 volts
Performance Genuine deep-cycle AGM battery cells
Warranty 1 year warranty
Not me. I have two Repco battery boxes with a ~55Ah AGM deep cycle battery in each, and each fitted with a second cig. lighter socket. One runs the mount and dew heaters and the other runs the laptop and electronics. I can go anywhere*.
* Of course, I don't actually go anywhere in reality. I'm really quite lazy when it comes to doing the things I planned to do ......
The only real issue with those bigger batteries is that they are SO heavy...definitely "Luggable" or trolley mount?...
At least with the physically smaller 20Ah they are much easier to handle, store and use.
Just my 2c
Heavy, but not so as to be a problem - about 16kg each, so no heavier than the NEQ6 head, and easier to carry since the boxes have carry handles (I upgraded the lid securing strap to dual 300kg metal-buckled straps from Bunnings, rather than trust the flimsy plastic-buckled thing they came with).
I also have the Neq6, I went down the AGM deep cycle battery path and got all the other bits and pieces from Jaycar. I put the battery into a tradie type lunch bag that had a plastic ice box lining.
The 35ah runs both my mount, laptop, red light all night no problem. The Full river range allows you to discharge the batter by up to 80% before it cuts out, so keep this in mind some cheaper ones only allow you to only utilize 65 -70% before the cut off. So to much power is better than not enough.!
Also keep in mind spend a little extra and get a 4 stage charger so that you can leave the battery connected constantly in a ready stand by mode.
Michael, I have a 12V7Amp for the LXD75 mount. I have noticed these 'Century' brand batteries in Supercheap Autos and so probably other auto parts places stock them. It's about 20x12x7cm. They had a range from 2Amp on up to 500.
Very manageable weight and the price is very reasonable (under $40 all up).
The lead was a cigarette lighter lead that I removed the CLighter from and attached two terminal sleeves, that are again from a car shop, since they are a standard car wiring joiner.
I will post a pic tomorrow.
Michael - had net problems the last few days so am a bit slow getting back here.
This is the middle of the range but there are larger amperage's without being unduly heavy or unwieldy in size.
i think this one can be had for under $40, and shopping around, probably $30.
U can see the kind of contact sleeve used. They come in packs of about 10 male and female and in various sizes. About $5-7.
The lead is a taken from a short car cigarette lead about a metre long with the C-Lighter end removed and was $4.95 from a Leading Edge electronics shop.
I cannot give a definite running time as yet but so far, for an LXD75 that usually comes with a power pack holding 8 D-Cell batts, i expect at least an all night performance.
Bear in mind that I am not running a camera or netbook etc from this set-up and would expect to go to a power tank arrangement to do so - like one of the 12V500Amp car starter types.
Since my netbook battery is adequate to a nights viewing/imaging there was no need to take the extra weight.
Hope this helps - Trevor
I have been using a cheapo jump starter pack for the last couple of years. When it was new it would comfortably run my CPC925 all night without any issues (But without any dew control) but it's capacity is falling away now. It was a cheapie though. I have also been using a spare car battery. It literally is a spacer one so I am not too concerned about eventually killing it with over dishcharging.
I am thinking that something like what Allan has is of interest. PLenty of capacity to run a visual scope and dew heaters all night and then plenty more again.
I have been using a cheapo jump starter pack for the last couple of years. When it was new it would comfortably run my CPC925 all night without any issues (But without any dew control) but it's capacity is falling away now. It was a cheapie though.
Apologies if you already know this, but those starter packs aren't deep cycle - they're typically designed for sparse usage and 5-10% discharge, similar to a car battery, though I'm guessing that the starter packs are likely to use the cheapest and nastiest battery available.
Deep cycle batteries are designed for around 50% discharge (though some manufacturers claim 80% - I personally have trouble believing that), and if re-charged promptly, should (IIRC) manage 600+ charge-discharge cycles before losing noticeable capacity.
The main difference is in the plate construction - deep cycle batteries have heavier, solid plates with alloy components to stabilise them (with the effect of reducing maximum current), whereas high-current (car/starter pack) batteries use a lighter, honeycomb plates that maximise surface area but will suffer more rapid degradation if discharged deeply.
I sized my batteries for 8-hour sessions running worst case loads (where I calculated that discharge would not exceed 53% in one and 48% in the other). Alternatively, I can run average loads for two average nights in succession. Maybe it's overkill, but I'm confident of achieving 10+ year life (as they're sealed AGM batteries and I'm fastidious about re-charging).
Now excuse me while I go and re-arrange my sock drawer.
So basically Michael it all depends what you want to do now and in the near future. Take note of your mounts power consumption 2A at max draw, laptops about 3 - 4A max draw, DEW heaters about 3 - 5A MAx Draw.
You wont draw 2A from your NEQ6 unless you are slewing at top speed so really draw is at most times less than 1A when tracking a object at rate 3. Write off 40% of the batterys claimed capacity as not usuable ie. 12AH becomes a 8AH. Then you get a true expectation of the available power in Amps per hour. Go atleast a 12AH AGM Battery for just pure observational use of your telescope.
Apologies if you already know this, but those starter packs aren't deep cycle - they're typically designed for sparse usage and 5-10% discharge, similar to a car battery, though I'm guessing that the starter packs are likely to use the cheapest and nastiest battery available.
Confirmed. At least for the ones I saw, obviously I can't speak for all of the various 'starter packs' out there.
When I was managing a Jaycar store we would get one or two customers a week chasing a replacement battery for their starter pack.
All of the old batteries were about half the weight of the equivalent sized replacement.
