PDA

View Full Version here: : Power Breakout box project


lazjen
02-09-2013, 06:22 PM
I've been building my gear up over the last few months, learning etc as I go. So far, it's all been in my backyard. I want to go mobile and get to a dark site soon, so I needed to get off the AC power tether and incorporate battery power.

However I wanted to make a system where the only change to the setup is the power source, not the cables, etc.

So in conjunction with my father in law, I helped design the breakout box shown below. The hard work of putting it all together I left to him as that's he's area of expertise. ;)

The red cable accepts 12V input - either from the battery or AC transformer I've been using.

There's a master switch for the box that controls all owner. I can flick that for instant shutoff if required. There's 4 cig lighter outputs (I only need one on a regular basis) with individual switches; 5 switched outputs on the left using "aerial" style connectors (I need 2 of these on a regular basis); and a special 8V connector output for my camera power.

All outputs are individually fused. There's detection for connectors that are "reverse polarity". A button can be pressed to show the voltage level in the system.

All the lights on the switches/boxes are leds (mostly red). I can disable the led lights by a toggle button so it's completely dark.

I only got my hands on it yesterday and haven't had a chance to use it for real as yet. Looking forward to putting it all together. :)

146876

146877

RickS
02-09-2013, 06:44 PM
Very nice, Chris. I have a commercial system (RigRunner) that's a bit like that but not as satisfying as designing and building a custom solution.

jase
02-09-2013, 07:16 PM
Awesome! With all those knobs, dials and switches, it looks like you could control the universe. (for good, not evil)

lazjen
02-09-2013, 07:57 PM
Indeed. :)

I've got lots of capacity for adding bits to the system as more projects are complete. For example, we'll be moving on to a dew heater and possibly a light box as well.

tlgerdes
02-09-2013, 08:05 PM
I was going to ask where the launch button was, but you would obviously need to key holes for that one :lol:

lazjen
02-09-2013, 08:06 PM
That's on the side you can't see. ;)