Portable power?

[garymck]

Hi,

I'm currently putting together a portable imaging sytem. The idea is to have everything basically fitted to the OTA so that I don't have to connect/disconnect stuff and possibly forget to take some stuff away...

I will be connecting:
Focuser
Mount
CCD
Filter wheel
Guidescope
All through a 12v Powered USB Hub.

I would like to make up a power connector so that I can link
Mount
CCD
Filter wheel
Focuser
USB hub
Via a single power cable with 5 terminations.

That way I will have only 2 leads coming off the mount that I have to worry about routing to minimize drag.

Can anyone foresee any problems with this?

I have a 13.8v 10 amp power supply to take away - any problems with running 12v labelled stuff with it?

I have already trialed everything going through the hub with no issues whatsoever. It's just the power I'm not sure of...


cheers
(electronically challenged)
Gary

[Merlin66]

The 13.8V is OK - that's about the same as a fully charged battery.
I use 240/12v 10A transformers in the observatory - I have one dedicated (at set to 15V) for the mount and the other for all the rest of the gear.
My USB powered hub needs 5.5V so I run it from a 12/6V stepdown convertor.
For the "portable" HEQ5 I use a couple of 20Ah gel cell batteries which are still going strong after eight years (try that with one of those car starter packages!)
Hope this helps.

[GrampianStars]

"Can anyone foresee any problems with this?

I have a 13.8v 10 amp power supply to take away - any problems with running 12v labelled stuff with it?"

:help:
Seriously your only going to get a whole lot of issues with that heating up :sadeyes:

You will need at least this 85Ah deep cycle battery:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12V-85AH-AGM-Deep-Cycle-Battery-Security-RVs-Buses-12V-85Ah-FREE-FREIGHT-/221851645515?hash=item33a763764b