First Light Disaster

[Zuts]

After recycling a lot of gear I finally had enough cash to purchase a Skywatcher Esprit 120 to replace my Televue 85 as my main imaging scope. I have had it for around 3 weeks and Wednesday night was the first good night for taking some photos.

So off to the park.

1. Setup scope
2. Connect battery the wrong way (reverse polarity)
3. Bang
4. Go home as my mount (AZEQ6-GT) is fried :sadeyes:

So until a new motherboard comes i will only be able to admire my new purchase. I have setup 1,000's of times and this was the first time I have made this mistake.

Oh well ......

[Peter Ward]

You are not Robinson Crusoe...I've done the same myself but luckily
the electronics were polarity protected.

Oh dear! :sadeyes:

[Constant]

The only upside.... Motherboards arent expensive and they're easily installed, I've practice in this craft.

[Zuts]

Good idea, I might opt for some protection as well.

[Zuts]

Sadly telescope motherboards are not cheap. An AZEQ6 motherboard is over $400.

[Rerouter]

and they still don't fit a cheap mosfet reverse polarity circuit on them....

[billdan]

You can use a simple power diode to protect against reverse polarity.

Just connect the diode in series, with the Anode to the battery +ve lead and the Cathode to Main Board +ve line.

If you reverse the polarity, NO current will flow through the diode.

[h0ughy]

Sorry to hear that you have issues like this, and you're in good company as I have done this to imaging gear

[Zuts]

Not sure i want to touch the mainboard. I think i will wire the female plug to the battery terminals.

Assuming that this will not drain the battery when it is not drawing power?

[Zuts]

Luckily the ASIAIR pro survived, but i guess I should check my cameras and focuser as well as they were plugged into the ASIAIR, actually I will do it tomorrow, too scared to check now.

[byronpaul]

Fingers crossed it only the mount :(

[billdan]

Not sure i want to touch the mainboard.

Sorry, I did not mean to suggest touching the mainboard (void warranty).

Solder the diode onto the +ve lead on your cable that's going to the 12V plug.

[Hemi]

Sorry to hear that Zuts.
I have an azeq6 as well and really don’t understand why there is no reverse polarity protection.
Hopefully everything else has survived.

Best of luck

[The_bluester]

It has mystified me for a long time why they don't add reverse polarity protection to these things. With many setups using bulldog clip connections to a battery, every setup is an opportunity to let the smoke out. Particularly when a decent percentage of them will get set up in the dark!

[Zuts]

So I have discovered some more damage. The ASIAIR pro boots up and recognises any USB device plugged into it but the DC power outputs are blown.

I can connect the camera/guide cam/focuser to separate power supplies and the usb to the ASIAIR pro then the pro can still control the devices.

So either i get the ASIAIR pro power module fixed, which is probably very unlikely to be possible or I can do the following.

1. Buy a Pegasus mini power adaptor which has 4 power outputs and run the mount, asiair pro, camera and focuser from that. Does anyone know if the pegasus ($360) can handle an AZEQ6, ASI2600MC, EAF focuser and AISAIR pro? It is rated at 10 amps.

2. Connect the 3 way splitter shown in the attachment to the battery and plug everthing into that. I dont need the focuser and camera powered at the same time and the guide cam is powered off the ASIAIR usb port. So 3 connectors would be enough. This only cost $30 but is untidy compared to the pegasus unit and does not allow for dew controllers. Is this a viable solution or could I damage something?

Cheers
Paul