Obs finally started.

[mill]

After a long time with a torn off bicep tendon and other bits i tried to start on my obs.
Mixed 15 bags of cement last week Saturday after digging a nice hole in my back garden.
Digging 20 cm took me half a day due to shoulder pain, then i hit softer soil and digging the other 80 cm was a lot faster :)
Cement mixing was another story but was done after some cursing and doing it in a wheel barrow 3 bags at a time.
Fitted the pier with the threaded studs over the wet cement and let it dry for 5 day's.
In the mean time i made a electronics box ala Astrotec.
In the box is a 4 port usb hub, QHY9 power supply for the camera, a dew heater controller with 4 outputs, 13.8V outputs and a focuser controller.
I still have room for my Canon camera power supply that i will install before the SV camp :)
The only outside cables left are the cable supplying 13.8V, lan and power for the Gemini.
I found some plastic cable wrap that i fitted over the cables on one side and i have to get another piece for the other side (looks very neat and tidy).
The obs around it all will be not far away :)
Some photo's below.

[mill]

Two more photo's.

[brian nordstrom]

:thumbsup: Aha ! I remember that brake disc pier for sale here a while back , good to see it going to good use , great job and good luck , more photos as work progresses ,, please.
Brian.

[mill]

Yep that is the brake disk :thumbsup:
When i start building the rest of the obs i will make more pictures.

[jenchris]

The gap between the pier and the concrete may cause you grief if you don't fill up the gap. It's a huge vibration hinge.

[Cloudyagain]

That's a nice pier Martin. Now you've finished that you will be able to get on and mow the weeds. :lol:

Neale.

[mill]

That is going to be filled up when the shed is over it Jen :thumbsup:



Huh? Weeds? What weeds?
I have a fortnightly gardener because of my shoulder but he isn't that reliable (what is new in Aussie land?? ) :P

[alistairsam]

Hi Martin,

That box is a very nice idea.
do you have pics of the insides?

do you have a powered USB hub inside and just one USB lead to your computer? are the mains adaptors for the qhy supply and usb hub in the box or out?

[mill]

The usb hub is powered thru a 5V converter and there is only one usb cable going in.
Power is outside the box so there are only two cables going to the box from outside (usb and 13.8V power).
Picture with text below.
Cheers
Martin.

[jenchris]

Nice idea - makes it all seem so simple really

[alistairsam]

Thanks Martin

How did you cut the rectangular slots on the box for the USB ports?
I've had to drill and then file but it's been a real pain, especially slots for RJ12 and RJ45 sockets
Are you using a 5v regulator to drop from 13.8 to 5v?

[mill]

I used a small drill bit as a router :P and then used a small file to finish it.
When using a drill bit as a router you have to counteract the way the drill bit wants to go.
I am using a 5V regulator to go from 13.8V to 5Volt.
There is more room in the box for more goodies :D
I had to route the USB lead from the focusser board to the outside of the box and this can just be seen in the left bottom of the picture.

[alistairsam]

Hi,
did you use just a 7805? since the dropout is more than 4v, doesn't it get heated up?

[mill]

The maximum input voltage for a 7805 is 35Volt and the 7805 i used does not get hot at all.
Also i don't have to use the input and output capacitors.
Normally i have to use a separate usb cable for the QHY5 but now i have the focusser,QHY5 and QHY9 on the same usb and it works perfect.

[traveller]

Looking good Martin, guess the paint is finally dry :P
When is the shed going up? And what about that 5MW laser you got to lop those trees? Surely you can use that to mow the lawn :lol:
Bo

[ballaratdragons]

The control/Power box looks fantastic Martin :thumbsup:

Would be a nice touch to add a very small internal fan to blow any heat out :)

[mill]

The shed goes up after i have a quote for a slab :eyepop:
Hmm my personal gardener is late at the moment :mad2:

[mill]

Thanks mate :thumbsup:
Might have to do that once i fit the Canon power converter in (lots of heat from that one).