[Karls48 (Karl)]

• Hi Craig. Daryl (Kokatha man) is correct in his explanations about usage of rechargeable batteries to power your mount. Except this “Regulator devices (IC chips) can be placed across the battery outlet to supply the mount lead and plug. These are simple, inexpensive and small devices that will provide good protection for the mount. (available at Jaycar etc) “
• The common regulator IC from Jacar or DS is LM7812. It will not work in this application, as it needs about 6Volts difference between input and output. Which you simply don’t have on 13.8V battery.
• There are Low Dropout Voltage regulators available that require only about 0.5 Volt difference between input and the output. Still they are not really feasible to use to regulate voltage from 13.8V battery to 12V unless you are going to use very large capacity battery. Problem is that your mount will most likely operate quite happily on 11V from battery without any regulator; but it will shut down at 12.5V of battery voltage with the regulator attached. Therefore considerably shortening the time that the battery cans power the mount.