Help! Going bush without running electricty

[ourkind (Carlos)]

Hi guys and gals,

I'm going bush for week, actually I'm staying on a farm but for me it's like going bush I'll be staying in a rural house with power so I can recharge any batteries overday

I have 2 days to finish preperations and I think I'm missing a few things, this is what I have so far that requires power

Mount either a CGEM or G11 (needs power)
QHY10 (needs power)
Laptop (needs power)
Lodestar (should run via USB to PC?)

I have the following power supplies and one inverter.

Power Tank 17
Deep Cycle 100AH
500watts DC to AC Inverter

I thought perhaps I could run the mount and CCD through the Power Tank but both connections for the mount and CCD need a positive tip, the power tank only has one positive and one negative tip.

I can run the laptop via the Deep Cycle using the inverter.

Can I buy a cigarette lighter adaptor to connect to the Deep Cycle battery and run both the PC and CCD?

Anyone have a solution? If I need to buy any extras I will, plenty of stores in the city, but if I'm stuck in a farm out bush my options will be very limited.

Thank you

Best regards.

Carlos.

[DavidTrap (David)]

You mount will draw less than half an amp when tracking, so run that off the power tank.

The laptop and camera will draw 5-7 amps combined. Peltier coolers draw ~2amps.

You shouldn't fully discharge a deep cycle battery. Not more than 50% unless you don't mind shortening its life dramatically (don't know why they don't call them a 50amp.hr battery) so you're not going to get much more than a nights observing from that battery.

Remote observing is a challenge!

DT

[ourkind (Carlos)]

Originally Posted by DavidTrap

You mount will draw less than half an amp when tracking, so run that off the power tank.

The laptop and camera will draw 5-7 amps combined. Peltier coolers draw ~2amps.

You shouldn't fully discharge a deep cycle battery. Not more than 50% unless you don't mind shortening its life dramatically (don't know why they don't call them a 50amp.hr battery) so you're not going to get much more than a nights observing from that battery.

Remote observing is a challenge!

DT

Thanks David sounds like I need to get myself a another battery just for the CCD.

I'll run everything seperately so I don't run the risk of draining the battery below 50%.

Cheers!

[DavidTrap (David)]

I just reread you first post. If you can recharge during the day, you should last the night with that one 100amp/hr battery.

Hope the weather obliges.

DT

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

I found it more efficient to run the laptop from one of those Jaycar car step-up voltage convertors (120watt). This is connected to the 12V battery and set to suit the laptop (18V?)
BTW I also use one set to 15V for the HEQ5/ NEQ5 that way it never drops below the critical 11.5V.