CCD power supply question

[peter_4059 (Peter)]

I've got a question regarding powering the QSI however it probably applies to other makes also.

The camera came with a 240VAC/12VDC power supply however the 12V lead is quite short (1.8m) so to reach the camera on my 10" Newt the power supply needs to be near the top of the mount or on the OTA. This means the 240V lead is out in the weather and I'm not keen on this.

I would like to extend the 12V side to make the total length about 3m so I can put the power supply and all the 240V wiring in a box beneath the tripod where it is protected from dew. The QSI knowledge base warns against long 12V cable runs to avoid voltage drop and recommends some quite thick wiring (6' lead = 18 gauge wire and 10' lead = 16 gauge wire). The problem with this comes when you try to attach a 2.1mm coaxial DC power connector as the wire/insulation becomes too thick to fit within the connector.

The QSI manual says the camera can tolerate down to 11V however cooling capability is impacted if the voltage is below 12V.

How have others tackled this issue?

[cfranks (Charles)]

I run 12v up to my telescope (10 or 12 swg cable) and terminate with Anderson Power Pole connectors. 12v is then fed to CCD and Guide cameras, AO and USB Hubs with the original connector for the particular item. Connection back to the original 240v plug pack can be via Power Pole connectors when required.

Charles