Lookout with Power in Brisbane

Intergage (Matt) · #1 14-03-2014, 11:24 AM

Hey all,

I really want to take my scope up to a look out this weekend. Saturday is meant to be clear skies.
The one thing I am worried about though is the scope will run my car battery flat in a couple of hours (I think) and my car is a pile of poo anyway.

Is anyone aware of a lookout (Like Glass house for example) That has 240v public power?

Thanks all,

Matt.

AG Hybrid (Adrian) · #2 14-03-2014, 11:38 AM

Head over to Jaycar. Pick up a 20ah battery, charger and car lighter plug adapter and free yourself from the constraints of wall sockets.

It will cost you about $120 all up. At least it did for me.

brisen (Brian) · #3 14-03-2014, 11:41 AM

Matt

Not sure about the other lookouts around Brisbane but I know there is no publicly accessible power at the Glasshouse Mountains Lookout. I have a portable power supply for the scope so I take it with me when I go out and about with the scope.

Brian

Intergage (Matt) · #4 14-03-2014, 12:03 PM

Dammn, yeah I might have to drop into Jaycar or something.
Thanks guys.

How long would that normally last for?

Intergage (Matt) · #5 14-03-2014, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AG Hybrid

Head over to Jaycar. Pick up a 20ah battery, charger and car lighter plug adapter and free yourself from the constraints of wall sockets.

It will cost you about $120 all up. At least it did for me.

Hey mate,

I gave Jaycar a call and this is what I could get:
26ah Battery $129
Charger $25
Car Lighter attampter $9.95

That should run it for a good while hey? I can't remember how much power the mount draws but it's only a dob GoTo so can't be too much.

AG Hybrid (Adrian) · #6 14-03-2014, 01:40 PM

26 ah battery. Is a big battery. For just 1 night a 10 ah battery will be sufficient. If you want that extra head room for laptops or CCD cameras 20ah is a good way to go.

Intergage (Matt) · #7 14-03-2014, 02:20 PM

Hey mate,

Awesome. Yeah I guess I would like the room for charging a laptop at night as well. The laptop only lasts for about 4 hours fully charged and most of the time I'm out longer then that just looking at stuff haha.

LewisM · #8 14-03-2014, 06:51 PM

I run a 12 Ah jump start battery from Supercheap Auto. Cost me $90, and comes with the charger. It also has an LED strip, 2 cigarette sockets, a USB port for charging phones etc. Well worth it (and it'll jump strt your car too

)

Never had one run out during a night yet, provided I remember to charge them the day before (as soon as I finish each dawn, I put it back on the charger).

I have 2 - one to run the mount, the other runs an inverter for the laptop and camera.

Intergage (Matt) · #9 15-03-2014, 07:44 PM

I got a 18ah battery and an alligator clip to car lighter adapter. With my gear after about 3 - 4 hours of imaging I can't do much more.

jenchris (Jennifer) · #10 16-03-2014, 05:12 PM

I'm amazed how long my battery lasts - the internal set of 8 C cells is supposed to last 20 hrs (Meade).
I decided that was a very expensive way to go and immediately went for a 7ah gel cell - which I've never managed to discharge yet - I drag it out for a recharge every month or so whether I use it much or not - but at 7 ah it's probably 10 times as powerful as the 8 C cells.
so maybe 200 hrs.
So it's not a case of;- she sells C cells on the sea shore.