Home made power tank!

[Guest Tweedledum]

Sheila,

 

Have been at belper when I had my 250mm Lx200 with a layer of ice over the tube & forks   .  The effect of cold on the discharge cycle can greatly depend on the internal construction, the method of holding the electolyte and the construction of the plate.

[Sheila]

Sheila,

 

Have been at belper when I had my 250mm Lx200 with a layer of ice over the tube & forks   .  The effect of cold on the discharge cycle can greatly depend on the internal construction, the method of holding the electolyte and the construction of the plate.

yup but it still affects.  just  like to be on the safe side if you have mount, camera, dew heater, focuser, laptop,  etc.  its quite a bit

[Al.Grant]

Many thanks for all the replies. 

 

Cn you get rid of a laptop and use a computing device which uses less energy (i'm not very clever wih these things but i believe those tablets consume much less energy, then you'd be good with an 85 battery for mount and dew bands.

Sheila and stephen are the best people to speak to, i think between them they could power half of the east midlands

 

I had considered a tablet or a netbook, but I don't think a tablet would run the software I want to use, so ruled that out.  (Astroplanner / BYE etc)

A netbook should run it, but as I need a better battery for running the mount, I may as well get one that will allow me to use my existing laptop - but I've not totally ruled out a netbook at some point in the future.

 

I get the feeling that whilst 85ah should be OK, 110ah will easily do the job with plenty of juice spare.  

 

Based on the view that I'll always need more than I plan on, I think I'll go for the 110, especially as the price should be good (to be confirmed!).

 

As for using 1 or 2 batteries ....

You could also get ground loop issues if running off two batteries

 

Must admit that I'd not considered that.  It's fair to say that me and electrics are not a match made in heaven, so a single battery seems to be the safest way forward.

 

Now I need to get a price for a 110ah gel battery and confirm the dimensions.  Then find a suitable box, 12v sockets,  inverter for the laptop and charger.

 

Thanks again...

[red dwalf]

some of the newer netbooks have a good 10 hours on battery power and they are duel core processors, i use an older model sometimes with stellarium and a xbox 360 controller and it does great although my battery power only lasts about 4 hours in the open, i also know of one person that uses an older model one for guiding and imaging at the same time with no problems, worth looking into when out just for the night and they are very reasonably price

[+Ibbo]

for my netbook and the old laptop I got dc/dc converters rather than use inverters

[Sheila]

i personally would not use inverter, tried those and they proved none to reliable and the size required was quite big.

even though it states a smaller one will do it, trust me it does not.  DC/DC converter i would have to agree with Steve

[Guest Kheldar]

i personally would not use inverter, tried those and they proved none to reliable and the size required was quite big.

even though it states a smaller one will do it, trust me it does not.  DC/DC converter i would have to agree with Steve

 

Third'ed - those inverters were a complete PITA!

[Sheila]

i can sell you one if you like 1000w :lol:

[Guest CodnorPaul]

Thinking of Kelling then I have a 38Ah battery, and will be running an NEQ6 and dew control (2 bands on a 4 port controller that has 2 channels so put one on each channel).  How long is that likely to last?  Will it do all night, and then I can charge for the next day (assuming a trickle charger will charge it in a day, and the campsite electrics will handle it)?

 

If I am right - my mount will draw 2 amps when slewing, and max output of my dew controller is 6 amps but I only have them set normally on about 50-60% output on one channel, and about 20% on the other channel) so that would probably put out no more than 3 amps - so 5 amps total when slewing, 4(ish) when tracking - so about 7.5 hours of constant slewing, more like 10 if constant tracking so meet in the middle about 8.5 hours?

Edited September 13, 2013 by CodnorPaul

[Daz Type-R]

I'm no EQ mount expert but I think you may be pushing your luck with a 38A/H battery - I have a 38A/H battery which powers my 5 dew heaters, at EMS2 I had them on for 7 hrs the second night (first night clouded out) and on for a whopping 11 hrs on the 3rd night, the 3rd night them being at 75% full power - I never charged my battery once all weekend!

 

What I have heard of EQ mounts is that they don't like voltage drops (somebody correct me if that statement is wrong), Kelling is going to be cold (affect battery performance) and running a mount and dew heaters could be too much.

 

With a 38A/H battery I would say run one or the other but not both!

[Al.Grant]

Thanks for the tip on the DC/DC converter - sounds like the way forward.

 

Any suggestions on wattage - Do either of these Maplins converters fit the bill ?

 

90W  http://www.maplin.co.uk/90w-auto-voltage-car-air-laptop-adaptor-with-usb-charging-socket-614040

150W  http://www.maplin.co.uk/150w-laptop-car-adaptor-223723

 

 

Thanks

[dawson]

Paul,

If you are doing lots of slewing around, you'll use much more than if say you are imaging and leaving it on a slow track. I nearly drained my old 20amp hour battery with mount use alone over a four-five hour session once, but i was doing lots of slewing and frantic GOTOing; that was without dew bands. So, as daz says, i suspect you may struggle.

Can you do a trial run in advance? Alternatively borrow a smaller battery to power the mount (like my 20 amp hour one) and use your 38 hour one for dew control until you can buy a bigger battery.

Jd

[Guest CodnorPaul]

Are all leisure batteries the same, or is there different types, so I know what I am looking for?

[Daz Type-R]

If I was you I would drop Martyn (Baz) a PM, lots of us on here use the "Baz battery", that's where I got mine from free of charge, he can also get some 72A/H ones I believe!!!

 

Why pay when you can get them free!!

[red dwalf]

you could power your mount from the mains at Kelling,

as to batteries, gel are the best i believe, followed by a proper leisure battery

[Guest CodnorPaul]

Yes my 38Ah is a Baz battery - didn't know he could go bigger!  As for powering from the mains for a mount - is that advisable, thought it could create problems

[Doc]

I used to power my HEQ5 from mains with no problems at all.

[dawson]

Most pier mounted mounts are mains powered; you just need the right transformers....

"Robots in disguise"

[Sheila]

Thanks for the tip on the DC/DC converter - sounds like the way forward.

 

Any suggestions on wattage - Do either of these Maplins converters fit the bill ?

 

90W  http://www.maplin.co.uk/90w-auto-voltage-car-air-laptop-adaptor-with-usb-charging-socket-614040

150W  http://www.maplin.co.uk/150w-laptop-car-adaptor-223723

 

 

Thanks

think you need to check your lap top for that, it is usually quoted on the power supply.  you need to match that for the converter i think

[red dwalf]

what i do is run a extension lead to a watertight "ish" box and plug the mount into it, i also power my Canon 1100d form the mains also,

not had any problems so far, my mount problems look to be at the top of the mount where the jack plug fits into it, apparatly it` a common problem which i`m looking into solving.