Calling HEQ5 / EQ6 owners - power question

I'm looking for a good, rechargeable battery to power my HEQ5 mount
(same head as the EQ6). I've looked at the stuff on offer at Green Witch
and they look quite good but I need to know if the tips supplied for the
telescope end are exchangeable, ie can I ensure that I get 12V Center
Positive at the right size?

Any help gratefully received :-)

Jim
--
AIM/iSight:JCAndrew2 - Log in and say 'hi'
"We deal in the moral equivalent of black holes, where the normal
laws of right and wrong break down; beyond those metaphysical
event horizons there exist ... special circumstances" - Use Of Weapons

Jim wrote:
I'm looking for a good, rechargeable battery to power my HEQ5 mount
(same head as the EQ6). I've looked at the stuff on offer at Green
Witch and they look quite good but I need to know if the tips
supplied for the telescope end are exchangeable, ie can I ensure that
I get 12V Center Positive at the right size?



I don't know if they all are, but the one on mine has a small two pin plug
at the end that allows you to swap between +ve or -ve tip.

Unfortunately, I've accidentally ripped the wires out, and I'm looking
forward to an afternoon with a soldering iron and a multimeter (just in
case).


DaveL

Hi there Jim,

I have an EQ6, with the AWR GOTO bolted on.

If you can get a Portable PowerStation (available from David Hinds
costing about £35) all you have to do is:
a) Cut the supplied double ended lead in half, to create the platform for a
suitable
lead to the EQ6. It is 'easy' to work out which lead (one black one
black/white striped)
is the positive ( I think it is the black/white but I'm not sure).
b) I recommend that you attach a 'Diode'/LED Indicator in series with the
lead, before
the EQ6, so that you cannot possibly cross-polarise the EQ6 drive (BAD
News!!!).
c) Once you have got the Battery/Lead/Diode made up try it out with a
Multimeter and check polarity
of the lead before you attach it to the EQ6.
d) Attach it to the EQ6 power input connectors.

I've used a PP to power an EQ6 for many hours. If you don't do too much
'GOTO', which uses
a lot of juice, the standard EQ6 mount should run for (many) hours.

The PowerStation has, I think, a 8Ah or 12 Ah battery so should last many
evenings.

I use a Portable PowerStation to run a 16" LX200 (via a 12v/18v transformer)
and even after 3 hours of regular GOTO
the unit still has plenty in reserve.

regards

Robert

"Jim" wrote in message
m...
I'm looking for a good, rechargeable battery to power my HEQ5 mount
(same head as the EQ6). I've looked at the stuff on offer at Green Witch
and they look quite good but I need to know if the tips supplied for the
telescope end are exchangeable, ie can I ensure that I get 12V Center
Positive at the right size?

Any help gratefully received :-)

Jim
--
AIM/iSight:JCAndrew2 - Log in and say 'hi'
"We deal in the moral equivalent of black holes, where the normal
laws of right and wrong break down; beyond those metaphysical
event horizons there exist ... special circumstances" - Use Of Weapons

"Robert Williams" wrote:

I have an EQ6, with the AWR GOTO bolted on.

I've used a PP to power an EQ6 for many hours. If you don't do too much
'GOTO', which uses
a lot of juice, the standard EQ6 mount should run for (many) hours.

The one real downside is the power consumption of the AWR goto
conversion. It is horrendous. 4.5amp while slewing but 2.5 or so (I
think I'm remembering right) while tracking. The main box gets so hot
it kills the grass in an hour so keep it off the ground.

An unmodified EQ6 won't slew at any reasonable speed and will go for
days even on its own 8 cell supplied power pack.

--
Martin Frey
http://www.hadastro.org.uk
N 51 02 E 0 47