I’m considering venturing farther afield than my backyard with my telescope.
I’m even considering attending next month’s All Arizona Star Party. Besides
trying to figure out how to pack up and carry all of this “stuff”, I need to
figure out how to power the whole mess. Right now, all of my major components
(Advanced VX mount, ZWO cooled imager, and Gigabyte Brix) all take 12 volts DC
as input. If I add up the output amperage on all three AC power supplies, they
supply a combined 10A.
I’ve heard that people have used car batteries in the past for “portable”
power. My understanding is that car batteries are designed for short (less
than 30 seconds), high current (300A) use. What I’ve been reading suggests you
shouldn’t “deep cycle” these batteries because doing so significantly shortens
their lifespan. I’m having a hard time finding what kind of continuous current
they can supply and for how long.
I’ve heard that wheelchair batteries are designed for long, deep cycle
applications. But I have no first hand experience with them so I don’t know
what’s involved in using them, including recharging.
Lithium-Ion batteries store a lot of power but if you drain them too fast, they
have a tendency towards pyrotechnics, destroying my fellow astronomers’ night
vision. (And getting you into trouble with the Forest Rangers!) I know some of
the big names in astro equipment make specialized batteries for running some of
your equipment. But they don’t seem to have the capacity for all of my
equipment.
So what do all of you experienced observers use to power your astro equipment
when you’re out in the field?
Mike McDonald
mikemac@xxxxxxxxxxx
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