CEM40

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515bonner United States of America
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CEM40

#1

Post by 515bonner »


Last fall I bought a CEM40. With it came the 12v AC adapter, which I have been using here at home during the winter.
With spring approaching and going to our club's dark sky site, I was considering going to battery power, even though we have ac power poles.
I searched the iOptron website for a 12vdc cable plug, but came up empty. I believe the power plug is center positive and 2.1mm x 5.5mm
Are any of you using battery power for your mounts and if so, what type of battery and cable are you using?

Rob
14.5" f/5.3 Starmaster with Sky Commander XP4 | 9.25" Celestron SCT | 8" f/7 Starmaster (only 5 made) with Sky Commander V3
6" f/12 Orion 150mm Mak | 4" f/9 Celestron Refractor (Vixen) | 80mm f4 unbranded refractor
iOptron CEM40 | iOptron Cube Pro
Large Assortment of Nagler and Konig Eyepieces | ZWO ASI290MC & ZWO ASI120MM-s Cameras

Member of the Astronomical Society of Kansas City / Astronomical League
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bladekeeper
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Re: CEM40

#2

Post by bladekeeper »


Hi Rob, just giving you a little bump for visibility. :
Bryan
Scopes: Apertura AD12 f/5; Celestron C6-R f/8; ES AR127 f/6.4; Stellarvue SV102T f/7; iOptron MC90 f/13.3; Orion ST80A f/5; ES ED80 f/6; Celestron Premium 80 f/11.4; Celestron C80 f/11.4; Unitron Model 142 f/16; Meade NG60 f/10
Mounts: Celestron AVX; Bresser EXOS-2; ES Twilight I; ES Twilight II; iOptron Cube-G; AZ3/wood tripod; Vixen Polaris
Binoculars: Pentax PCF WP II 10×50, Bresser Corvette 10×50, Bresser Hunter 16×50 and 8×40, Garrett Gemini 12×60 LW, Gordon 10×50, Apogee 20×100

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JayTee United States of America
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Re: CEM40

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Post by JayTee »


Here you go, Rob. This was on my todo list for yesterday but it was my B-Day so I got OBE!
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... AeEALw_wcB

Cheers,
JT
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°

Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."

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seigell United States of America
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Re: CEM40

#4

Post by seigell »


Wherever possible, avoid the "Cigar Plug". It rarely make s solid connections, and is easily unplugged by accident as it has no threads or latch.

For any DIY Power Box construction project, consider something like Anderson Power Poles (favored of the HAM community). Consider that you'll eventually need several Power Connections - Mount, Camera, TEC, Filterwheel, Focuser, Guide Camera, Dew Heater Control, etc. A 5-7 position Power Distribution Box (Anderson or otherwise) is a good investment.

Also consider designing your Power Distribution Box to be Mountable - to your RA Head or Dovetail - so that there is only 1-2 Cables trailing downward off the Mount.
ES AR152 / ES 80ED Apo / Orion 8in F/3.9 / C9.25-SCT / C6-SCT / C10-NGT / AT6RC / ST-80 / AstroView 90 / Meade 6000 APO 115mm
CGEM (w HyperTune and ADM bling) / 2x CG5-AGT / Forest of Tripod legs / Star Adventurer / Orion EQ-G
550D (Modded-G.Honis) / 60D / 400D / NexImage / NexGuide / Mini 50 SSAG / ST-8300C / ASI120MM-S / ASI1600MM-Cool
Dark Skies in SW CO when I can get there, and badly light polluted backyard when I can't... (Currently Self-Exiled to Muggy Central Florida...)
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Re: CEM40

#5

Post by JeffBevan »


How does one connect a focuser through their mount? I have the CEM60.
Home built dome, 12" Meade LX 200 OTA, cem 60 ec, sbig stf 8300c, Starshoot AutoGuider Pro, Orion Off-axis
patience!
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515bonner United States of America
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Re: CEM40

#6

Post by 515bonner »


seigell wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2020 9:59 pm Wherever possible, avoid the "Cigar Plug". It rarely make s solid connections, and is easily unplugged by accident as it has no threads or latch.

For any DIY Power Box construction project, consider something like Anderson Power Poles (favored of the HAM community). Consider that you'll eventually need several Power Connections - Mount, Camera, TEC, Filterwheel, Focuser, Guide Camera, Dew Heater Control, etc. A 5-7 position Power Distribution Box (Anderson or otherwise) is a good investment.

Also consider designing your Power Distribution Box to be Mountable - to your RA Head or Dovetail - so that there is only 1-2 Cables trailing downward off the Mount.
Already decided to get rid of the "cigar plug" and go with clips. Not going to something like Anderson Power Poles since I don't do deepsky AP, I don't need any more than the 1 connection to the battery. If I DO imaging, it is of the moon and planets and I do that at home with AC power.
14.5" f/5.3 Starmaster with Sky Commander XP4 | 9.25" Celestron SCT | 8" f/7 Starmaster (only 5 made) with Sky Commander V3
6" f/12 Orion 150mm Mak | 4" f/9 Celestron Refractor (Vixen) | 80mm f4 unbranded refractor
iOptron CEM40 | iOptron Cube Pro
Large Assortment of Nagler and Konig Eyepieces | ZWO ASI290MC & ZWO ASI120MM-s Cameras

Member of the Astronomical Society of Kansas City / Astronomical League
Member of the British Astronomical Association
V.P. of Occultation Services, International Occultation Timing Association
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515bonner United States of America
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Re: CEM40

#7

Post by 515bonner »


Just a follow up on the power needs. About 6 months ago after seeing one of these at our local star party, I bought one of these to power my mount. No cigar plug, no alligator clips, just a short 2 foot cable from power cell to mount. Slick as snot. I get about 15 hours of use on the CEM40. After several months I actually bought another as a backup. One is always juiced up while the other is connected to the mount. Never run out of power. Was much cheaper than a marine deep cycle, or one of those power packs that major telescope stores sell. If you only want something to power the mount...this is it!



Rob
14.5" f/5.3 Starmaster with Sky Commander XP4 | 9.25" Celestron SCT | 8" f/7 Starmaster (only 5 made) with Sky Commander V3
6" f/12 Orion 150mm Mak | 4" f/9 Celestron Refractor (Vixen) | 80mm f4 unbranded refractor
iOptron CEM40 | iOptron Cube Pro
Large Assortment of Nagler and Konig Eyepieces | ZWO ASI290MC & ZWO ASI120MM-s Cameras

Member of the Astronomical Society of Kansas City / Astronomical League
Member of the British Astronomical Association
V.P. of Occultation Services, International Occultation Timing Association
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