paulgrover68 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Here's my main setup as of October. If you don't like cables - look away now. I'll come back to the cables later...The mount is an EQ6 I bought around 10 years ago. It was in storage for a while. I uprated the bolts after the OEM ones bent (because they are made from cheese).There's an iPolar electronic polar scope camera thing on the front. Not visible is the Pegasus pocket power box on the other side. There's a 4 port powered USB hub velcroed under the counterweight bar.I run off mains using a 12v 5w Baader PSU. It's damp proof, but I do need to box my extenstion cables.The scope is an Altair 72EDF. It's fitted with a super-duper filter drawer (also from Altair). The camera is ZWO 294MC-PRO. It's currently using a cheapy USB dew heater. Dew straps are a rare commodity it seeems... At least in the size I need.The guidescope is a SvBony 50mm scope with a helical focuser. It's a good little scope, but the focuser can sometimes feel tight. The guidecam is a ZWO MM120 Mini. I'm currently ST4 guiding as it works and I don't want to mess with it.Everything runs from an ASUS Nitro gaming laptop - which is abit overkill, but also is great for stacking images quickly at the end of the session.The cables look untidy, even though I spent the afternoon working on them. There are a couple of reasons. Firstly I need to get better dew heater so I can run it from the PPB. This will allow me to snap them together and route them with more style. It will also mean I can go to a non powered hub, reducing one more cable. This mount sometimes carries 200P-DS so the camera cable and ST4 have to be long enough to use with both scopes. When I go to pulse guiding I can lose at least one...Currently I run two cables back to the laptop. My EQDIR cable seems not too like hubs - it doesn't fit snugly and disconnects.So it's all pretty simple. Cables are bit messy still, but snag free. It's all a bit of a work in progress! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carastro Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Looks good Paul, nice set up.I hope you don't run it like that with the electric plugs on the floor open to the damp. I am no expert on electricity, but that looks a bit scary to me.When I am at camp I put all my electrics inside a big white plastic box, like the one on your table. This keeps all the power supply off the damp ground and surrounded by the white box, fairly protected from the damp. The power supplied is RDC protected (from the camping hook up). In my observatory I am also RDC protected.Carole 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted December 1, 2020 Share Posted December 1, 2020 I run my EQDIR cable direct to the imaging computer like yours but not for the same disconnect reason. It’s just that mine is 5 metres long. I run a further single USB3 repeater cable from the rig along with the low voltage cable so 3 cables in all. However concurring with Carole I run anything at high voltage via a RCB protected supply straight into a 42 litre storage box https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001O3PG6A, adajcent to the rig, which contains a 4 way 13A mains sockets/power supply/ethernet switch/imaging computer (Raspberry PI4) to keep the dew off. The little bit of heat generated inside the box (very little BTW) helps keep it dry. The box has a couple of holes drilled in to let the cables in and out. I then bung up the gaps with bubble wrap to keep critters out.Overall you have a great setup there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulgrover68 Posted December 1, 2020 Author Share Posted December 1, 2020 @Carastro Normally the plug socket goes in a plastic box of the sort on the table (just smaller and squarer).The extention runs back to an RCD and I believe my distribution box has protection too. I was just testing the cables for snagging when I shot that one. I've just order some of those rubberised cable runs to prevent tripping too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmack1 Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 I run my rigs from mains and out here in the West of Ireland the dew can be, in fact usually is, simply awful. So I run my extension to one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0062GTL42/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1It is specifically made for the purpose and has a seal round the lid and a rubber seal round each cable in /out. I get several plugs and transformers in it with no trouble with only the 12 volt leads coming out.Gives a certain peace of mind when water is dripping of everything at 4AM.⛈ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulgrover68 Posted December 5, 2020 Author Share Posted December 5, 2020 @Dmack1 I am adding that box to my christmas list. My current box is has holes drilled with a 12mm bit. it also looks scruffy and everything kind of fits, but is prone to getting messy. I also lke the rubber bungs. I've to suffered water ingress, but it's always at the back of my mind 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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