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Subject: Re: [M]: Using a Battery for field use on LX200?
From: Bill Arnett
Reply To: mapug@shore.net
Date: Thu Apr 09 00:05:24 1998

At 9:53 PM -0700 4/8/98, D. Garris wrote:
>I purchased a very nice "portable" power supply for field use at a recent
>Hamfest for my 12" LX200. It has a 12V 8 Amp Hr battery w/ volt-meter and
>several features & switches. I am planning to plug in my 12V/18V DC-DC
>converter into the 12 Volt cigarette plug on the portable power supply.
>
>Question I have is....How long under "normal use" could I expect to run my
>12" LX200. I realize that it greatly depends on slewing, however I am
>looking for a "normal use" figure with an 8 Amp Hr battery. I also have a
>12V 17Amp hr battery and a 12V 56Amp hr battery available to me if needed
>But prefer to use the very portable 8Amp hr battery!

Figure, with a considerable safety margin, that your LX200 will run about 1
amp. Thus the little battery will last all night in the summer but maybe
not in the winter (its capacity may be less when it's cold, too).

>Also, one final comment.... on heavy Dew nights I have a Kendrick's dew
>system....12" corrector heater & 2" ep heater along with controller....How
>many hours could I expect with this dew system & normal LX200 use (Est.)

The dew heater will really suck the power, maybe as much as 3 amps. I
always take at least 50 amphours with me when there is any chance of dew.

---
Bill Arnett "Science is a way of trying
San Jose, CA USA not to fool yourself." -- Feynman
billa@zNet.com <URL:http://www.seds.org/billa/>