So in my search to make imaging as portable as possible, I got an EGO…power inverter that is!  Software Bisque makes an adapter to power my mount from the EGO battery line, which has been very useful, but how to power the rest of the equipment in the field has been a clunky endeavor for me.

Test bench: Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, and QSI 532ws overnight.

When I received a pre-order email from Home Depot on their newest addition to the EGO line, I snagged it up immediately!  Above is a snapshot of the test run equipment setup.  Using a 5.0 A/hr battery, the Power+ Nexus Escape 150 W inverter powered my raspberry Pi 3 model B computer with GPS module from one of the USB ports, and using a power strip, powered my QSI 532ws CCD camera, and FeatherTouch Focuser Boss II digital kit with HSM30 for over 6 hours (when I stopped, could have gone longer).  I would expect to get about 7.4 hours until depleted.  To calculate this, I assumed that the Pi would consume 10 watts, the CCD camera 18 watts, and the focuser 4 watts.  The 5 A/hr battery has about 280 watt hours at 56 volts (volts of the battery), and I assumed an 85% inverter efficiency.  This is conservative based on 100% power draw from all devices for the whole time…YMMV.

T-Point 24 targets complete!

Using my iPad mini 3, I VNCd into the Pi, and controlled everything using TheSkyX Professional LTI (which is awesomesauce).  I ran T-Point (only 24 targets used) to build a pointing and correction model for the mount, and performed the accurate polar alignment routine.  I directed the mount to camera slew to Andromeda, and bang…dead center!  I then ran @Focus3…wow Richard…you the man!

@Focus 3 is awesomesauce…apply as needed.

I then setup the imaging session.  I went for 30 two minute exposures through each filter (LRGB), but stopped after 27 in each (worried about the sprinklers which were coming on soon!).  This provided 3.6 hours of total exposure.

In the image session using TheSkyX Pro LTI.

This was one of the most fun imaging sessions I have had in a long time, even with the nearly full moon blazing away in the sky (session was 9/22/2018).  Finally, remote imaging on portable power is an easy thing!  No special adapters, connectors, heavy batteries, or portable generators.  I highly recommend this inverter for anyone looking for an off the shelf power supply for your remote imaging setup!

Andromeda (27 x 2 minute LRGB).