Power Supplies
One of the great advantages of Astro-Physics mounts is that they can be powered by readily available 12-Volt batteries or power supplies. If you live in a cold climate and your mount is carrying a heavy load, you may wish to consider our Powerwerx Variable Volt Power Supply, which will provide up to 18V.
Power Supplies
If you are using household current, it must be converted to between 11.5 and 18 volts DC (12.5V to 16V recommended), and your power supply must be rated for the amp requirements of your system: If your system draws 3 amps, then your power supply must be rated for at least 3 amps. We recommend a 5 amp rating as a minimum for all of our current GTO mounts. Again, it is a good idea to have the mount operate on a dedicated power supply and power your accessories from an additional supply. It isn't that your Astro-Physics mount is a power-hungry monster. It's that other accessories - especially dew heaters - can really cause some major short term voltage fluctuations and can draw significant amounts of current.
In extremely cold climates, we recommend that you keep your power supply in a heated environment when not in use or warm it up a bit before turning it on. Once it is operating, it will generate enough internal heat to function at full strength well below its rated lowest temperature. Turning the unit on when its components are below the rated temperature is not recommended. Keep in mind that power supplies are not really designed for outdoor use. Fortunately, we don't observe in the rain, so it normally isn't a problem for us to use these devices outdoors. However, keep in mind that power supplies are not waterproof or double insulated. They should not be left outside exposed to the elements. For safety, we recommend plugging these units into a GFCI protected circuit.
Batteries
We recommend, as a minimum, that a 12-volt, 12-amp hour rechargeable battery be used for all of our mounts.
If you are planning to use your own battery, we recommend deep-cycle batteries. The battery should be dedicated to the mount for optimum performance. Accessories should be powered from an additional battery whenever possible. Please see the Servo Drive manual that came with your mount or view the current GTOCP4 Servo Drive manual for additional information.