New AM5 N - power supply

With both cameras and the Asi Mini you should be fine! What are the specifications of the dew heaters?
ASI2600MC: around 2A
ASIAIR MINI: around 0.21A
ASI224MC: Im not sure about the camera, but my 120MM mini takes 0.1
= 2.31A

0.69A are left for the dew heaters. If they draw much more, you should use a second power supply. Make sure the power supply is supplying at least 5A at 12V!

I actually have a Redcat 71, AM5, ASI2600MM Pro, ASI220MM Mini, Two Dew heaters and the ASIair, all powered with no issue using the linked below pegasus power supply. You can easily buy a DC to USB-C conversion tip if you so choose. In addition just so you know DewControl.com and Astro-Smart.com make custom sized and custom cable length (and connection) dew heaters. Very reasonably priced. The Dew Heater for my Redcat OTA cost me 60 shipped to my door and connects directly to the ASIair.

https://agenaastro.com/pegasus-astro-12v-10a-power-supply-unit-2-1mm-connector-plug-ppb.html

Armin Lukas:




With both cameras and the Asi Mini you should be fine! What are the specifications of the dew heaters?
ASI2600MC: around 2A
ASIAIR MINI: around 0.21A
ASI224MC: Im not sure about the camera, but my 120MM mini takes 0.1
= 2.31A

0.69A are left for the dew heaters. If they draw much more, you should use a second power supply. Make sure the power supply is supplying at least 5A at 12V!

Hello Armin,
They are omegon dew heaters, they fit redcat51 and uniguide32 so there are quite small.. i could not find the specs!

Then it’s worth buying the cable! Can’t wait to see if it works, that would mean the only « loose » cable would be the one connected to the AM5N  

Thanks for your answer !

Personally, I am not convinced here. It propably works well most of the time. But I've seen a lot of occasional problems in my setups that almost every time were related to power supply problems. If you look just at the specs, the current ratings might be ok. But just some days ago, it was a hot summer night, I got into trouble. It all came together. The cooler of the camera was running nearly at 100%. The dew heaters were working, although they are not at a 100%. Then I tried to slew the mount to my target and I hit the limits of my setup. I was not able to get images from the camera, although everything worked fine before I started the sequence. I restarted the whole setup 3 times (including cutting the mains power) and tried to get it running. It didn't work. So I switched it off. The next night temperatures were cooler and everything was working as nothing had ever happened.

I could tell some more stories like that. I use a power supply for this setup with a higher amp spec than I would ever need. So I thought I was safe. But there is another problem. USB3 is rated for usually 1 amp. On some ports, it can deliver even more. If the mount can deliver 3 amps, then it's fine. But the limiting factor might be the cable. If you use a standard usb cable to deleiver 3 amps, your voltage drops and you might get problems. These cables are usually made to be safe at 1 amp. The ASI air is based on a raspberry Pi or at least the ARM processors that are avalable these days. Although it might need only about 0,5A in average, there are spikes when it need much more than that. It will need it for ms only, but it will need it. And it will need it even if your cooler is working hard and the dew heaters are doing their job. And you have to put all that current for your dew heaters, cameras (with coolers), etc. through that one small wire of the USB cable. That can be really problematic.

I assume, like in my case, it works most of the time really well. But as soon as the conditions get different from the average (either cold, wet, hot, etc.) then you might occasionally get into trouble and it drives you crazy to find out what's the problem. I had this for years until I rebuild my whole power consumption part of all of my three setups including all the cables. They work for two years now without any issue. The only one I didn't change yet was the one that failed a few nights ago.

I see a lot of questions in the forum about problems transferring data from cameras, occasional problems with other equipment and much more. I think many of them are related to the power supply or the wire gauge of the cables, although this is not obvious.  

We are working in extreme conditions sometimes. Personally, I would never trust all the power running through a single USB cable again (as I did before). I highly recommend to power the mount and then use a second source or cable to power the ASI air. We are not talking about investing in a new telescope. We are only talking about a few bucks for another cable or a second power supply. This is nothing compared to other equipment we use. In my opinion, you will get enough trouble with your equipment at some point. So make sure, you may solve them the easiest way possible and remove the power consumption from the list of causes as soon as possible. You might upgrade your scope with larger heaters etc. With 3A from the mount or the ASI air, you are on the edge anyway.

To summarize this:
It might work well most of the time. But I highly recommend not to use a power chain like that.

Clear Skies

Christian

Edit: USB-C plugs have very small contacts. For chargers, they sometimes use serveral contacts and wires in parallel to make sure the current can be delivered to the device that needs it. But these cables are expensive. If you go this route anyway, you should really be careful how the cable is made if you buy one of them. Don't buy cheap ones!

Alex Nicholas:
ZWO have confirmed that the outlet on the AM5N saddle, like the one on the side of the AM5, is capable of 5A throughput... 

It would be a pretty useless addition to their mount if it couldn't power an ASIAIR, 6200MM, filter wheel, eaf, 2x dew heaters, guide camera etc... 

If they released the mount, incapable of powering their own ecosystem, what's even the point of the thing.

Hello Alex, Thanks for the info! that means it should be fine ! I just wonder why they did not include the that cable to the AM5...
the plug on the saddle is not a 2.1mm x 5.5mm, so the cables in the ASIAIR won't fit either..

Do you have any idea what should be the specs for this cable between the saddle DC and the ASIAIR?  5A I guess

@masslessparticle 

Hello, thanks for sharing your experience !
OK you convinced me

Do you mind sharing the link of the cable on amazon? I'm afraid I'll buy the wrong one if not. Cannot find the specs for the DC type plug on the saddle...

Thanks in advance,

Clear skies