Do I need a powered usb hub after receiving power errors on my laptop... - Forums

Topic starter

Aug 21, 2022

So I set my HEQ5 up tonight and I started getting errors when I plugged the hand controller into my laptop. I was getting errors saying the usb port was drawing more power then available. I've gotten errors in the past saying there was a power surge on the usb port. Most of the time it works fine. Anyone have any advice on this? Should I buy a powered usb hub and use that as a power buffer between the laptop and the hand controller? When I get the power errors I cannot continue and have to reboot my laptop and try again, I cannot connect to the HEQ5 in this state. And I've tried multiple different usb cables and ports. Thanks!

Benjamin

kuechlew

Aug 21, 2022

Try to use a USB3 port, it provides more power than a USB2 port. USB2 ports are only specified up to 500 mA and USB3 up to 900 mA. Using a powered USB Hub is a good idea. The cheaper ones usually provide up to 2.1 A while the better ones go up to 3 A. Please be aware that there are some cheap Chinese models which claim to provide 3 A but don't …

I doubt however, that your hand controller will need 3 A.

Good luck and clear skies
Wolfgang

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Andy Wray

Aug 21, 2022 · Edited: Aug 21, 2022

To be honest I have never controlled my HEQ5 via the hand controller itself. I always used an EQDIR cable with FTDI directly connected to the hand controller port on the mount itself.

Ref a powered USB hub … I would recommend that if you are using the scope via a laptop on a long cable. The best move I ever made was to buy a mini PC that is strapped to the tripod leg and that I remote into wirelessly. The MiniPC has more than enough power on its USB ports to control everything without the need for a hub and I can access it from any device from anywhere.

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Steve Solon

Aug 21, 2022

Hi Benjamin,
I have never NOT used a powered USB hub. I have 3 USB super-speed ports on my laptop: one for the mount, one for the external hard drive where I save everything, and one for a 4-port powered USB3 hub. My laptop is an 8 year-old HP with 8gb of RAM running Windows 10, and, so far, have never had a power issue or error message.

Hope this advises
- - Steve

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Ed Dixon

Aug 22, 2022 · Edited: Aug 22, 2022

I use only USB3 hubs for data transfer. My experience with USB2 things was less good.

I have a miniPC at the scope for all control and capture. Everything comes in on the single USB3 hub output to the miniPC, which includes:

Mount via USB cable to hand controller
ZWO capture camera
ZWO guide camera
ZWO scope focuser
ZWO filter wheel

Capture is done to an external SSD that also plugs into the miniPC.

After doing a PA, all else is done from inside via a Wifi connection from a second miniPC as a desktop.