Back to forums

Battery power station, tips for diy?

Equipment Power Supply DIY
6 replies•342 views
Daniel Renner avatar
Daniel Renner avatar
How does your marine battery station looks like? I'm planning on making my own with 50—100ah marine battery and this box https://www.biltema.se/bat/elutrustning/batteriboxar/batteribox-med-elektronik-2000043657.

Is it better if I make my own battery box with more ports? If I make one, what ports do you suggest installing?

I don't know anything about electronics but there are a few videos about doing boxes like this.
Brian Sweeney avatar
Brian Sweeney avatar
I made my own power station and decided to oversize the box. I recommend taking inventory of your current receptacle needs and try to think about what you want in the near future.  Also if you are willing to make your own power cables (photo below), you can standardize your needs. I have replaced almost all my plugs with anderson power poles.

The receptacles are pretty easy to swap out, so don't feel bad if you need to change in the future. Powerwerx sells a lot of different varieties.
https://powerwerx.com/panel-mounts

Here is mine if you want some inspiration.


Additionally I installed a radio for some entertainment in the middle of nowhere. It can pick up AM/FM or play bluetooth/3.5mm input.
Finally I installed white or red lights for when I need them. I left them on velcro so I can point them around.

Internally, I am using a blue seas fuse block: https://www.bluesea.com/products/5026/ST_Blade_Fuse_Block_-_12_Circuits_with_Negative_Bus_and_Cover
You don't need to get this fancy, but I strongly recommend you find a way to make sure each port is fused to protect your gear.
I like that this uses standard blade fuses, so you can pick them up at any auto repair shop or by the dozen online.

Make sure the battery is protected as well with an appropriately sized fuse as close to the terminal as you can get. I went with one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0019ZBTV4

For monitoring, I am using a victron smart shunt: https://www.victronenergy.com/battery-monitors/smart-battery-shunt
This is mega overkill, but it is nice to be able to see the status of the battery from my phone as well as some history. Some of the panel mounts in my first link also act as battery monitors.

Helpful Engaging Supportive
Daniel Renner avatar
Daniel Renner avatar
Brian Sweeney:
I made my own power station and decided to oversize the box. I recommend taking inventory of your current receptacle needs and try to think about what you want in the near future.  Also if you are willing to make your own power cables (photo below), you can standardize your needs. I have replaced almost all my plugs with anderson power poles.

The receptacles are pretty easy to swap out, so don't feel bad if you need to change in the future. Powerwerx sells a lot of different varieties.
https://powerwerx.com/panel-mounts

Here is mine if you want some inspiration.


Additionally I installed a radio for some entertainment in the middle of nowhere. It can pick up AM/FM or play bluetooth/3.5mm input.
Finally I installed white or red lights for when I need them. I left them on velcro so I can point them around.

Internally, I am using a blue seas fuse block: https://www.bluesea.com/products/5026/ST_Blade_Fuse_Block_-_12_Circuits_with_Negative_Bus_and_Cover
You don't need to get this fancy, but I strongly recommend you find a way to make sure each port is fused to protect your gear.
I like that this uses standard blade fuses, so you can pick them up at any auto repair shop or by the dozen online.

Make sure the battery is protected as well with an appropriately sized fuse as close to the terminal as you can get. I went with one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0019ZBTV4

For monitoring, I am using a victron smart shunt: https://www.victronenergy.com/battery-monitors/smart-battery-shunt
This is mega overkill, but it is nice to be able to see the status of the battery from my phone as well as some history. Some of the panel mounts in my first link also act as battery monitors.


*** wow that is a beast build! What exactly does the Anderson cables do? Why not just use cigarette ports and USB ports? ***
Engaging
Brian Sweeney avatar
Brian Sweeney avatar
The anderson power pole is just a way of connecting positive and negative wires, similar to what a cigarette lighter plug does or many other connectors like the barrel jacks you see on the other end of my power cable. They are much more compact than a cigarette lighter plug and they also snap into place. They will not accidentally fall out. I have had many cigarette lighter plugs push themselves out because the spring on the tip is too strong or gravity pulls them out. They also support up to 45 amps with the standard size, which is much more than you will need for Astrophotography. They are also molded in such a way that you can't accidentally plug them in backwards (you can't reverse the current). They are very popular in the ham radio community
https://powerwerx.com/anderson-power-powerpole-sb-connectors

Should I ever use somebody else's battery or want to plug my cords in a different way. I can just plug them into this:


I don't use usb because my gear explicitly wants 12 volt power and it is much easier to get it natively from the battery rather than going through the much more complicated usb wiring back to 12v. Much easier just to have a positive wire and a negative wire. USB 2 and 3 is also 5v. USB c can vary the voltage but is much more complex.

Feel free to use which ever connectors you are most comfortable with though. There are lots of options. This is your build!
Helpful Engaging Supportive
Joe Linington avatar
Joe Linington avatar
I use a similar custom cable to Brian's but I use XT30's which are even tighter than andersons but solder on instead of crimp. I used all silicon wiring after breaking a few power cable in the cold in Jan and Feb. My choice of connector was simply because I had them already from my former RC helicopter hobby. For USB I simply have a USB2 hub on my scope that accepts 12v power. Hub, camera and mount all get 12v, usb comes off of the hub. I can either connect to a battery or a 10A 12v power supply if I have mains power. I often use a pair of very heavy lead acid deep cycle batteries or even a generator (I know, but cold and batteries don't mix plus it runs a heater in my truck) and leave them in my truck and use an inverter there and run an extension cord to the mount. Not efficient but those batteries are really heavy.

I have a trailer that I am building for multi purpose use that will be heated. Then I can have warm batteries and warm hands in the field. The best winter imaging where I live is during what are called artic blasts and the temps often get below -15c and sometime below -30c. It's hard on gear and photographers.
Helpful
Elmiko avatar
Elmiko avatar
I made two battery packs. I used deep cycle marine batteries from Walmart. They are 100 amp hour each. I put a dual Anderson power ports and a cigarette lighter plug plus a voltage meter on each. I got the plugs and meter from Powewerx. Like the gentleman above. I will try to post some pictures.
Mike
Pariah avatar
Pariah avatar
Brians set up is Rolls Royce. Very good.

I use a 40Ah deep cycle battery in an oversize Biltema battery box, lined with foam insulation. Good for minimum 8 hrs with 50% discharge, keep it in the trunk.

I use heavy duty crocodile clamps with an in line 20A fuse and 12 gauge wire, I cut the cigarette lighter socket off the end and crimped powerpoles instead.

This is  connected to a powerpole distribution block with separate fuses on each line (I get a lot of frost and dew here so wanted good short protection) and a pegasus powerbox micro on the scope.

I looked at setting up a bunch of connectors in the box but the powerpole distribution bar and pegasus powerbox micro  give me all the connections I need. I can quickly swap to a second battery in the event of an issue

Helpful