PEGASUS ASTRO PPBMICRO Pocket Powerbox Micro Instruction Manual

  by amateur astronomers for amater astronomers
POCKET POWERBOX MICRO

PRODUCT MANUAL

NTR

Thank you for purchasing our products. Pocket Powerbox Micro (in short PPBMicro) is suitable for the “grab and go” astronomer/photographer. The device can provide up to 10 Amps of electric current, has four 12V outputs, two dew heater channels, a variable voltage output, and an external environmental sensor to constantly monitor the relative humidity and ambient temperature. The controller can adjust the dew heaters consulting the sensor temperature/humidity values and calculating the dew point of the environment.

CONTROLLER CARE

• The controller is protected from moisture but it is not waterproof and it should be kept clean and dry.
• Excessive moisture for long periods of time can damage electronics and connectors.
• Do not allow solvents or chemicals to come into contact with the device.
• Store controller indoor in a dry room when not in use for a long time.
• Do not touch the internal components as they may get hot when in use.

DESIGN OVERVIEW
The images below show all views of the Pocket Powerbox Micro.

What is
inside the box| Pocket Powerbox Micro| 1 x DC Cable (2.1mm) to Cigarette Lighter (8A fused)
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4 x Power Cables (1 meter)| 1 x USB2 Cable Type B (1.8m)| 1 x Environmental Sensor (RJ12)

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Plug the external environmental sensor into the EXT port (RJ12 port).
2. Plug the USB2 cable into the controller’s USB port and to your computer.
3. Plug the power supply (battery or power pack) into the “12V DC IN” socket. We strongly advise using our certified power supply that provides DC 12V / 10 Amps.
4.  The device will boot after three seconds and the LED will turn solid red. This means that firmware was loaded successfully and the controller is now fully operational.
5.  Default factory settings are set to the standalone mode which means:

a. DC pass-through voltage to all four outputs (All outputs are ON and deliver power)
b. Dew Heater outputs are configured to Auto-dew
c. Adjustable Output is enabled and configured to 8 Volts.
6. Download USB drivers (Windows 10 should already have installed the latest USB drivers), standalone software, or ASCOM drivers from pegasusastro.com/support in order to connect to the device.

POWER INPUT

Controller accepts a voltage range from DC 11.0V – 14.5V *

• Above 14.5V the Pocket Powerbox Micro will shut down all outputs to save your precious equipment from over-voltage.
  • We strongly recommend you use our certified “Pegasus Astro 12V/10A power supply”
  • A 13.8V lead (or calcium/lead) battery is also recommended.
  • Please use a power supply that can provide at least 6 Amps of current. For your observatory needs, you might need up to 8 Amps of current.
  Under no circumstance exceed DC 16.0V input as you might cause severe damage to the electronic board
  Controller has been designed with reverse polarity protection. If you accidentally reverse the power source polarity,
  the unit will instantly cut the power. The controller is fitted with a 2.1mm DC power connection (centre positive pin) which powers on the unit. Insert the 2.1mm plug on the DC power cable. The controller will initialize and the status LED will turn solid red after 3 seconds. (The 3 seconds wait time duration is on purpose for a new firmware upload process).

DATA CONNECTIVITY

A USB2 Type B port at the side of the unit accepts the USB cable for PC connection. A 1.8m USB2 type B cable is provided in the package.

12V POWER OUTPUTS

Pocket Powerbox Micro device has:

Four (4) 12V DC unregulated outputs. All outputs are driven by a single Smart Mosfet, capable to deliver up to 10 Amps of current (in total). This MOSFET incorporates a broad range of smart features like diagnosis and protection. The 12V Channel can be switched ON/OFF via software.

Each 12V power output has the following specification:

DEW HEATER OUTPUTS

The device has two (2) channel dew heater outputs. Like power outputs, each dew heater output includes a Smart
Mosfet type, capable to deliver up to 5 Amps of power per channel.
Auto-Dew: A smart function exists in the controller’s firmware: The controller consults the environmental readings of the dew point and automatically adjusts the power of the Dew Heaters. This functionality can be switched on / off from the software and the setting is stored in the controller’s memory.

Note 1: Auto Dew functionality is turned on by default
Note 2: Dew heater outputs are also suitable to light a flat panel or spin your telescope’s fans.

BUILT-IN POWER SENSORS
o A DC voltmeter exists after the controller’s DC input. (Measures 5 – 15 Volts).
o A current meter exists after the controller’s DC input. (Measures 0 – 20 Amps).
o Main output channel (4 x 12V) incorporates a current/amp meter. A Smart Mosfet is capable to diagnose the power consumption of these 4 ports and provide protection against overload, over-temperature, and short circuits.
o Each Dew Channel incorporates a current meter and provides protection against overload, over-temperature, and short circuit.
o The variable output does not have a dedicated current meter. Although its current consumption is measured with the global / input current meter.

ADJUSTABLE OUTPUT

A 2.1mm output provides 3-12V and 3A of current (max).

• This regulated output is configured to 8Volts by default.
• The adjustable output can be switched ON and OFF via supplied software
• You can adjust the voltage of this output via the supplied software to 3, 5, 8, 9, 12 Volt levels.
• The setting is stored in the controller’s memory and is automatically retrieved during boot.

You can use a wide range of our Battery Couplers (Nikon / Canon / Fuji / Sony) to provide constant power to your
DSLR / Mirrorless camera. If you use this output for battery couplers you must set it to 8 Volts.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Adjustable Output cannot accept the DC Input cable. The device will power on but this action might
cause severe damage to the device if accidentally operated under this configuration and the current draw is more than 3Amps.

Please make sure that you will not accidentally plug DC input to the ADJ Output <<

ENVIRONMENTAL SENSOR

The stock probe is an external temperature/humidity sensor that is attached to the controller. It comes with a length of 50cm cable. Probe measures:

•  0 to 100% humidity readings with 2-5% accuracy
• 40 to 80°C temperature readings ±0.5°C accuracy

The unit automatically detects the presence of the probe and polls for temperature readings every 15 seconds.
An RJ12 socket connects the temperature/humidity sensor with the Pocket Powerbox Microcontroller. RESET WATCHDOG

A watchdog resets the device if for any reason there are no response from the controller after two (2) seconds. A neat feature in the unlikely event of a microcontroller freeze – when has a remote observatory and you need to be sure that everything works as expected.

AUTO-DEW

A controller can auto-adjust the heater power levels by consulting the Dew Point readings of the environmental
sensor. Auto-Dew must be set to ON (ON by factory setting) from the supplied software.
As the dew point comes close to environmental temperature, both dew heater channels’ power is increased. The algorithm consults the dew point and the current draw of the heaters and tunes the power levels every 10 seconds. The aggressiveness of the algorithm can be tuned from the supplied software.

STATUS LED

A red-colored LED is fitted on the right front side of the unit. The light pattern displayed by the led indicated the status of the device. The led can be turned on / off from the software at your demand.

the controller had already shut down the ports.
Check to diagnose message in software
Permanently Off| Controller not operational or LED switched off
from software
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MOUNTING
The device has two threaded holes (M3) at the bottom to allow mounting on a dovetail.

RECOMMENDATION

•  It is advised to select and use good quality and short-length USB cables.

• Do the same for power cables. Long and thin power cables will have an effect of voltage drops. This can
  cause issues to your camera (CCD or CMOS) image quality or mount tracking.

•  Make sure you use a good quality DC input socket with a thick power cable (1.5mm each pole). Verify there are no gaps that can cause power disconnect

• Do not loop USB or power cables. This might cause issues in communication.

•  Pay extra attention if you are using a “step-up voltage converter” in the DC input. You need at least 6 Amps to power all of your devices. (We don’t recommend step-up converters – buy a good battery or check our certified 12V/10A power supply).

DIMENSIONS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

12V/10A
power supply. Cheap units might lead to voltage drops on high load and ripple effect. This will cause issues and artifacts to your precious CCD / CMOS Camera.
What type of cable do I need to use for input?| If you are going to make a custom input cable notice
that you need at least an AWG 17 cable. Make also sure that you do not exceed 2meters (6feet) to reduce
voltage drops.
I would like to use the Pocket Powerbox for my remote
observatory. What if the device freezes for some
reason?| We have good news for you. The device has a
hardware watchdog and resets itself if the
the microcontroller is not responsive after 2 seconds
My observatory is in a very cold place. Is there any
the issue with the electronics of the device?| Electronic components were selected to support temperature ranges from -40 to +80 °C.
What if I accidentally reverse polarity?| Pocket Powerbox has an input reverse polarity
protection. The device will not power on and of course, will not allow any voltage to flow to outputs.
Can I upgrade the firmware?| Yes, the device has been designed to support firmware
upgrades for future features or bug fixes. When it is
time the software will pop up a notification.

Optional Accessories

Battery Couplers for DSLR /Mirrorless
Cameras (Wide range of types for NIKON/Canon/Sony/Fuji camera| Power cable for Skywatcher EQ8 or Power cable for Skywatcher EQ6R / EQ6-AZ| Power Supply Unit
12v/10A 2.1mm Plug
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External Motor Controller| |

The device is covered by two (2) years warranty
Designed and Assembled in Greece
Pocket Powerbox Micro

Documents / Resources

| PEGASUS ASTRO PPBMICRO Pocket Powerbox Micro [pdf] Instruction Manual
PPBMICRO, Pocket Powerbox Micro, PPBMICRO Pocket Powerbox Micro, Powerbox Micro
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