PEGASUS ASTRO Pocker Powerbox Advance User Manual

VERSION 1.3
AUGUST 10, 2021
POCKET POWERBOX ADVANCE
PRODUCT MANUAL
BY PEGASUS ASTRO
[COMPANY ADDRESS]

INTRO

Thank you for purchasing our Pegasus Astro – Pocket Powerbox Advance. Pocket Powerbox Advance (in short PPBADV) is suitable for the “grab and go” astronomer/photographer. The device can provide up to 12 Amps of electric current, has four 12V outputs, a quad-port USB3 Hub, two dew heater channels, a variable voltage output, and an external environmental sensor to constantly monitor the relative humidity and ambient temperature. A controller can adjust the dew heaters consulting the sensor temperature/humidity values and calculating the dew point of the environment.

CONTROLLER CARE

• 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

Pocket Powerbox Advance

Front View

Back View

Side View
Pocket Powerbox Advance

What is inside the box

Pocket Powerbox Advance|

1 x DC Cable (2.1mm) to Cigarette Lighter
(8A fused)

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4 x Power Cables (1 meter)

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1 x USB2 Cable Type B (1.8m)

1 x Environmental Sensor (RJ12)

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OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Plug the external environmental sensor into the EXT port.
2. Plug the USB3 cable into the device 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 can provide DC 12V and 10 Amps.
4. The device will boot after three seconds and the LED will turn solid blue or red (depends on the product revision). This means that firmware was loaded successfully and the controller is now fully operational.
5. Default settings provide DC pass-through voltage to all four outputs. Dew Heater outputs are configured to auto-dew by default.
6. Download USB drivers, standalone software, or ASCOM drivers from pegasusastro.com/support in order to connect to the device.

POWER INPUT

A controller can accept voltage ranges from DC 11V – 14.5V *.

We strongly recommend you use our certified “Pegasus Astro 12V 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 10 Amps of current.
Under no circumstance exceed DC 15.0V input as you will cause severe damage to the electronic board
The unit has been designed with reverse polarity protection. If you accidentally reverse the power source polarity, the unit will cut the power. The controller is fitted with a 2.1mm DC power connection 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 blue or red
** after 4 seconds. (The 4 seconds wait time duration is on purpose for a new firmware upload process)

• Above 14.5V the Pocket Powerbox will shut down all 12V output ports to save your precious equipment from overvoltage.
• Below 10V the Pocket Powerbox will shut down all outputs to prevent any voltage under-run issue (firmware v2.3 and above)
  ** Early PPB Advance Generation 1 had a blue LED, Latest PPB Advance Generation have a red LED to comply with night vision color.

DATA CONNECTIVITY

A USB3 Type B port at the side of the unit accepts the USB cable for PC connection. A 1.8m USB3 type B cable is supplied in the package.

USB3 HUB ON PPB ADVANCE GEN 1
A powered USB3 Hub at the back of the device provides 4 x USB3 SuperSpeed Ports.
Hub supports Hi-Speed (HS), Full Speed (FS), and Low Speed (LS). The new SuperSpeed hubs operate in parallel with the USB 2.0 controller, so 5 Gbps SuperSpeed data transfers are not affected by slower USB 2.0 traffic.
For PPB ADV Gen1 only: Please note that only 3 out of 4 USB Ports are compatible with USB2 devices (as shown below).

A large number of USB3 Cameras from QHY and ZWO require USB2 enumeration before switching to USB3.
These cameras are not going to work into USB Port1. Please ask your camera manufacturer if your camera works into a USB3 (only) native port.

USB3 HUB ON PPB ADVANCE GEN 2
A powered USB3 Hub at the back of the device provides 2 x USB3 SuperSpeed Ports (backward compatible with USB2 devices) and 2 x USB2 High-Speed Ports.

• USB3 ports are blue colored, USB2 ports are white-colored
  The USB Hub supports Hi-Speed (HS), Full Speed (FS), and Low Speed (LS). The new SuperSpeed hub operates in parallel with the USB 2.0 controller, so 5 Gbps SuperSpeed data transfers are not affected by slower USB 2.0 traffic.

USB Port 1 or USB Port2 can deliver up to 5Volts / 3Amps of current. RPI3/4 can directly receive power from these two USB ports.

12V POWER OUTPUTS
Pocket Powerbox Advance 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

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 turn your telescope’s fans.

BUILT-IN POWER SENSORS

• The main output channel (4 x 12V) incorporates a current 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.
• Each Dew Channel incorporates a current meter port and provides protection against overload, over-temperature, and short circuit.
• A DC voltmeter exists after the controller’s power input. (Measures 5 – 15 Volts).
• A current meter exists after the controller’s power input. (Measures 0 – 20 Amps).

ADJUSTABLE OUTPUT

A 2.1mm output provides 3-12V and 3A of current (max). This regulated output is configured to 3V by default.
You can adjust the voltage of this output via the supplied software to 3, 5, 8, 9, or 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.

Adjustable Output can turn ON/OFF via software
IMPORTANT NOTE: Adjustable Output should not accept the DC Input cable. The device will power on but this will cause severe damage to the device if accidentally operated under this configuration and the current draw is more than 3Amps. Make sure that you will not plug DC input into 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 Advance controller.

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.

STATUS LED
A blue or red-colored LED (depending on the product revision) 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.

Permanently Light

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Device is up and running

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Flashing Light (4 times every 4 sec)| The device entered to firmware upload
Flashing Light (once per second)| A power issue exists :
• In case of overvoltage (> 14.5V) the controller cuts off the output ports.
• In case of undervoltage (< 11.0V) the
LED light blinks only.
Below 10.0V the device cuts off the output ports. Check to diagnose messages in software for more information during this event.
Permanently Off| Controller not operational or LED switched off from software

MOUNTING
Device has 4 threaded holes (M3) on each side to allow mounting of bracket accessories.
RECOMMENDATION.

• It is strongly recommended 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

Question

|

Answer

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What kind of power supply do I need?| We strongly suggest using our certified 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 microcontroller is not responsive after 2 seconds
My observatory is in a very cold place. Is there any 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 cameras

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Power cable for Skywatcher EQ8 or power cable for Skywatcher EQ6R / EQ6-AZ

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Power Supply Unit
12v/10A 2.1mm Plug

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External Motor Controller

Dovetail Brackets
SKU: PEG-BRACK-PPBA

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Mini Factor PC Top Plate
SKU:PEG-TOPPLATE-PPBA

Device is covered by two (2) years warranty
Designed and Assembled in Greece
Pocket Powerbox Advance

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