DewBuster™ Controller Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need the Heavy Duty Power Cord?

The cigarette plug is a convenient way to tap into 12V power, but it is not the best connector for passing large amounts of current. This is not due to quality issues, it is simply a design limitation of cigarette plugs and receptacles because their contacts do not make sufficient metal to metal contact. A good electrical connection has a quality known as "low-resistance" which keeps it from getting hot and reduces voltage losses resulting in higher voltage at your heaters (important for large scopes). So if you find your cigarette plug gets hot after a while then the connection is unable to handle the amount of current flowing through it. In addition, cigarette plugs have standard fuses in their tip and since all standard fuses have resistance this creates a voltage loss.

As a general rule, heaters under 10" will not have a problem with the Standard Cigarette Plug power cord because the amount of current is 3 amps or less. 10" to 12" heaters will usually work with the Standard Cigarette Plug power cord but the Heavy Duty Power Cord will insure maximum voltage at the heaters and provide the best dew-fighting performance. Scopes 14" or larger will draw over 5 Amps and really need the Heavy Duty Power Cord. If you absolutely must use a cigarette plug with a large scope then I would suggest ordering the Heavy Duty Power Cord with the Cigarette Plug Pigtail. The heavier gauge wire will help and you can always order another pigtail if you decide to switch to a better power source (to order pigtails alone use the accessories order form).

DewBuster™ Controllers equipped with Heavy Duty Power Cords use larger gauge #16 AWG wire and have a solid state "PTC fuse" within the DewBuster™ Controller. PTC fuses never need replacement, if triggered it will reset on its own when the over-current condition is removed and the fuse cools off. Another advantage of the PTC fuse is that it has extremely low resistance so higher voltage reaches the heaters allowing them to produce more heat at full power.

The Heavy Duty Power Cord and Pigtails are available with the following connectors:

Ring Terminal Pigtail - Fits over a bolt or screw terminal allowing a solid connection that won't come lose by accident. Specify the size of the hole in the terminal. Standard sizes are 1/4", 5/16", and 3/8" but other sizes are available upon request. Pyramid and most other Power Supplies accept 1/4" ring terminals as well as banana plugs. Many Marine Batteries use 3/8" Positive and 5/16" Negative terminals.

Banana Plug - a universal connector that will fit the Pyramid Power Supplies as well as most others. It is a good choice if you operate from a power supply and need to disconnect frequently. If you do not need to disconnect frequently then a ring terminal is less likely to unplug by accident.

Stripped & Tinned Leads - If you prefer to connect to your own terminals you may order your DewBuster™ Controller without a connector. The end of the cord will have the wires stripped & tinned and marked for polarity.

Anderson PowerPole Connector - If you need to connect to several different power sources, or if you plan to switch to a different power source in the future, you may order your DewBuster™ Controller with PowerPole connectors so that you can easily and quickly interchange between the various connectors listed above. The Anderson PowerPole is a premium connector widely used in Emergency Vehicles and Radio Controlled Aircraft where poor connections can be fatal. PowerPole connectors are second to none when it comes to carrying large amounts of current with ultra-reliable low resistance connections so it is no surprise that they are becoming increasingly popular among the amateur astronomy community. We offer mating "PowerPole Pigtails"  with a variety of connectors including stripped&tinned leads, ring terminals, banana plugs, RCA plug, and cigarette plug to allow your DewBuster™ Controller to be used with multiple power sources. For example, you might use one pigtail at home to connect to a Power Supply and use a different pigtail in the field when operating from a battery pack. For independent reviews of PowerPole connectors read  Cloudy Nights article on PowerPoles and Ham Radio discussion of PowePoles .

Molex Connector - Although I have switched over to the superior PowerPole Connector, Molex Connectors are still very good connectors and if you have a DewBuster™ Controller with a Molex Connector you may still order Molex Pigtails by using the Accessories Order Form. You may also order your DewBuster™ Controller with a Molex connector if you wish to maintain compatibility with your previous DewBuster™ Controller and pigtails. I can also upgrade any DewBuster™ Controller to PowerPole Connectors (Contact Me for a quote).