Home > Consumer Reviews > Celestron Power Tank

I used my Power Tank (17Amp version) for a whole year. After many months of bad weather, I stored it away with my Telescope. Six months of unattended storage were enough to kill the battery. I should had read the manual before putting it away for so long. These tanks need to be recharged at least once a month in order to preserve the cell inside. These power tanks contain a sealed dry 12Volt battery cell inside. One can probably replace it, but it in my case, the cost for the 17amp version is roughly $40 plus the risk of installation. I decided to get a new Power Tank 7Amp version because it is more than enough for my Telescope (Meade LX200GPS). In conclusion, the power tank is a must have for large 12Vdc telescopes, but one must take very good care of charging it at least once a month in order to get maximum lifetime of the product.

I have a 7 Ah unit and have been using it for years. Not bad for what it is -- after all, deep down it's just a 12V lead-acid battery. But one fine day it just stopped charging. At first I thought the battery was dead and so I went to Radio Shack and bought a new one for $15. It isn't hard to replace and all the lights lit up and everything, but still no charging. Then I did what I should have done in the first place -- measured the output voltage of the 15V power adapter. No voltage to speak of. Then I tried to repair the adapter itself but it turned out that one needs a screwdriver with a triangular tip to open the protective cover of this thing!! No hardware store in my area (and I checked quite a few) had such an outlandish screwdriver. For that matter, I couldn't find a replacement either. It is hard to find a 15V adapter; most power supplies out there are 6, 9, or 12 volts. In summary, I'm left with a functional main unit and no easy way to charge it up. So, buyer beware: if something stops working you may well have to buy a brand new one.

This battery unit has been usefull to me in the field as long as I don't use a dew zapper for too long (more that 4 hours).

I live in Montreal where it gets pretty cold in the winter (typical viewing session this winter was below zero F.) Using a dew zapper to keep the corrector lens of my Mak clear of frost will drain the unit in about 4 hours

If I use a dew shield and only use the zapper occasionally, I can use it all night but some nights, the humidity gets so high that the dew zapper needs to be on almost continuously, and this is where it is slightly underpowered for a full night of use. And since my telescope drive is also connected to it, I've had to shut down on some nights prematurely.

All in all, a pretty good unit

This thing is great, built like a tank with many clever features. If nothing else, it is the best flashlight I have ever owned. The spotlight can be tilted over a 180 degree range and uses a 55W halogen bulb. The smaller flashlight/emergency light uses a smaller 6W krypton bulb and includes a red filter which is strapper to the handle to keep it from getting lost. The battery can be recharged with the included AC adaptor or the cigar lighter in your car. There is a handy storage compartment in the rear of the unit to store the DC recharging cord. An elaborate display of LEDs provides status of the battery and charging process. A shoulder strap is also included, as it weighs 8.4 lbs. There are plenty of outputs and power to easily drive two telescopes and your radio or CD player.

The 1 star review is about the supplier, and not the light. I am sorry this person had the light destroyed in transit, but I had no problem with an Amazon return on anothe product 4 years ago.

Many lights claim to be 1 or 2 million candle power, and they may be -- if supplied with enough voltage and ampacity, which this one is! This is the brightest handheld light I have ever used! It will light up tree-tops nearly unbelievably. I had a friend with a plug-in 'One Million Candle Power' light, and we made a comparison. There was no comparison. His looked bright, but when I turned on the Celestron, his light looked yellow and dim -- off of a car battery! Therefore, I doubt that his bulb was even rated for 1 million C.P.

Many 1 million C.P. lights have the bulb, but not the battery to drive them. Not the Celestron! It is BRIGHT!!! Yet, it also has a built-in standard flashlight that will last nearly forever (all nigh is no problem at al). This has a flasher and a red lens if needed for a red flasher. I cannot imagine a better light for a trucker, or anyone needing independent power and the brightest "flashlight" I have ever seen. I could write a small book about the ways I have used this, and I have owned it for nearly a year.

It also has sockets of all polarity, including a cigarette lighter plug. This sucker really will help you to jump-start a car! I came in to write this when that became necessary.

It is a bit heavy! All larger batteries are heavy. But, it is quality! And, quality is becoming more rare by the day. You need go no further. Get one! You will not regret it!