Counterweight, Battery Charging

The extra 11 pound counterweight arrived and everything is now balanced in both Right Ascension and Declination.  When it gets dark I will try and use it to goto.  

At first I found myself wondering if the Gemini electronics or my homemade battery pack had already failed because the power on LED was off.  No, just too much sunlight.  I started using the hand controller and everything moved so it obviously had power.

I have wondered why the 8Ah Dakota Lithium battery does not seem to charge above 12.8V.  It appears that SLA chargers do not go any higher and they shorten lifespan for lithium batteries.   So I ordered a lithium battery charger from Dakota (made in USA).  It was only $29. When it arrives I will clip off the spring battery clamps and combine it with the 12V cigarette lighter charger that I am currently using.

And with three telescopes in there and a small rolling cabinet of telescope accessories it is a bit crowded.  The next house, a dome for every telescope even at the risk of seeming eccentric which of course I am not.