Saddle Powerbox Pucks: Cleaning Up Mount Power Routing

The snag starts where the power meets the moving mount

If your mount's power lead snags or drags during a slew, the problem is usually not the cable itself but where it is anchored. Power routed loosely near the saddle can catch on the mount body, the dovetail, or the tripod as the axis rotates. The cleanest fix is to move the power connection onto the saddle so the cable moves with the payload instead of fighting it.

Saddle Powerbox Pucks are the mount-specific adapters that let you attach a Powerbox Saddle to your mount. The puck is the interface between the mount and the saddle, so the correct puck is the first decision. The second is routing the power lead so it stays clear of the rotating parts.

Match the puck to your mount, not the other way around

The Powerbox Saddle places directly onto the NYX-101 mount. For every other mount listed in the supplied information, an extra puck is required. Use this table to identify the puck that matches your mount before you order.

• NYX-101 mount: No puck needed. The Powerbox Saddle can be placed directly onto the NYX-101.
• ZWO AM5 mount: Use the Puck for ZWO AM5 Mount (PEG-PUCK-AM5).
• Skywatcher NEQ6 and EQ6-R mounts: Use the Puck for NEQ6 and EQ6R Mounts (PEG-PUCK-EQ6R).
• RST 135 and RST 300 mounts: Use the Puck for RST135 and RST300 (PEG-PUCK-RST).
• HEQ5 mounts: Use the Puck for HEQ5 (PEG-PUCK-HEQ5).

The puck is the compatibility decision

• Saddle Powerbox Pucks: The Powerbox Saddle can be directly placed onto the NYX-101 mount. If you own a NYX-101, you do not need a separate puck to mount the saddle.

  

• Saddle Powerbox Pucks: For another type of mount, an extra puck is required. Buying the saddle alone will not fit the other supported mounts; the puck is a required part of the setup.
• Saddle Powerbox Pucks: Puck (PEG-PUCK-AM5) can be used to attach the Powerbox Saddle onto the ZWO-AM5 mount. This is the specific puck for AM5 owners who want saddle-mounted power routing.
• Saddle Powerbox Pucks: Puck (PEG-PUCK-EQ6R) can be used to attach the Powerbox Saddle onto Skywatcher NEQ6 and EQ6-R mounts. One puck covers both the NEQ6 and EQ6-R, so you do not need to choose between them.
• Saddle Powerbox Pucks: Puck (PEG-PUCK-RST) can be used to attach the Powerbox Saddle onto RST 135 and RST 300 mounts. RST owners use this puck rather than the AM5 or EQ6-R version.
• Saddle Powerbox Pucks: Puck (PEG-PUCK-HEQ5) can be used to attach the Powerbox Saddle onto HEQ5 mounts. HEQ5 owners need this specific puck; the others are not listed for that mount.

Route power to reduce snag risk on the moving saddle

Once the correct puck is fitted, the goal is to keep the power lead from looping where it can catch. The supplied information does not include a manufacturer routing procedure, so treat these as practical starting points and check clearance through the full range of motion before an imaging session.

1. Fit the correct puck first: Attach the puck that matches your mount, then place the Powerbox Saddle on it. Do not force a puck onto a mount it is not listed for.
2. Anchor the lead at the saddle: Secure the power cable close to the saddle so the connection moves with the payload rather than hanging free.
3. Leave a service loop, not a loose loop: Provide just enough slack for the axis to rotate without tension, but not so much that the cable can swing into the mount or tripod.
4. Slew through the full range before dark: Run the mount through its normal travel and watch the cable path. If it touches anything, re-route before you rely on it.

What the catalog does not confirm

The supplied information lists which mounts each puck fits, but it does not include cable lengths, connector types, or a step-by-step installation sequence. It also does not confirm whether a given puck works with mounts outside the listed models. If your mount is not named, do not assume compatibility; check the mount model against the list before ordering.

The Powerbox Saddle itself is described only in terms of placement and puck compatibility. Details such as output ports, total power capacity, or whether it accepts a specific power supply are not confirmed by the supplied information. Plan your power routing around the connections you can verify, and leave room to adjust once you see how the saddle sits on your mount.

One product, several mount-specific versions

• Saddle Powerbox Pucks: Available styles include Puck for ZWO AM5 Mount, Puck for NEQ6 and EQ6R Mounts, Puck for RST135 and RST300, and Puck for HEQ5. The style you choose is the compatibility decision; the saddle and puck are separate parts of the same setup.
• Saddle Powerbox Pucks: The Powerbox Saddle can be directly placed onto the NYX-101 mount, while other mounts require an extra puck. NYX-101 owners can skip the puck; everyone else should order the puck that matches their mount.