Using USB3 Extension Cables to be Cool

I have found two very good reasons for using Remote Video Astronomy (RVA) for capturing images of the Sun in the summer:

1.       It is hot outside and that makes humans uncomfortable
2.       It is hot outside and that makes laptops really uncomfortable

As I was testing my setup for the upcoming eclipse, I found my laptop would start to overheat if it was outside next to my telescope. The fact that the laptop is black didn’t help any.  I tried putting it under a covering and aiming a fan at it, but it still would overheat and declare it was shutting off.  This is the last thing I needed to occur at high noon (i.e. 1pm Daylight Savings time) on the day of the eclipse when totality would start 12 minutes later.

So I have opted for the RVA solution I have used many times before – using active USB extension cables to run inside to my laptop so it can stay cool and record the eclipse.  I use SkyFi at the telescope and SkySafari on my iPhone to control the mount from inside.  
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I can go inside to cool down my body, and then go outside again to visually look and see how the eclipse is going (wearing certified eclipse glasses of course – never ever look at the Sun directly without proper certified protection -  do not use sunglasses).

I am going to be using a MallinCam DS2.3+ for the eclipse, which uses USB3.  My laptop has a USB3 port that I can plug the MallinCam USB3 cable into.   The following 10M active USB3 extension cable has worked well for me when I need more cable length. It is currently available on Amazon for about $35 and a compatible power adapter for about $7.50.
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Due to the higher speed and specs of USB3, these cables have a power connector on the female end of the cable.  I plug its power adapter in at the telescope and insert the DS2.3+ USB3 cable into the end of the active USB3 extension cable.  I plug the other end of the USB3 extension cable directly into my laptop inside.
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If more distance is needed, I use a second USB3 extension cable to the laptop. If you use two cables, you may only need to plug power into the cable at the telescope end.  Since the DS2.3+ draws its power from the USB3 cable, powering that end of the cable gives plenty of voltage to run the DS2.3+.  If you do have communications issues when using two cables, you probably need to supply power to the end of the other cable as well where the two USB3 extension cables are connected.
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This RVA solution has worked well for me and my laptop. Keep Cool!