Dew remover (hair dryer)

[microbe]

With the welcome dark evenings of autumn, comes the less welcome heavy dew. I have W&W Astro dew heaters on the finderscope and Rigel quickfinder which are good, but I also needed something for the secondary mirror & eyepieces and established dew.

The recently completed observatory has given me a mains electricity supply (usual caveats apply) and so I was looking for a basic hair dryer. The Argos value hair dryer - catalogue number 443/6151 is a low-powered travel dryer. With 2 heat (speed) settings, the lowest of which provides a gentle warming on a cold damp night and for less than £5 has been ideal.

Adrian

[laser_jock99]

Be a bit careful with a mains appliance in your hand on damp dewy night. 12v camping hair dryers are less dangerous.

[microbe]

Fair point and I did think about that, but the supply is via an RCD and the dryer will be in a box until needed. I was put off by the 12v option by the current rating and the PSU/battery needed to supply it.

[Daniel-K]

just fork out for a kendrick secondary heater. why spend £800 + on equipment and then complain about dew when the solution is less than £50? 

sorry if i sound obnoxious but this question seems to be popping up left right and center. kendrick do a few heaters for the secondary and if you dont want pay £50  then wrap a dew strap around the stalk. 

[spaceboy]

In the defence of those who have been asking about dew solutions, the dew has been unusually bad this year. I had considered a thread to see if everyone is experiencing it or if it was just those of us in urban areas??

Adrian the best thing to do is pick up a cheap camping mat and making a dew shield for the end of your scope. This will keep the dew at bay but won't be a solution to it and either a cheap 12v hair dryer http://www.towsure.com/product/12_Volt_Travel_Hair_Dryer or dew strap as D-K suggested. There should be threads on what camping mats are best and roughly what to do but to be fair it's pretty simple.

[MiguelMJr]

 .... or you could get one of these.... http://www.dewbuster.com/   

[Tinker1947]

I use a mains powered hairdryer spend a bit extra and get a double insulated type, run it off a RCD, keep it in the dry, or buy a secondary dew heater plus a dew shield, i have a 12v hairdryer which is a complete waste of money, anybody wants to collect it, its free......

[cotterless45]

I use the Argos cheap one. It does wonders for my curls !

Nick.

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Be a bit careful with a mains appliance in your hand on damp dewy night. 12v camping hair dryers are less dangerous.

Didn't know such a thing existed. Thanks, have just ordered one - I didn't really like the idea of using a mains powered one outside on a dewy night.

[Tinker1947]

Didn't know such a thing existed. Thanks, have just ordered one - I didn't really like the idea of using a mains powered one outside on a dewy night.

Be interested in how your 12v HD works out.......what going to power it...???

[PeterCPC]

I had a 12v hairdryer and it was a complete waste of time. I use a cheap Argos one and it does the job. 

Peter