Dew Heaters - what a rip-off!!

[EssexMigrant]

I can't be the only one who is staggered at the prices charged for dew heating equipment. Simple pieces of electonics for controllers (compare with what you get in a new £10 unlocked, colour screen Tesco mobile phone) and strips that should never be more than fifteen quid for big ones; five to ten would seem sensible. If the Chinese have got into this, and I'm not aware of it, PLEASE let me and others know!

Cheers

Max

[Photosbykev]

Low volume sales means high prices and low profit. Sell a million and you can sell them cheaply and still make a good profit.

You could always make them yourself using the information from google etc.

[brantuk]

Yes I think it comes as a shock - did me too. You can get cheaper brands, and you can also save a lot buying second hand or even making them yourself if you're any good with electrics. But the main brand retail costs don't seem to reflect intrinsic value I agree.

But some of these products are made to last a long time and in extremes of temperature. Some are also more robust than others. So it really has to be regarded as a one off investment.

But when you can pick up a thermostatically controlled 5-bar room heater for under £20 it does beg belief where they get their prices from sometimes

[hunterknox]

There's a gap in the market for you to exploit then. Good luck.

[Earl]

There is a very strong DIY following for Astronomy partly as a reaction to the cost of things, I feel it has to be balanced against the time spent to do the job, if its going to take hours to do and only save a few quid its not really worth my time, however if your interests and skills fall in line with what you need to make, then awesome.

[derekm]

A lot of people in a lot of hobbies have little or no technical and manual skills, but they do have chequebooks!

Choose any hobby and you will find decent economical main equipment and expensive "tackle tart" main equipment but the bits and pieces will always be overpriced for what they are!!

[Merlin66]

That's why back in the 50's and 60's so many amateurs designed and built their own scopes....there were very few telescopes/ mounts that the "average" guy could afford. Astronomy has always been a niche market... commercial prices, although they have dropped significantly in recent years, will always be higher than the mass consumer market.

When times get even tougher in the next recession, and money becomes very tight, then you'll see the ATM's kick in with new solutions. If you're unemployed and no income, your time is free......

[peter shah]

nothing is cheap in this game.....thats why many find a way often making home made kit

[Deneb]

you can buy a pulse modulator from maplins & construct a controller...it's one of those jobs you enjoy doing while nights are naff.

http://stargazerslounge.com/diy-astronomer/154998-making-your-own-dew-heater-controller.html

Nadeem.

[EssexMigrant]

Thanks to all who answered this thread, particularly Nadeem; that's a great link! As I'm retired I have more time than many, so I may just have a go, in between modifying scopes and repairing mounts etc!

Clear skies

Max

[Mr Spock]

The biggest shock is people spend hours letting their scopes cool then put heaters on them...

[slug]

I got mine without a controller, and simply wired a 12vDC 1000 m amp mains adaptor to it - it works a treat - not very controllable though !

[barkis]

It's not difficult to make your own dew strips either.

You can buy 2" webbing in rolls from ebay, Nichrome wire of various resistances per metre, heat shrink tubing to thread the wire into.

Some Hook and eye Velcro, and away you go.

My wife had to hand stitch my strips together, no sewing machine you see .

Ron.

[Macavity]

The biggest shock is people spend hours letting their scopes cool then put heaters on them...

Heheh, Mr. Spock - My "inner science officer" worries about stuff like that. But astronomy is quite BIG on tradition and (sometimes even) follows modestly untested belief systems [teasing]...

A back-handed compliment to those who *do* strive to provide tangible evidence re. stuff!

[sirmetin]

Surprised no one here mentioned greenhouse heating - soil warming cables and thermostats or mats would certainly be a cheaper way of warming larger scopes.

[great_bear]

That's why back in the 50's and 60's so many amateurs designed and built their own scopes....there were very few telescopes/ mounts that the "average" guy could afford.

Yeah, no-one's getting rich here. Perhaps a deserving few may forge a comfortable living, but ironically those who do won't actually be driven by money anyway.

This is why, should you speak to Al Nagler, founder of Tele Vue, or Don Yeier who hand-builds every Brandon eyepiece, you'll find that they're happy to chat about astronomy without fretting about how much of their time you're taking up.

Within such a nice market, there's undoubtedly some accessories that you can make cheaper - and perhaps to a higher standard - by making them yourself. I'm still trying to wrap my head around why anyone would buy a passive dew shield (for example) rather than making one themselves.