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Huey Dewey and errr more Dewey

Jammy

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Jammy

Jammy

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I've decided the only way I'm going to be able to use my scope for any length of time this year is to buy a dew heater.

I've looked briefly at a few websites, but I'm not sure what I need to buy.

I have a dew shield, but the corrector plate on my C9.25 soon starts to mist over.

What's the minimum that I need to consider buying? And don't say a hair dryer! :p

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Islander

Islander

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The absolute minimum is a heater tape to suit your tube. It goes around the top of the tube as close to the corrector plate as you can get it. You'll need a battery to power it and a suitable adaptor for it to plug into.

Next option is a controller - this enables you to vary the heat output of the tape. The controller connects to the battery or power supply and the tape plugs into the controller.

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M4lcs67

M4lcs67

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Hey Jamie,

I have exactly the same ota as you and have only used it once since I bought it back in July (although the reason why I haven't used it more was down to me having eye surgery soon after getting it rather than anything else). Now my eye has nearly healed and I am waiting for my new glasses to arrive.

On the only outing I had with my new scope I had a dew shield on it , but it still fogged up. I had heard in the past that large SCT's are susceptible to misting up, but you really don't know until you experience it yourself. That is why I have an Astrozap heater tape and controller on order from FLO. Hopefully they will be here just in time for me to resume my astronomy after my operation.

I will use the tape and the shield together and hopefully it will do the trick. Have organised a splitter so I can run the power to the scope and also power to the heater tape controller from my powertank (car cigarette lighter type).

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Jammy

Jammy

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Thanks for the replies.

My dew shield is by Astrozap - I'll look at their dew heaters on FLO. Let me know how you get on with yours.

My jumpstarter/powertank is 17Ah from maplin. Is this sufficient to power both the dew heater and the NEQ6? It has 2No cig type power sockets.

Is the dew heater controller necessary? Could I live without it?

Sorry if I'm asking too many questions that have already been answered elsewhere.

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Islander

Islander

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The power supply you've got is man enough for the job but do expect to have to recharge it more often than you're used to . You don't have to have a controller but it's advisable - you don't want to put too much heat into the tube. If you don't want to use a controller initially for reasons of budget or preference, then you'll need an adaptor to convert the cigarette lighter socket into a phono socket. FLO have the power leads for £12 or the HitecAstro controller for £49.

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M4lcs67

M4lcs67

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Yeah. You've got it. The Maplin Powertank is the one. Just make sure that it NEVER runs down fully. Even if you don't use it for a while you need to keep it charged otherwise you will wreck the cells in it and it will become unusable. As long as you follow this simple proceedure it should serve you well.

As far as heatertape controllers are concerned you can get the Hitecastro single one, but I plumped for the Astrozap dual controller, so I could put a separate heatertape on the eyepiece if required and regulate the power separately.

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Jammy

Jammy

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I've just been looking on the FLO website at heater tapes, and noticed the heated dew shields - perhaps I should have bought one of those when I bought my flexible dew shield.

If I buy the heater tape am I correct in thinking that its OK to put it around the tube near the corrector plate, and then put the flexible dew shield over this? Or will that make it overheat?

Have you received your heater yet Malc? What's the verdict?

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M4lcs67

M4lcs67

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Hey Jamie,

Just put the heater tape on directly behind the black plastic surround then the dew shield over as Islander says and that will do the trick. Just got a message from FLO today saying that the Astrozap heater tapes are on order, but delayed for 1 to 2 weeks. I have a controller, but no tape at the moment. Oh well, not to worry. Weather is still rubbish and I am currently getting used to new glasses anyway.

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Jammy

Jammy

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Hey Jamie,

Just put the heater tape on directly behind the black plastic surround then the dew shield over as Islander says and that will do the trick.

Behind not over the black plastic? Doesn't that create thermals within the tube? Trial and error to find what's best I guess.

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Islander

Islander

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Islander,

I am very envious. Blimey. Living in the Orkneys. You must get some utterly jawdropping skies there????

When they're good, they're very very good. I don't have too far to go for truly dark skies but I live at the very edge of a tiny village so the skies here are pretty good anyway.

On the downside, being surrounded by sea brings high humidity and dew problems plus winter brings gales and storms too. Summer brings nights that just don't get dark at all.

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