new telescope "shelter" :)

[RT65CB-SWL]

Like the the 'warmroom' - small & cozy - lol

[madsarmy]

Thanks for the update jannis. much appreciated.

I was thinking Earlier when watching the meteors that breathable waterproof material might be the way to go. my shelter will be smaller than yours due to the footprint of a dob & mine is a flex tube. 3m of fabric would be ample for my needs, so cost would be minimal.

If you can keep me updated on this thread on how it goes , that would be great.

[PlanetGazer]

I think the next step should be fixing the shelter to a safe spot.

[Jannis]

I took a look this morning, as the temp had been going up and down like crazy, and everything outside was dripping wet (no rain).

I opend the doors, and indeed the telescope as well was wet. Not dripping wet like everything else, only a thin thin layer of dew. Much less then what usually gets on the scope during a night of imaging, but still a bit more then i'd like it to have on a permanent storage.

I was hoping the ventilation from below would be enough, but it seems that while it does help a whole lot, it's not entierly enough. I will install at least 1 vent very soon and keep updated on how that goes.

I'm not sure if 1 would be enough though. Maybe the best would be 2 vents, and possebly with 2 fans at low speed. They would then be blowing outwards, sucking in fresh air from below

That would be step 1 at least.

Step 2 would be to add isolation to the shelter, but that would be rather tight as i only buildt it with about 5-10cm to go on.

[Jannis]

I think the next step should be fixing the shelter to a safe spot.

I've now attached locks to it, so it's not easy to get access to.

Also, it's heavy enough to to blow away without anythingb extra to stop it. I've attached the wheels so that they are not "free" but standing at an every so slight angle, touching the walls. This acts like a small brake. For long term use i guess this would wear out the wheels, but as it only need to "travel" like 5 meters a coupple of times a week at best, i don't think i'll have to worry about it.

[madsarmy]

That is disappointing news Jannis.

Like you I thought you might have had enough ventilation through the floor. It's one thing to have dew during a viewing session but like

yourself I would be concerned about it in a perminent shelter. Even on warm day it is going to sweat because the wood absorbs moister at night.

[Jannis]

Yeah. But i'll cut a hole and install a fan today and see how it goes. I'll start with 1 fan for now and see. I have a Delta FFB1212EHE fan available, so even though it's just a 120mm "computer" fan (yeah right, a boeing 747 could take off with it, lol) i have a feeling it should be capable of moving enough air if i let it...

[PlanetGazer]

I've now attached locks to it, so it's not easy to get access to.

Also, it's heavy enough to to blow away without anythingb extra to stop it. I've attached the wheels so that they are not "free" but standing at an every so slight angle, touching the walls. This acts like a small brake. For long term use i guess this would wear out the wheels, but as it only need to "travel" like 5 meters a coupple of times a week at best, i don't think i'll have to worry about it.

Nice, can't wait for the pictures

A fan could do the trick to dry things, solar powered fans? just an idea.

I would cover the scope with cloth like cover, anything that will keep humidity out.

[Jannis]

I wasn't able to install the fan today. Have it all ready though, but due to yet another heavy thunder storm comming in, i simply couldn't do anything out there... Was able to be inside of it while it was raining at it's worst though, and i noticed then, that the water comes through the wood here and there, but noting gets passed teh plastic. So it's for sure 100% rain proof at least.

Solar powerd fan isn't my aim, simply due to the fact that a solar panel strong enough to run the fan and charge the battery enough to also keep the fan on during the night, during the winter days we have here in norway (they're short), it would cost me a LOT more then the electricity the fan itself consumes the comming 10++ years. I mean, at 25W at full power, this is ~219khw pr year, costing about £24 here in norway. Otherwise it would be nothing wrong with the idea itself though

Will take some pics later when i install the fan and so.

For today, this (exactly this one) pluss a lot of rain is what stopped me , and also killed my modem and blew a coupple of fused... >_<

[Stevie P]

Have a think about "Double Skinning" the shelter, its a technique used by the camping / fishing industry used to reduce condensation build up, works in tents / bivvys similar to double glazing, may help at minimal cost..

[baggywrinkle]

I like that...nice to have a dog house to go into so nearby too..

[Jannis]

Have a think about "Double Skinning" the shelter, its a technique used by the camping / fishing industry used to reduce condensation build up, works in tents / bivvys similar to double glazing, may help at minimal cost..

I have thought about it - but had i only thought about it before i had buildt it... It's not really much space to play with there. If i had more space, i would have had it like this: telescope - plastic foil - isolation - plastic foil - wood - outside.

So i'm crossing my fingers the fan will do the job, once the weather lets me install it.

I like that...nice to have a dog house to go into so nearby too..

Indeed it is. Though that's more a kids play house then a dog house. Well, guess it depends on the dog's size...

It was a real pain to move that house into position. Even if it looks small and light, after taking off the roof stones, the whole thing still came in at ~400kg, and we had to move it around 50 meters.

But in the end it was well worth the effort. You just can't belive how good it feels to just set up the scope, then go in to a small room with the computer and do the rest - when you've been used to stay out all night in the -10 to -20c for 2-3 seasons...

[Zakalwe]

Stuck one of those spinning roof vents that are made for vans on it. That'll vent the warm air and allow a measure of circulation.

http://www.toys4vans.co.uk/van-roof-vents.html?gclid=CLzi9YrZ_LgCFfLItAodRSgAyw

[dmahon]

Now i just need to find out how i can have the scope parked in that position, so i won't have to realign every time i use it. If it's even possible?

Easy in EQMOD.

[Jannis]

Thansk you very much for that!

I haven't tried EQMOD yet though, so i need to give it a try and get used to it first i think. But would i still need to realign the scope every night even if i park the scope and don't touch it untill next time?

[dmahon]

No - you can save the GOTO alignment data too. Aligning is easy (especially with the free Cartes du Ceil).

If you have a laptop and an EQ5/6, just get EQMOD and give it a go. It's so much better than using the handset.

[dmahon]

The next step is plate solving - just take a picture and the laptop will work out where it is pointing and set an align point automagically. No need to ever put an eyepiece in the scope again.

[Jannis]

Here's an update on the ventilation.

I've now installed a fan. I decided to try a weaker fan first to see if it's enough - as the Delta fan is, well, rather noisy...

This is an older Papst fan, wich is not very quiet at 12V either, but still quiet enough not to bother anyone 10 meters or more away.

I haven't had any moisture problems since, but i think i have had the weather on my side so far though.

Next step now is to create a very low "table" under the mount to have the stuff on while closed, so it woin't get wet - as the rain makes the whole floor wet.

Then i won't have to pack up all teh cables and stuff every session.

I'll keep updating on how it goes.

[Geordie mc]

Neat solution. Like it a lot. Sadly don't think my wife would approve.

[Jannis]

I put it together while my wife was out shopping. When she came back, i told her she could paint it in any color and decorate it however she wanted on the outside - just to be safe...

As an update though - i checked this morning, while everything else was absolutly dripping wet. Telescoep and mount was still coverd in a thin layer of moisture - so not good enough yet, but getting there..

I have another fan i can install wich is more powerful, but i think maybe what needs to be done is to insulate the whole thing, as it shuold have enough ventilation as it is now.

If that dosn't work either, i have one more option, wich is to build a kind of floor to slide the whole shelter onto when "parked" to make it more sealed, and put on a tiny bit of heating.

[Zakalwe]

I think that you are going to struggle with having the inside lined with plastic. maybe you should try a breathable membrane? This would allow water vapour to get out.

[Jannis]

I see. So you mean covering the whole inside with plastic is the main cause, as the wood can's let the moisture out anymore?

But shouldn't the fan have done the job then? Or maybe it's just that one single vent isn't enough? Or the fan sin't strong enough?

I mean, take a normal house, it's sealed as well with plastic, but because of slight ventilation it doesn't have moisture issues. Or am i overlooking something here?

The wood i've used is of a very poor quality, so if i don't have the plastic on, i strongly fear that rainwater, and snow in the wintertime, will easily get inside.

I'll check up on the breathable menbrane.

[Zakalwe]

I see. So you mean covering the whole inside with plastic is the main cause, as the wood can's let the moisture out anymore?

But shouldn't the fan have done the job then? Or maybe it's just that one single vent isn't enough? Or the fan sin't strong enough?

I mean, take a normal house, it's sealed as well with plastic, but because of slight ventilation it doesn't have moisture issues. Or am i overlooking something here?

The wood i've used is of a very poor quality, so if i don't have the plastic on, i strongly fear that rainwater, and snow in the wintertime, will easily get inside.

I'll check up on the breathable menbrane.

Houses aren't sealed...the walls are breatheable. When a house is sealed tight (incorrect cavity wall insulation, double-glazing with no vents and so on) then damp can become an issue.

Whats happening is than any moisture in the air inside the shelter (dew, water on the decking etc) cannot get out of the shelter. It then condenses on the colder parts....the telescope and mount,

[Jannis]

I see. I guess i'm left with just a few options then.

1. remove the plastic and hope it stays dry when it's raining/snowing. Maybe painting it with a few layers on the outside will water-proof it enough.

2. install more vents so the moisture can escape. alternatively perforate the plastic film with many many small holes.

3. add heat to the scope and mount head somehow.