Alternative use ?? (Dew control)

[Skipper Billy]

I have been reading a lot about dew control and 12v hairdryers etc and it occurred to me that something I use for one of my other hobbies could be useful and save lots of people a lot of money !!

I fly model aircraft and in the Winter my hands get really cold and when very fine and sensitive finger movements are required on the controls (such as helicopter flying) blue stiff fingers really don't help!!

This product is a temperature controller and two heating pads about 300 x 100 mms and only costs £12 ($15).

At its lowest setting it only draws about 1 amp which is enough for warm hands and probably enough to keep the dew from forming in a telescope??

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=19740&gclid=CMD_9bTQyLsCFUbKtAod8VcAQg

[Steve Ward]

A very warm welcome to the forum Skipper ... 

[Cornelius Varley]

Hello and welcome to SGL. One problem I see with the heating elements is that are fairly short so would only be useful for small diameter telescopes or eyepieces. Dew heater strips need to long enough to go around the tube so that the entire SCT/Mak corrector plate is evenly heated.

[Christopher Davenport]

Lol check the comments on the link, some kid burnt his folks house down.

I think heating needs to be way more precise, they use computer controlled pulsing based on temp.

[Dave_D]

i just wonder how much 2 heat straps that look as similarly well made would cost if they had 'astro' in their product description?? bet your butt they wouldn't be $16 including the controller...