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flextube owners!... help?... dew control?....

palatine

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palatine

palatine

Posted
Posted

hello all,

 I own a 250 flextube goto and I'm trying to work out what's the best route to go for sorting out dew avoidance.

straps? shields? hairdryer?...

what do other flextube owners use and to what effect?

thanks in advance

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Beulah

Beulah

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Have you tried a camping mat as a dew shield on the secondary cage? You can form a tube from the mat - black is a preferable colour. It can also keep out stay low level light pollution a you are effectively extending the tube's height.

My telescopes are still packed away after t'up move and cannot provide any images to illustrate but I can link you to what a dew shield looks like...

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=dew+shield+telescope&client=firefox-a&hs=C0m&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=8CU8VPGwBcfg7Qas2IC4CA&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=969#rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&tbm=isch&q=dew+shield+dobsonian

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scarp15

scarp15

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Camping mat is the most effective, yes black is preferable but they can usually only be sourced in dark grey, though you could always apply flocking material to it. However get one that is lightest in weight if possible and avoid the thickest gauge. The problem I had with mine when I use to own a 300p flextube, was that it created in-balance so becoming too top heavy. I therefore only fitted it if really necessary. The best dew prevention policy is to point your scope downwards or at least horizontal between use, never leave it pointing up. Another solution would be have with you a 12V hair dryer. I currently do not use a dew shield and instead when applicable head to a location that is quite open therefore permitting light breezes to act as a dew deterrent.

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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Posted

NEXT ONE is for those wanting to make their own dew shields. OK there are camping mats and yoga mats but for me none seemed to work as well as PLAIN BLACK CLOSED - LD45 PLASTAZOTE POLYETHYLENE FOAM 6mm from http://www.rhnuttall.co.uk/contact/ in Birmingham.

I used some to make a 20" long dew shield for my 300P but could have easily gone the full recommended 24" with no sag.

The material supports itself in a tube shape well, it's black (for those like me who are fussy), it is strong enough while still light enough not to cause balancing problems and it can be sewn with relative ease for those wishing to add Velcro tabs. I cannot comment on how well it would glue or accept duct taping but I have seen other members staple camping mats in to tubes with success so I cannot see why it cannot be done with the LD45.

By far the biggest advantage I found is that being able to buy by the meter ( x 1.5m width) your not restricted by camping / yoga mat dimensions which for users of large aperture telescopes is ideal.

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Space Cowboy

Space Cowboy

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I've used camping mat for the ota shroud and dew shield but this only works for so long so for the last couple of years I've cast these aside and simply blast the secondary with a hair dryer. I would imagine a shroud the a flap that can easily be pulled back to allow access to the secondary for the hair dryer would be the best bet.

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Helen

Helen

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http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dew-prevention/hitecastro-four-channel-four-port-dew-controller.htmlPlus would one of these work with the kendricks heaters? as i'll maybe get a EP heater too

Yes, that works fine as I used one  :smiley: It also has a power out on it, which I found worked (with the right cable) so that there was just one cable from the battery to the scope.

Helen

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pyrasanth

pyrasanth

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I use the astrozap heated flexible dew shield & controller for my Celestron- it works a treat & on maximum setting the whole telescope can be dripping wet with the corrector plate still clear. I do occasionally get the primary mirror dewing but only on the heaviest dew nights. Quite simply if you don't have a heated dew shield on a Celestron in the winter your going to wish you had!

I very rarely use eyepieces now so I don't need any further heaters for those & the finder very rarely gets used as the SkyX is used exclusively to slew the telescope to any selected target.

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