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Dew a little advice on heaters

alan potts

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alan potts

alan potts

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I will soon be getting my Canopus which I understand has a heater under the secondary mirror fitted as standard. Now all of the scopes I have are closed and this will be my first time in many years with an open scope. I do not normally have too many problems with dew on the scopes I have but this new one may well be different.

I have the following power sources, a 17A/H battery pack with brandnew battery, the old battery which is not dead (yet) and two transformers both giving constant and stable 13.8v at 6 amps with an 8 amp surge.

Will I require a regulator for the secondary heater?  Are there any other issues Dob Mod members know of that I don't?

Alan

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alan potts

alan potts

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The Battery pack has different voltage outputs, 3 6 and 9 I believe as well as 12. I think from what you say some sort of control will be required but I will probably go for a better quality one as I was thinking of adding heatband dew sheilds for my Mak, Mak/Newt and SC over the next 12 months. Minus 12 at the moment :eek:.

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Physopto

Physopto

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The Battery pack has different voltage outputs, 3 6 and 9 I believe as well as 12. I think from what you say some sort of control will be required but I will probably go for a better quality one as I was thinking of adding heatband dew sheilds for my Mak, Mak/Newt and SC over the next 12 months. Minus 12 at the moment :eek:.

Hi Alan,

Up until now I have used Dewnot heater bands and a Kendrick controller. But these bands seem to chew up power. So just bought a Kendrick band. Time will tell if they are as good as the adverts suggest. I will also be experimenting with a supplementary foam cover on the bands in the future to see if the current can be effectively reduced. Buy the way some get all the luck (-12 deg)

Derek

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alan potts

alan potts

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Physopo, Derek, South Sheilds,

My Dad was born there though I have never been. I am going to put a collection together over the next year of Dew Stuff for all my scopes. I tend to buy as good as I can afford as I just feel it lasts longer and generally performs better. I lost a good deal of cash not buying Televue and Pentax eyepieces from the start, so I will no doubt get Dewnot or Kendrick gear. I think some of the scopes need little more than a dew sheild but we will see there is not a massive cost difference between the two types. Power issues can easily be overcome I have a good amount of outside power points for the transformers and power points in the obsey.

Minus 17 yesterday plus 8 this morning, I am beginning to understand what an aircrafts wings go through.

Alan

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Physopto

Physopto

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Hi Alan,

Lived here for 64 years apart from being away at sea. But do wish I had moved a few years ago to an area with less light polluted sky. It's also to wet here on the coast. Affects the seeing far more than is realised by most. We always seem to get fog when a few miles inland they get sunshine and of course clear nights.

 So I am guessing you are much better off for the astro conditions. Something I can only dream of.

Yes If you can get the best, as you said wasted money most of the time trying to cut corners. I have the Kendrick Premier, the older one. New one just about to come out. I haven't regretted it at all. The Kendrick dew band I just bought is better made, as advertised. Just feels better in every way. Not used as such yet though. I cannot comment on Televue as not got one but My 20mm 2" Explore Scientific is really good. Very nice to use as is the Pentax 7mm. As my eyes get older and neck trouble  I have decided to go over to imaging almost completely. So with imaging it's even more important not to loose an imaging run due to dewing up. I think you are correct about different scopes. Some seem to get away with it whilst I still here expletives more often than not!

Yes I can only dream of better conditions.

Lucky You.

Regards,

 Derek

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Scooot

Scooot

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Alan, Michael told me the secondary heater uses a resistance wire that runs off 4 AA batteries, so it's either on or off, no controller required.

I should be able to describe it first hand today or Monday.

I think this is the battery holder on this pic he sent me before despatch.

post-20507-0-99588400-1420889399_thumb.j

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alan potts

alan potts

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Miguel,

Thank you for that, it seems to have a lot more connectors than I would need but maybe they make smaller models. I have a good few years under my belt here and I sort of know what conditions can throw at me, I am sure a 2 channel models will be all I require.

Scooot,

Thanks for that, your's must be on the way as Michael gave me the impression he ha finished it. You have told me so much I didn't know about the scope I will be receivind in a few days time that I did not know, I thank you for that.

Alan.

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nicoscy

nicoscy

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Alan,

As far as I know, Michael fits his scopes with a small battery pack which takes 4 AA batteries and this is sufficient to run the heater for quite a while.

Ask him about it and get a set of Eneloops.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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faulksy

faulksy

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hi alan, the sumerians come with 3 options for the secondary heater, either no heater one that runs of its own supply as pictured by richard or you can get one with a phono plug which needs a controler.mike 73 changed his standard one and fitted a dew buster heater, as he said the supplyed one wasnt very good. im sure richard changed his or asked michael to do so. might be wrong though.

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Scooot

Scooot

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hi alan, the sumerians come with 3 options for the secondary heater, either no heater one that runs of its own supply as pictured by richard or you can get one with a phono plug which needs a controler.mike 73 changed his standard one and fitted a dew buster heater, as he said the supplyed one wasnt very good. im sure richard changed his or asked michael to do so. might be wrong though.

Mine's the standard one Mike. Didn't know it was reported as not very good. If it's no good I'll try and change it some time.

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alan potts

alan potts

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Lets hope things have moved on a little and Sumerian have changed the spec, I don't like the words not very good in the context of my gear. I can't see that it will be very easy to change over to honest, it's under the secondary mirror, I think.

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alan potts

alan potts

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Tinker,

Believe it or not I have about 60 rechargables and 3 chargers, I can see 5 of them where they should be, the rest are in my Sons toys, it seems that all toys have to make the same stupid noise these days that almost always have to words 'stop or I will shoot' screaming out, what happened to kicking a ball around and in summer cricket?

Alan

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nicoscy

nicoscy

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Tinker,

Believe it or not I have about 60 rechargables and 3 chargers, I can see 5 of them where they should be, the rest are in my Sons toys, it seems that all toys have to make the same stupid noise these days that almost always have to words 'stop or I will shoot' screaming out, what happened to kicking a ball around and in summer cricket?

Alan

Been replaced by kicking a ball around / playing cricket on an iPad  :grin:  :grin:  :grin:  :grin:  :grin:  :grin: 

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Tinker1947

Tinker1947

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Been replaced by kicking a ball around / playing cricket on an iPad  :grin:  :grin:  :grin:  :grin:  :grin:  :grin: 

Get a Furby.....they eat rechargeable ....

http://www.thetoyshop.com/Furby/Furby-Boom/Furby-Boom---Purple-Houndstooth/p/515119_purple?gclid=CjwKEAiAodOlBRDCjr-UlJDjtVUSJABR7fxy9u4lJ48-y9SzNvmmJDujwguTYTmd_G_lnzt2zubrCRoCa5_w_wcB#fo_c=252&fo_k=1cb1e16e066193ab619fe24ebba7dc3f&fo_s=gplauk&fo_oid=298

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nicoscy

nicoscy

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I need to relocate to the nearest habitable planet asap...  :evil1: 

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