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Anyone actually believe 2frac (Vickys new nickname that i gave her this afternoon) that shopping list is never empty is it?

So is this the plateau that you have reached in the buying terms or is this just a stop on the way up to admire some of the views?

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Hey guys, I'm looking at eyepiece dew prevention, as this seems to be the thing that prevents me from staying out longer than a couple of hours (clouds aside), so I've been looking at dew straps, but it seems to be that I need to buy three different things and now it's getting expensive:

Straps: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dew-prevention/astrozap-dew-heater-tapes.html

Contoller: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/astronomy-cables-leads-accessories/hitecastro-single-channel-dual-port-dew-controller.html

Power: http://www.halfords.com/technology/mobile-phone-accessories/powerbanks/nextbase-12v-power-bank

Is this the best way to go about it? Is that powerbank good enough for just a dew strap (I haven't got anything else that needs power), and is it likely to last - found this as its portable?

Any other thoughts or ideas? I've got some FLO vouchers that need spending ;)

 

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2 hours ago, rockystar said:

Hey guys, I'm looking at eyepiece dew prevention, as this seems to be the thing that prevents me from staying out longer than a couple of hours (clouds aside), so I've been looking at dew straps, but it seems to be that I need to buy three different things and now it's getting expensive:

Straps: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dew-prevention/astrozap-dew-heater-tapes.html

Contoller: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/astronomy-cables-leads-accessories/hitecastro-single-channel-dual-port-dew-controller.html

Power: http://www.halfords.com/technology/mobile-phone-accessories/powerbanks/nextbase-12v-power-bank

Is this the best way to go about it? Is that powerbank good enough for just a dew strap (I haven't got anything else that needs power), and is it likely to last - found this as its portable?

Any other thoughts or ideas? I've got some FLO vouchers that need spending ;)

 

Buy a decent quality dew heater strap with your vouchers Lee.

I'd then go for a 22ah battery like the ones for power caddies and then a LED dimmer off ebay both of which will cost you the same as the powerbank although you need a car battery charger to top it up and cable/fusing to connect it. Doesn't have to be fancy but you could put it in a box of any descripton so long as it's insulated. Oh and use decent connectors not ciggy ones 

 

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8 minutes ago, mapstar said:

Buy a decent quality dew heater strap with your vouchers Lee.

I'd then go for a 22ah battery like the ones for power caddies and then a LED dimmer off ebay both of which will cost you the same as the powerbank although you need a car battery charger to top it up and cable/fusing to connect it. Doesn't have to be fancy but you could put it in a box of any descripton so long as it's insulated. Oh and use decent connectors not ciggy ones 

 

So are the astrozap ones good quality?

How big/heavy are these batteries? You're basically suggesting I'm better off making my own dimmer/power box? - that sounds like a DIY project...  And I'd also need a car battery charge, which I don't have.

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27 minutes ago, rockystar said:

So are the astrozap ones good quality?

How big/heavy are these batteries? You're basically suggesting I'm better off making my own dimmer/power box? - that sounds like a DIY project...  And I'd also need a car battery charge, which I don't have.

You'd get a miles better set up Lee and even with a battery charger it would still work out cheaper.Astrozap are good 

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53 minutes ago, mapstar said:

You'd get a miles better set up Lee and even with a battery charger it would still work out cheaper.Astrozap are good 

OK, I'll see what I can cobble together - I may get back to you with more questions. Cheers :)

 

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Or just get some nichrome wire - they’re REALLY easy to make, and you can set the max heat load via the length of nichrome. S’just  + terminal > Regular shielded wire > length of nichrome wire required to get correct wattage heat load / resistance (think electric blanket layout of loops) > Regular shielded wire > - terminal running off whatever battery suits based on the final resistance, with any 12v dimmer (resistive or pwm based) to vary the power if you need to control the load. Use a laminate pouch, some webbing off an old rucksack strap or similar and stick it all together with gaffa essentially. Worth a quick google ;)

EDIT: Bizarrely coincidinky timing - 

 

In other news... OZ1 is ALIVE!!

As some of you know who have me on yonder BookFace, my grandfather passed away the week prior to christmas, so I’ve chosen to invest some money left to me into astro and got me an NEQ6 Pro, thus he’ll always be there whistling away in the back of my mind (pretty much like this mount's stepper motors) whenever I’m out there looking up doing something I enjoy... and his name was Ossy. Hence OZ1.

Anyways, after a two week delay from Wex, my rings finally arrived and s’all mounted up n’ ready to play!

 

IMG_1127.jpg

IMG_1128.jpg

The poor little DirtyAstro LCM mount practically fits underneath it... poor l’il thing.

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Yarp - but you have to do some maths to calculate...

Wattage consumption of the dew bands you’re hooking up to it, converted to amps, so you can then work out what capacity battery to get (ie: how long that particular 2aH battery would last - 2aH = 1 amp for 2 hours).

For instance, a (theoretical) 5.5w eyepiece dew band (running at full 5.5w) would consume just shy of an amp (0.8), so your battery would last for 2.5 hours running just the heater band.

Hence you need to be looking at something rather larger on the battery front... https://www.tayna.co.uk/22Ah-Mobility-Batteries-G460.html (any of these would run _just_ that theoretical heater band on full for 27.5 hrs)

Charging - http://www.screwfix.com/p/streetwize-swbcg4-4a-automatic-battery-charger-12v/4880R?kpid=4880R&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product Listing Ads-_-Sales Tracking-_-sales tracking url&gclid=Cj0KEQiAqdLDBRDD-b2sv6-i6MsBEiQAkT3wAlGKVWBlhNCuw6cUNljxjV546Il2KsVApC9ynuVWvj4aAjUS8P8HAQ (usually two croc clips to connect to battery terminals, this one would take about 5 hrs to fully charge a 22aH battery from flat)

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26 minutes ago, Marci said:

Yarp - but you have to do some maths to calculate...

Wattage consumption of the dew bands you’re hooking up to it, converted to amps, so you can then work out what capacity battery to get (ie: how long that particular 2aH battery would last - 2aH = 1 amp for 2 hours).

For instance, a (theoretical) 5.5w eyepiece dew band (running at full 5.5w) would consume just shy of an amp (0.8), so your battery would last for 2.5 hours running just the heater band.

Hence you need to be looking at something rather larger on the battery front... https://www.tayna.co.uk/22Ah-Mobility-Batteries-G460.html (any of these would run _just_ that theoretical heater band on full for 27.5 hrs)

Charging - http://www.screwfix.com/p/streetwize-swbcg4-4a-automatic-battery-charger-12v/4880R?kpid=4880R&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product Listing Ads-_-Sales Tracking-_-sales tracking url&gclid=Cj0KEQiAqdLDBRDD-b2sv6-i6MsBEiQAkT3wAlGKVWBlhNCuw6cUNljxjV546Il2KsVApC9ynuVWvj4aAjUS8P8HAQ (usually two croc clips to connect to battery terminals, this one would take about 5 hrs to fully charge a 22aH battery from flat)

see, this is why everything should be manual! Keep it simple!

I was trying to keep it small and light.

This is the only thing I'd run off it, so if I got a battery with a bigger capacity, the dimmer that Neil linked to, the input phono plate, the charger and a box to put it all in, is there anything else that I would need?

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I'll agree with Marci and as I said 22ah should be good for 8-10hours

Keep the battery tip top as you charge it each time dependant on use with a 4A charger which Marci has already put a link on for but you can get cheaper off the bay or second hand.

Battery here if you want a cheaper one but bigger at 40ah 

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-063-340CCA-Sealed-3-Years-Warranty-Lion-Batteries-Car-Battery-12V-40Ah-/301545960947?hash=item46358a35f3%3Ag%3Aq3gAAOSwd0BV6wM~&_trkparms=pageci%3A688ddb30-d788-11e6-ab65-0050568f6725%7Cparentrq%3A8a9b5e111590a60cd806a831ffc234a8%7Ciid%3A11

Or a lucas 22ah agm which is lighter

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lucas-12V-22Ah-AGM-GEL-GOLF-TROLLEY-BATTERY-18-Holes-MOCAD-FRASER-HILLBILLY-/201258702190?hash=item2edbf4156e%3Ag%3Ah7oAAMXQWuRQ~nQ8&_trkparms=pageci%3A1bbf938f-d789-11e6-b9ba-74dbd1805e0a%7Cparentrq%3A8a9ff4701590a2a398683ef7ffc31193%7Ciid%3A3

Led dimmer here 

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-12V-8A-LED-Light-Protect-Strip-Dimmer-Adjustable-Brightness-Controller-New-HT-/122255425847?hash=item1c76fdc137%3Ag%3AUMsAAOSwKtlWk3v2&_trkparms=pageci%3A8d0bc5f0-d785-11e6-be3d-005056aa4076%7Cparentrq%3A8a88a4111590a2a203326dc6ffc3cee4%7Ciid%3A17

Pair of insulated crocodile clips

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Battery-Insulated-Positive-Negative-Electrode-Clips-Clamps-Red-Black-2pcs-/191903122592?hash=item2cae5144a0%3Ag%3A6P4AAOSwCGVX~maw&_trkparms=pageci%3Ab3e15852-d789-11e6-bb5a-005056b609b2%7Cparentrq%3A8aa3d9751590a2aba43b7b6cffc88092%7Ciid%3A4

Cable I have plenty and an inline fuse if you need a hand wiring it then can do it at a meeting.

 

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12 minutes ago, rockystar said:

I was trying to keep it small and light.

This is the only thing I'd run off it, so if I got a battery with a bigger capacity, the dimmer that Neil linked to, the input phono plate, the charger and a box to put it all in, is there anything else that I would need?

You may need something eventually for your finder Lee which I have resistors around mine hence the built in extra capacity will be needed  

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1 minute ago, rockystar said:

Cheers guys, much appreciated :headbang: I'll report back once I have all the gear - need to spend real cash now, rather than my hard earned FLO bucks :(

 

I'd still get the heater band they are worth the investment especially for eyepieces as it's a pain swapping something thats not as well made. 

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Nice work on the EQ6 Marci, it looks great.

I bought some commercially available dew strips from ebay, and then made my own controller out of some LED dimmers/plastic enclosure/fuses etc. It is relatively simple to do, if you're ok with a bit of diy and electronics.

DEW.jpg

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7 minutes ago, MattGoo said:

Nice work on the EQ6 Marci, it looks great.

I bought some commercially available dew strips from ebay, and then made my own controller out of some LED dimmers/plastic enclosure/fuses etc. It is relatively simple to do, if you're ok with a bit of diy and electronics.

DEW.jpg

 

Looks good Matt :) 

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2 hours ago, MattGoo said:

Nice work on the EQ6 Marci, it looks great.

I bought some commercially available dew strips from ebay, and then made my own controller out of some LED dimmers/plastic enclosure/fuses etc. It is relatively simple to do, if you're ok with a bit of diy and electronics.

DEW.jpg

Looks very familiar Matt

20161222_004709.jpg

:thumbsup:

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Terry bought me a new flight case for Christmas to house my CCD camera, filter wheel, filters, guidescope, TeleVue FF/FR, WO extender and cables. Been busy this evening fitting it out. Looks great and I know my gear that is specifically for imaging is now together in one case :)

IMG_20170112_210124.jpg

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