Heating / Insulation for telescope care in outside storage solution.

[russp]

I'm planning on a small roll on roll off shed /cover for my scope on a pier on decking adjacent to my (raised) patio. I'm in a wheelchair and the area needed to get around a pier would make an observatory of any sort impractically large so a small structure just large enough to cover the parked scope mounted on rails set in the decking will I think provide me with a lot more opportunity to persue imaging and I can do pretty much all the control from inside once it's uncovered. I have provisions for permanent power in mind but what I need to design in is sufficient heating/insulation/ventilation to keep the scope / mount/ electrics in the best possible condition .. I'm thinking insulated with a small electric heater set on a low heat to prevent condensation? Or is there a better way? Or standard recommendations? Thanks for any guidance.

[Sirius Starwatcher]

My scopes sit in a purpose built shed without insulation. They have a light cover over them . If you heat the storage you will have to wait for the scope to cool down whereas if it's not insulated the scope will be at ambient temperature which is what you need. The correct electrical fittings and connections should not need insulation ie switchable sockets rated IP 66 are ideal. Hope this helps.

[dokeeffe]

Instead of a heater, I recommend a dehumidifier. Its not the cold its the humidity that is a problem.

I have a small dehumidifier in my observatory and try to seal it from draughts as much as is possible.

[russp]

24 minutes ago, dokeeffe said:

Instead of a heater, I recommend a dehumidifier. Its not the cold its the humidity that is a problem.

I have a small dehumidifier in my observatory and try to seal it from draughts as much as is possible.

Of course! I knew I was missing something - thanks

[russp]

26 minutes ago, Sirius Starwatcher said:

My scopes sit in a purpose built shed without insulation. They have a light cover over them . If you heat the storage you will have to wait for the scope to cool down whereas if it's not insulated the scope will be at ambient temperature which is what you need. The correct electrical fittings and connections should not need insulation ie switchable sockets rated IP 66 are ideal. Hope this helps.

Thanks - point taken, it's a CF tube refractor so cooling down is a lot less of an issue than with reflectors or other open tubes but I can see the dehumidifer is the way to go. 

[Starlight 1]

10 hours ago, russp said:

dehumidifer

I have one in the shed ? but it only works if the temp is over 12c .

[russp]

4 hours ago, Starlight 1 said:

I have one in the shed ? but it only works if the temp is over 12c .

I used to use them in my garage - the cheap ones work like that but you can get them with inbuilt heaters to prevent them freezing up which will work to much lower temperatures

 

[Skipper Billy]

Look for a dessicant dehumidifier as opposed to a compressor type. They are a little more expensive to buy initially but work at full efficiency down to about zero degrees whereas compresssor types do precious little below about 12 - 15 degrees.

Also make sure it has a continuous drain function and that you lead the drain pipe outside the obsy or you be constantly recycling the  water!

I just pop it on for 2 hours (it has a timer) after I have packed up for the night and everything is bone dry in the morning. No ventilation or you are just sucking damp air in then drying it!

 

[The storm fisherman]

Hi Russp

I am just completing my observatory build  have a look in my thread as it should give you plenty to think about and i can back up Skipper billy's comments about the de-humidifier. after the last couple of days of saturated,  air ventilation is not enough a de-humidifier is a must for this country .

if you have any questions please feel to ask away.

Paul

[Starlight 1]

2 hours ago, Skipper Billy said:

compressor type

My is compressor as its got air-con, nice in the summer when working in the shed.

[russp]

On 12/12/2016 at 18:31, The storm fisherman said:

Hi Russp

I am just completing my observatory build  have a look in my thread as it should give you plenty to think about

 

That's impressive - wasn't intending for it to end up anywhere near that big that's a lot of castors you have there!! 

[The storm fisherman]

26 minutes ago, russp said:

That's impressive - wasn't intending for it to end up anywhere near that big that's a lot of castors you have there!! 

YEP   20 in total Slight mis alignment my mistake as was only suppose to be 16 but had to add 4 more in the centre to stop the middle from sagging but has made a big diffrence to the amount of effort required to push the shed back i can almost do it with one finger. Can certainly be done with one hand, but with my arthritis which is only to get worse. I am going  to motorise it with a gate opening electric motor and a rack and pinion to pull and push the observatory. The size was determined by having the mount and telescope ready to go at a moments notice and the size of shed i could get my hands fairly cheaply.  I picked mine up from an internet Co called  "World stores" for £180 delivered but it is a genuine a "Shire shed's" 6 ft sq double door. it just scrapes under the permissible height limit for building near a property boundary  and i will gain a couple of inches when i replace the roof with rubber sheet which will make the whole build look a lot smaller.

[Sporadic Dobstronomer]

On dehumidifiers, they should be desiccant type as mentioned by Skipper Billy but also make sure it is one that will come back on by itself after a power cut.  I'm told that not all of them do.  That has the important additional advantage that you can control it with a timer.

In my new shed I am experimenting with one that runs for a short period a number of times a day.  The idea is that it will take the edge off the humidity without costing a fortune in electricity.  It seems to be working.

[nytecam]

Condensation on a scope circuit board can really spoil your hobby!  I did the dehumidifier thing a decade ago and unless the obsy is hemetically sealed [unlikely] you're trying to dry the universe !  Air movement within the obsy to minimise condensation seems the best option via [in my case] a large fan at lowest speed - and its cheaper to run than a dehumidifier.   As backup a small electric greenhouse heater on thermostat used when temps are very low.   This set-up for two decades.

My scope is a sealed/capped 30cm SCT with camera permanently attached under a dustcover - if the temps are essentially constant for a period of days [or weeks] then focus holds good for imaging without needing a tweak but if needed are minimal !

Nytecam