No dew heater tapes in use? Your thought please

[Alan White]

In my quest to allow my true Luddite to shine through I am looking at de-powering my astro life fully, well excepting my torch!

At present have used dew heaters on my refractor/s and need them on long sessions or so I think.

How many folks here observe with a refractor and no dew heaters?

Is this a good idea or a step too far away from modernity?

Your thoughts please........

and if you think it's workable, do you have an extended dew shield over and above the scope makers one?

Thanks, Alan, The Luddite 

[Stu]

I think a lot depends on your location Alan. In line with my 'Stu is much worse off than anyone else' philosophy (  ), not only do I live near Heathrow, but also near the Thames and, more sugnificantly, two large reservoirs! There is definitely moisture in the air round here!

I do intend to make a dew shield for the Tak soon so will try that and see if it helps. Might stop whinging then  

[Stub Mandrel]

For my guidescope I use a rubber band to hold a handwarmer to it. tapes doesn't work as air needs to get to the satchet.

[iPeace]

I have them, but I try to do without if I think I can get away with it. Have been bitten a few times. Contemplating one of those compact power packs to run one or two of them on obviously dewy nights.

[alan potts]

As Stu said it depends where you are, I have never had a problem with my refractors 115mm or 70mm. The small one is sitting on top of the Meade Sc 12 inch, the other night the front element of the refractor was as clear as day but the collector on the Meade was a different story. For me with refractors and the Mak I find a dew sheild is enough, I don't have one for the Meade, next thing on the list.

Alan

[cloudsweeper]

Well Alan, I've never used a heater in about three years.  My fracs have/had built-in shields, my Newt (Eq mounted) I got rid of in a hurry, and my SCT  has a large red camping mat-based shield, as did my Mak.  Even the RDFs have little plastic extensions to their ends, which may (or may not) help.

I don't to do really long sessions, so dewing has only been an issue for me a few times, and I was ready to pack up by then anyway.

On your broader theme of de-powering, I came in this morning from a GoTo session, and although it went well, the thought came to me that I would perhaps enjoy it more with just my widefield frac, swinging it round with ease and finding targets rapidly in the large FOV with the aid of Stellarium.  Although I sometimes use an atlas, Stellarium is I confess something I'd be loathe to give up!

Doug.

[Alan White]

9 minutes ago, cloudsweeper said:

Well Alan, I've never used a heater in about three years.  My fracs have/had built-in shields, my Newt (Eq mounted) I got rid of in a hurry, and my SCT  has a large red camping mat-based shield, as did my Mak.  Even the RDFs have little plastic extensions to their ends, which may (or may not) help.

I don't to do really long sessions, so dewing has only been an issue for me a few times, and I was ready to pack up by then anyway.

On your broader theme of de-powering, I came in this morning from a GoTo session, and although it went well, the thought came to me that I would perhaps enjoy it more with just my widefield frac, swinging it round with ease and finding targets rapidly in the large FOV with the aid of Stellarium.  Although I sometimes use an atlas, Stellarium is I confess something I'd be loathe to give up!

Doug.

Doug, I must admit, the Luddite may hang onto Stellarium as well.
Shhh don't tell every one!

[Stu]

25 minutes ago, Alan White said:

Doug, I must admit, the Luddite may hang onto Stellarium as well.
Shhh don't tell every one!

Fret yee not Alan, your secret is safe with us  

[Mr Spock]

I don't use them. I've never seen the logic in leaving a scope hours to cool and then warming it up again.

A nice big dew shield works just fine 

[Stu]

2 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

I don't use them. I've never seen the logic in leaving a scope hours to cool and then warming it up again.

A nice big dew shield works just fine 

If only it were that easy Michael, plenty times even with a long dew shield I have had dewed refractors or SCTs. All depends on you location it think, you are lucky if you have a 925 which doesn't need a heated dew shield.

[JG777]

Always have a dew shield on my 9.25, and if at the dark site near the river I pop the heater tape on as everything else is usually dewing up. Also use a dew shield on the reflector as a precaution but no issues with that dewing up as yet

 

[mikeDnight]

18 hours ago, Alan White said:

In my quest to allow my true Luddite to shine through I am looking at de-powering my astro life fully, well excepting my torch!

At present have used dew heaters on my refractor/s and need them on long sessions or so I think.

How many folks here observe with a refractor and no dew heaters?

Is this a good idea or a step too far away from modernity?

Your thoughts please........

and if you think it's workable, do you have an extended dew shield over and above the scope makers one?

Thanks, Alan, The Luddite 

Hi Alan,

I've never ever used a dew heater tape so am unqualified to comment on their effectiveness. Many times in the past I would bring my refractors in from a night's observing with the tube, and even the lens caked in ice. I simply let them thaw out uncapped over night, and there was never any problem. However, with my latest scope, the Tak FC100DC, I got to thinking that if I dress up warm then why not dress my scope up too? So I made a extendable dew shield from black flexible plastic, lined it with black felt and bought some Velcro strip to link it together. On most nights it works perfectly and the objective has never actually dewed over. On the freezing nights I wrap a length of foam rubber camping mat around my scope as well as the dew shield, just to help keep the ice at bay. It works! 

Attached are pics of my naked scope, then semi dressed followed by fully clothed.

[paulastro]

Yep, no dew heater for me either.  Like Mike I always used an extended dew shield, wrapped round the built in one.  Can't remember the last time I had a problem with dew.  I do have  a DC powered small hair drier I keep indoors, but it very seldom gets used.

Here's a pic of my Equinox 120ED with secondary dew shield in situ.

[iPeace]

Looks like secondary dew shields are the way to go. My next project.

[John]

I have an Astrozap non-heated dew sheild which I use with the ED120 and Vixen ED102SS fracs, mostly at my society observatory site, which seems more dew prone than my back yard. I've yet to see any dew on my Tak FC-100DL and TMB / LZOS 130 triplet even under dewey conditions.

I doubt that I'll need anything heated for any of these.

[nightfisher]

same here, never owned a heater, despite owning a range of fracs and maks, a good dew shield holds it at bay long enough for my needs

[Alan White]

Guys, thank you.

To report back I have used dew heaters for the last year, stupidly I did not try an extended shield, which would have been easier and far cheaper!

Last night had a clear sky so ventured out naked, yes my scope was fully naked.

No not myself! 

Thank goodness for that I hear you say.

The finder dewed a little but because I left the caps off, so my power free session was rather refreshingly simple.

It truly became power free when the battery in my torch died as I packed up, just when needed as I have to navigate some steps back to the house, which added to the fun.

So can you observe ok without dew shields, well no, can you observe without dew heaters, too right you can.

This stepping back to simples is being rather a lot of fun, try it.

[Stu]

Glad it worked well for you Alan. Having seen Mike's post I may try something similar for my Tak, just to see.

@paulastro how do you find the Vixen GP in alt az mode?

[Mr Spock]

Yes - don't forget a dew shield for your finder too!

[Alan White]

3 hours ago, Mr Spock said:

Yes - don't forget a dew shield for your finder too!

I think based on last night Michael, that the finder is the priority,

closely followed by extending the scopes one as well, now where is my sticky backed plastic and coathanger (I am a child of Blue Peter). 

[Stu]

Well, gave it a go and here is the result. Very long shield now, should help. Did the Rigel at the same time so am all sorted. Actually need to do my 80mm Finder too but need some more Velcro and hot melt  

[mikeDnight]

6 hours ago, Stu said:

Glad it worked well for you Alan. Having seen Mike's post I may try something similar for my Tak, just to see.

@paulastro how do you find the Vixen GP in alt az mode?

Hi Stu,

Having used the GP's in altaz mode I found them smooth and solid, but they need a bit of jiggery pokery to get them into the altaz position. A couple of weeks ago I bought a Vixen Polaris for this very purpose. It was advertised as being only fit for spare parts, but after just a slight adjustment, it was soon back to perfect working condition. I think both mounts are a great way to get a cheap high end altaz. I'm sure Paul feels similarly.

The beauty of the FC100DC & DF is that the GP and Polaris don't need the counter weight to balance the scope.

 

[JeremyS]

7 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

Having used the GP's in altaz mode I found them smooth and solid

That looks a great idea Mike. It will be nice and steady for your Tak.

Jeremy

[paulastro]

Stu, I find the GP is excellent in altaz mode and although you need a saw to convert it, it is still usable in both modes once you had done the 'mod'.

[Alan White]

1 hour ago, mikeDnight said:

Hi Stu,

Having used the GP's in altaz mode I found them smooth and solid, but they need a bit of jiggery pokery to get them into the altaz position. A couple of weeks ago I bought a Vixen Polaris for this very purpose. It was advertised as being only fit for spare parts, but after just a slight adjustment, it was soon back to perfect working condition. I think both mounts are a great way to get a cheap high end altaz. I'm sure Paul feels similarly.

The beauty of the FC100DC & DF is that the GP and Polaris don't need the counter weight to balance the scope.

Is this in place of the AZ5 Mike? 

or is it to run alongside?

1 hour ago, paulastro said:

I find the GP is excellent in altaz mode and although you need a saw to convert it, it is still usable in both modes once you had done the 'mod'.

I can hear hacksaws being pulled from toolboxes, those poor GP mounts!

 

I think this looks a very sensible mod if you have a suitable donor mount, a real shame to cut about a Vixen mount though, they are too nice build.
But perhaps that's why it works?