Dew heaters

[Z3roCool]

Hi, needs to get a Dew Heater for my 60mm Guide Scope and Canon 400mm 5.6 lens. Can someone point me in the right direction? I can only seem to find cables and strips that cost the earth! Is there a cheap (I know you get what you pay for) starter kit?

Many thanks

[Anthonyexmouth]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Upgraded-Dew-Universal-Telescopic-COOWOO/dp/B075XJCKD1/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1531943504&sr=8-1&keywords=usb+lens+heater

[StuartJPP]

How handy are you with a soldering iron? You can either buy some or make them yourself. There are a few sites available with instructions on making your own. The one below is made with a string of resistors in parallel but my larger one for the 500mm f/4 L IS uses nichrome wire.

The controller is a DIY LED PWM controller from eBay that costs about £2.

https://www.blackwaterskies.co.uk/2013/05/making-your-own-nichrome-dew-heater-bands/
https://nightskyinfocus.com/diyprojects/diy-dew-heater/

etc.

 

 

 

[david_taurus83]

https://dewheater.com/

 

These used to have an eBay shop but I couldn't find it the other week So I ordered from the website instead. The 20cm and 30cm are just right for my 65mm guide scope and 71mm refractor.

[teoria_del_big_bang]

I have made my own from the very link on StuartJPP 's post. Very cheap and work just as good, as do the cheap controllers. I actually bought some velcro tape to house the Nichrome wire and they look like shop bought heaters. 

Self-Adhesive Hook & Loop Tape 50mm x 5m 2-Piece Set

Self-Adhesive Hook & Loop Tape 25mm x 5m 2-Piece Set

Mind you maybe it's just us Tight Yorkshire folk that just won't part with our money that makes our own  ?

Steve

[Alien 13]

1 hour ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Upgraded-Dew-Universal-Telescopic-COOWOO/dp/B075XJCKD1/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1531943504&sr=8-1&keywords=usb+lens+heater

I like the USB dew heaters, the power banks are so cheap these days and very lightweight....has to be better than lugging several Kg of batteries around.

Alan

P.S. I power most things off Mobile phone power banks these days, Microscope/Video lights and even my EQ3-2 mount.

[StuartJPP]

31 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

I have made my own from the very link on StuartJPP 's post. Very cheap and work just as good, as do the cheap controllers. I actually bought some velcro tape to house the Nichrome wire and they look like shop bought heaters. 

Self-Adhesive Hook & Loop Tape 50mm x 5m 2-Piece Set

Self-Adhesive Hook & Loop Tape 25mm x 5m 2-Piece Set

Mind you maybe it's just us Tight Yorkshire folk that just won't part with our money that makes our own  ?

Steve

I have generally always used self-adhesive loop from Velcro/Hook and Loop fame in a back-to-back fashion to make my larger dew heaters. Takes a bit of careful placement when sticking the two parts together as it is usually very sticky. The reason I use the loop is that it is more flexible than the hook part plus it doesn't hook on to anything it comes in contact with. It isn't ideal because there isn't a "reflector" to reflect the heat back in to the lens but I find it good enough. I then use a small piece of hook to attach the heater when it is wrapped around the front element when needed.

[Z3roCool]

Many thanks for all the great info  Much appreciated.

[Bamo]

On 18/07/2018 at 21:52, Anthonyexmouth said:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Upgraded-Dew-Universal-Telescopic-COOWOO/dp/B075XJCKD1/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1531943504&sr=8-1&keywords=usb+lens+heater

Will it be suitable for SW Evostar 80ED pro?

Is there a protection for dew accumulation on the eyepieces too?