Relocation of Pulsar Dome.

[Jkulin]

Nigella, you have produced a wonderful job, you can be really proud of that and your painting skills are far better than mine, truly an exceptional repair and build😎 Chapeau!

[Ibbo!]

Looking very nice.

[Nigella Bryant]

Thanks everyone for your comments, encouragement and helpfulness. Really appreciate it.

[Nigella Bryant]

Celebrated this evening the completion of the Phoenix Complex dome. In our own little beer garden, lol

[JamesF]

Well done, Nigella.  It's been a fair while coming, but I'm sure it will be worth the effort.

James

[ollypenrice]

On 08/07/2020 at 14:12, Rusted said:

A little research shows that condensation in observatories is commonplace.
Almost regardless of how well they are sealed.

I left the floor wide open between the joists on my second story dome.
Spaced the larch floorboards apart to let the floor breathe.

There is ventilation all around the base ring and on either side of the bi-parting shutters.
A ventilation slot is above the double doors out to the veranda.
The ply clad, 14' high, pyramidal pier is wide open on the western side.

Still the plywood dome and walls would get damp inside with condensation in winter.
I lined the dome with black agricultural fleece spaced off the ply cladding.
It is probably black [or white] with mould out of sight.

Perhaps the real answer is closed cell insulation on the inside of the dome?
Black, closed cell, camping mattresses are available in about 10mm thickness.
Shopping about would make the purchase of enough material almost trivial.
Putting a dehumidifier in my dome would be like trying to dry the entire Earth's atmosphere!

It's also possible to spray dense foam onto surfaces. A friend did this to a panel van he was converting into a motor home. It gave a coating a few mm thick, from memory. When I did a camper van conversion I glued camping mat to the inside of the van's panels and that was also quite effective (though there was more insulation after that.) I remember that the cost of the necessary glue was rather alarming!

Olly

[JeremyS]

13 hours ago, Nigella Bryant said:

Celebrated this evening the completion of the Phoenix Complex dome. In our own little beer garden, lol

Brill! And "cheers", Nigella!

[Xsubmariner]

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading this thread, your engineering and construction skills are most impressive.  The finished observatory is wonderful, reflecting a high attention to detail and quality finish. You have my admiration and definitely earned a party. 

[Nigella Bryant]

1 hour ago, Xsubmariner said:

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading this thread, your engineering and construction skills are most impressive.  The finished observatory is wonderful, reflecting a high attention to detail and quality finish. You have my admiration and definitely earned a party. 

Awwwwww, thanks Xsubmariner, appreciate your comments, very encouraging. 

[Nigella Bryant]

Telescope install today, just need to do some cable management tomorrow but pleased. Does anyone else love looking at nice telescope's, lol. I love the red bits, lol. I like red, lol. I just sat in my Observatory looking at all the work and beauty, lol.

Edited August 21, 2020 by Nigella Bryant
Pic added

[JeremyS]

Looks really smart @Nigella Bryant👍

And yes, I have been known to while away a few hours just looking at a lovely telescope:-)

There is great pleasure to be had from this simple activity (or lack of!)

Same goes for eyepieces, actually. But now I’m getting carried away....

[Nigella Bryant]

1 minute ago, JeremyS said:

Looks really smart @Nigella Bryant👍

And yes, I have been known to while away a few hours just looking at a lovely telescope:-)

There is great pleasure to be had from this simple activity (or lack of!)

Same goes for eyepieces, actually. But now I’m getting carried away....

There is great pleasure just looking at the equipment Jeremy, glad I'm not the only one, lol. Or I'm a very sad person who needs to get a life, lol. 

[Nigella Bryant]

"The Phoenix Complex" signage, the finishing touch to the rising from the ashes of my dome referb, repair and relocation. This has become my logo, lol. Thanks SGL for your time and input to this build and naming.

Edited August 26, 2020 by Nigella Bryant
More comment added.

[sloz1664]

4 hours ago, Nigella Bryant said:

"The Phoenix Complex" signage, the finishing touch to the rising from the ashes of my dome referb, repair and relocation. This has become my logo, lol. Thanks SGL for your time and input to this build and naming.

LOVE IT 😍

[Nigella Bryant]

I thought it was all over, lol. Just laid a cat6 cable for remote telescope control and distribution box in the dome. All working great and I can control all aspects via my laptop in the dome and tablet in the house. My security camera now cat6 too so I can monitor slews and turn off while imaging. 

[Nigella Bryant]

First light from "The Phoenix Complex" PA done last night but scope needs collimation and I wasn't going to do that at 1am after two hours getting the PA perfect. Anyway first light is of Mars.

Edited September 1, 2020 by Nigella Bryant

[BlueStinger]

Great set up. Looks crazy complicated to me with all the wires everywhere but that's the name of the game I suppose. WIshing you many enjoyable nights within it's confines!

[Rusted]

NASA is asking when you can return their Mars orbiter back to their control! 😎

[Nigella Bryant]

4 hours ago, BlueStinger said:

Great set up. Looks crazy complicated to me with all the wires everywhere but that's the name of the game I suppose. WIshing you many enjoyable nights within it's confines!

Less of the spaghetti wiring now, all sorted into two larger cable tidy.

Edited September 1, 2020 by Nigella Bryant

[BlueStinger]

Much tidier

[BrianE]

Thanks for posting this, very impressed.  You made that dome look new. Nice party, astro partners do, I must admit, have  a burden. Would love to hear what your experience is of condensation now, with the new type of base. 

[Nigella Bryant]

6 hours ago, BrianE said:

Thanks for posting this, very impressed.  You made that dome look new. Nice party, astro partners do, I must admit, have  a burden. Would love to hear what your experience is of condensation now, with the new type of base. 

At the moment it's negligible with only slight evidence at the top of the dome so I'm pleased as I had significant condensation before with a solid base. Also fitting the two vents into the floor I think helps. I had a dehumidifier running 24/7 before but that broke and I've not replaced that as I wanted to see if the new design flooring with ventilation underneath would reduce the condensation to the extent I'd not need a dehumidifier. At the moment it seems to be working.

[Nigella Bryant]

Both RoR and dome signage in place, the Phoenix Complex now had first light and complete for now, lol.

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, Nigella Bryant said:

Both RoR and dome signage in place, the Phoenix Complex now had first light and complete for now, lol.

Brilliant news, Nigella. God bless her and all who sail in her. Or something like that!

[Nigella Bryant]

Just when I thought it was all over, had to change out the pier electrics. The extension block I'd bought and installed wasn't very good and began to sizzle inside the switch that turns it on. Really bad considering it was new. Anyway I'd rather be safe and no fire's so I've built myself another socket block with three double sockets and installed that today.

Also Carole was right about the step inside the dome. I've nearly fallen down it a couple of times so I've also filled that in.

I guess there's always a version 2 to a dome build with little tweak's, lol. You only know if your design works with good old run downs to get out the gremlins, lol.