Ssssshhhh....please be quiet. You'll wake my eyepieces up

[StarGazingSiouxsie]

Hi, 

So this is my solution for keeping my eyepieces an reticles warm and free from misting and fogging. 

I basically have two generic bags of a kind used for keeping prepared food warm. Heat reflectice inner lining and zip round tops, the usual thing.

I then have a strip of cardboard (for rigidity / solid base) covered in foil. 

Installed over the top of that I have two heater strips. 17" long, 2" wide and each have a 3 way heat control. They have a USB cable for power. I use my Celestron Power Tanks as each tank has 2 USB power ports. These strips wree only $20 each and I can tell you they are really good quality - and I am fussy. I thought I was taking a chance on these but they work great. On 'high' setting they get to over 100F (I tested them with my food thermometer). It just shows you how ridiculously over priced some of the other heater strips are out there that are branded as Dew Strips etc. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WJG9B5P/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The Power Tanks keep everything powered for at least 3 or 4 hours, ample time for observing. 

I'll be doing another article soon on my solution for dew & fogging prevention.  

Four pictues showing eyepiece warmer, Power Tank hook up, table with all my toot on it (second bag has filters in it) and lastly it's meant to be clear again tonight so Cubs & Celeste are up and rearing to go!!!

 

Siouxsie 

 

[Geoff Barnes]

Great minds think alike!

I had a similar idea for storing my eyepieces, using a soft insulated lunch box. I don't have any heating device with it now, although I did try a microwave bean bag at first but that seemed to cause moisture problems. It works well and only cost $7. 😁

[DaveL59]

my daughter has one of these on order for my birthday

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Telescope-2-1-25-Inch-Eyepiece-Holder-Carrier-Bag-Sponge-Inside-Portable-Case/163754276544?hash=item262083f6c0:g:CfIAAOSw5Z9fNmJ6

Hopefully being close to the body it'll not need any extra heating 🙂 

[globular]

I use an insulated cooler bag with a heated cat mat lining the bottom.

I also have a dew heater band around my diagonal that keeps the eyepieces clear while in use but doesn’t get in the way of eyepiece changes.

[Louis D]

5 hours ago, StarGazingSiouxsie said:

Beautiful observing location. 👍

[Don Pensack]

As long as they are in the case when not in use, I see no reason for heating the eyepieces.  They won't fog up in the case.

If it's just because they fog up when in use at the telescope then:

--when you walk away from the scope to consult maps, put a cap on the eyepiece

--if it fogs because you breathe on it, don't breathe on it--learn to breathe from the corner of your mouth away from the eyepiece and not through your nose by the eyepiece

--if it fogs simply because your eye is close and your eye is warm and moist, then use the eyepiece with the rubber eyecup removed (which allows air to circulate in between the eye and the eyepiece)

--if it fogs because you accidentally breathed on it, wave your hand at the eyepiece or wave a piece of paper at it--the fog will evaporate.

I've observed at sites where the dew was so heavy you could hear it dripping from nearby scopes, your garments became wet and a table with a lip at the edge filled up with water like a lake.

Yet fogging of the eyepieces was not a problem with unheated eyepieces.

 

[jock1958]

11 minutes ago, Don Pensack said:

--if it fogs simply because your eye is close and your eye is warm and moist, then use the eyepiece with the rubber eyecup removed (which allows air to circulate in between the eye and the eyepiece)

Had problems last week with fogging on my TV 3-6 zoom, will try your tip next time I'm out and condensation's in the air!

[StarGazingSiouxsie]

New and improved version, now with 4 heat strips so that I can have all my eyepieces and filters in one place.

You can see the USB female ports in the upper part. The control cables plug into those and each cable has a 3 setting heat sle;ction. The male jack from that cable then plugs into the battery. The Celestron Lithium Power Tanks have 2 USB charging ports each, so it works out well, I just need 2 batteries and they last for at least 4 hours on full heat. 

I don't know if you can get the heat strips that I linked to in my original post above in the UK but if you can, seriously, get them. They are inexpensive and really well made. I got 4 each with adjustable heat controls for 60 GB Pounds total. 

 

Siouxsie 

[StarGazingSiouxsie]

17 hours ago, Louis D said:

Beautiful observing location. 👍

Thanks, yes it is, I am very lucky. I live in a valley in the Blue Ridge Mountains and am treated to some very special views all round.