I dont believe it !

[mojolomjl]

Earlier this evening I looked outside to see if the clouds had cleared and to my surprise they had, so I set up my scope and was looking foreward to an evenings viewing. After setting up I went to swith on the red spot finder only to find it was already switched on and had been for at least 7/10 days, which was the last time the sky was reasonably clear, needless to say the battery was totally flat ( must remember to buy 2 and keep one as a spare in case I do it again). I did manage to find Saturn and Pleiades with some difficulty so I decided to put the scope away and use my binos which was still very pleasing. The main reason for this post is to remind you not to do the same thing, but hopefully you are not as forgetful as I am.

Maurice.

[Helen]

We all have a supply of red dot finder batteries handy because.....

[Psychobilly]

I got about 200 here... got them for 5p per pack of 4 if they are CR2032's which is what my reddot uses...and my head torch

Billy...

[Doc]

I do this all the time with my telrad

[Ghost66]

already done it . had to wait till next day to get a new batt for it:rolleyes2:

[MeerkatinBKK]

Yup I'm a member of that club too. Not wishing to belittle the importance of personal responsibility, you'd kind of think that the circuitry needed to add an automatic shut-off to these things would hardly push the cost through the stratosphere.

I reckon they're in league with the battery makers. Come to think of it, anyone that has (unwisely) tried to use the NexStar with internal AA batteries will know that they're in league with 'em!

Nick

[jgs001]

Yep, same here. I now have at least one spare in the house. And as for NexStar on AA's.... suffice it to say.... it works but, how many a night ?

Well done on finding Saturn and the Pleiades without a finder

[delilahtwinkle]

Thanks for this post, after looking at the moon this morning I have just been and checked mine... just switched it off now. Batteries on my to buy list!!! Dt

[Ant]

Yep, I've lost count of the times i've done that!!!

Spare everything is the answer

[MartinB]

The really irritating thing about the Telrad is that you have to remove it from it's mounting to replace the batteries. The alignment is always a bit out when you put it back. This might not sound like a big thing but when you want to align using the camera chip it is!

[CELESCOPE]

Oh heck ,ok this may sound really pompous, but being really good i have never done it.

Rog

[Psychobilly]

Oh heck ,ok this may sound really pompous, but being really good i have never done it.

Rog

Not at all Rog....

My RDF is even worse ... gets you in the ball park though so I do a rough with that then use the Megrez and finally the 8" when I am aligning... a Totally EP free process these days especially if the 1000D is on the 8" as I can use Liveview...

Billy...

[lguise]

I did see a red dot finder advertised recently that did have auto switch off. Can't remember where it was. Anyone else seen them?

PS Yes replaced Telrad battery last week.....again!

Linton

[Dave]

Isn't the batteries running down an auto cut-off switch in itself?

[johninderby]

Auto Shut-Off Finder

True Technology 20/10 red dot finder

http://www.trutek-uk.com/2010rdf/2010.htm

Don't like the looks of the finder, but has some interesting features.

John

Edited March 19, 2009 by johninderby

[roscoe]

any electronics experts know if u can wire it into battey/scope power with a capacitor safely and without being an electro expert

[roscoe]

ps.probably stupid question,but hot do you bern off dew in the field without portable haidryer,as they arnt made yet battery operated,please dont say a blowtorch!

[roscoe]

ps dont go for quick charger for batteries,they burn them out real quick,15 minute charge,yeah right.then 24 hours to get another set!!

[661-pete]

None of my kit is battery-powered (except the torch), so I'm immune from this I think! Shows the advantage of a finderscope over a red dot! Still vulnerable to power cuts though: I'm helpless without the drive and I run the camera off the mains too.

What kind of 'scope was it, Maurice? I find that with my fast Newtonian at low mag., I can still get pretty close to my target without using the finder, by crouching down and squinting along the top of the OTA.

At least you rescued some of the evening with the bins. So not a wasted evening!

[Rusty Strings]

I got so sick of changing AA's on my Telrad that I fitted a power socket and power it externally, no chance of leaving it turned on now as I have to unplug it when the scope goes back in the house

John

[mojolomjl]

Hi Pete,

I have a SW 130P, your suggestion sounds good in theory but I have enough trouble locating the red dot and keeping it in the right position, must be an age thing.

Regards,

Maurice.

[vienna2]

now I'm paranoid, did I switch the dot off