Telescope storage

[Seoras]

Hi all, my question is about storing my telescope in an outside storage box. I am a wheelchair user and my scope, Celestron Nexstar 8se is currently stored in my dining room. My wife has to carry the scope through the house and into the garden any time I want to use it which isn’t always convenient at 3 in the morning! I’ve decided that the scope would be better kept in the garden but I wouldn’t manage to get it in and out of a shed but could manage with one of these storage boxes with two doors and an opening lid. Could you please tell me what precautions I should take so as not to get it damp or otherwise affected by the weather? I thought of getting a telescope cover as an added layer of protection, what are your thoughts? I don’t have the funds right now to buy an observatory type shed so thought this would be a reasonable compromise.

 

[Stuart1971]

Hello,

I used  to do something similar before my obsy build, and found that in your storage box, if possible get a cheap cover for the kit, and fit a long dew strap around it and leave in low all the time, this will keep the temp under the  cover higher than ambient, and worked a treat for me, never had any damp or condensation of any sort….
I had my dew strap wrapped around the mount, so the heat would rise up, and just had it on for 12 hours overnight….

HTH

[Louis D]

I've also heard of folks keeping a low wattage incandescent bulb under the cover of the scope, at the bottom, to drive out condensation.  You still might have spiders or other bugs making a home in it, though.

[Seoras]

Good ideas already, thanks very much for your help, I wouldn’t have thought of either the dew strap or a low wattage bulb.

[Carbon Brush]

Definite heating if using a storage box.

Finding a filament bulb these days is of course difficult.
They also have limited life, especially if used at angles other than vertical. The glass gets hot enough to damage plastic, even on a small bulb.
I would go for a dew strap, maybe more than one.
That means you have a 12V lead into the damp garden, rather than 240V.
A dew strap can be in good contct with metal parts, ensuring good heat distribution.

To discourage bugs, you can spray a silicone polish like Mr. Sheen on the mount base. They won't climb up it.
Alternatively, something like Jeyes fluid around the base. It has a lingering smell. But is I think better for the garden pollution in the long term.
Both need to be re-applied at intervals.

HTH, David.

[Stuart1971]

I did try a low wattage bulb to start with, and has been said, I had an issue with it melting a small hole on my cover, it’s difficult to keep the cover from always touching it, but I guess if you did not use a cover then no issues, but I would….to keep the heat more controlled around the area you need it to be…

[Louis D]

I recall the person had the bulb upright in a stand you'd normally screw into the ceiling, and had the cover snugged to the tripod legs with ties of some sort to keep it from touching the bulb under the center of the tripod.

I've also heard of using an aquarium heater to avoiding melting issues.

[Carbon Brush]

@Louis D Yes an aquarium heater is a possibility - if chosen carefully.

Those that comprise a heating element inside a pyrex tube with bung will get very hot if not cooled by 50L of water🤣
I speak having run one in mid air and it melted the cable when it came into contact with the glass.

Mains voltage filament lamps are all but obsolete devices in the UK and Europe. We use LED almost everywhere.
OK small lamps for cooker hoods or inside ovens or other specialist applications can be bought. But the genral 60W/100W bulbs are gone.

HTH, David.

[bosun21]

I just bought a load of incandescent 60W & 40W  bulbs from Amazon 

[AbsolutelyN]

I use a heated pet blanket - you can get them 12v so can plug into scope power supply. They don't get too hot, are waterproof and not too expensive.  

Edited November 1, 2022 by AbsolutelyN

[Louis D]

I was going to say that heating pads might be another option; although I've never read of anyone using one.  My mother used to put one under a bowl with bread dough and covered both with a dish towel to encourage the bread to rise, so it might work with a covered telescope if you can keep the heat trapped.

[Tiny Clanger]

If using mains supply :

https://www.greenhousepeople.co.uk/products/4596/slimline-green-eco-heater-55w-tube-heater-with-thermostat-500mm/

[Louis D]

1 hour ago, Carbon Brush said:

Those that comprise a heating element inside a pyrex tube with bung will get very hot if not cooled by 50L of water🤣
I speak having run one in mid air and it melted the cable when it came into contact with the glass.

OMG! 😲

1 hour ago, Carbon Brush said:

Mains voltage filament lamps are all but obsolete devices in the UK and Europe. We use LED almost everywhere.
OK small lamps for cooker hoods or inside ovens or other specialist applications can be bought. But the genral 60W/100W bulbs are gone.

I bought a few dozen over a decade ago in various sizes when the big compact fluorescent push came out.  I couldn't stand CFs or fit them in some of my fixtures, so I wanted an alternative.  LED bulbs don't bother me and do fit in all of my fixtures, so I have a big supply of unused incandescent bulbs in the attic.

[Ratlet]

1 hour ago, Tiny Clanger said:

If using mains supply :

https://www.greenhousepeople.co.uk/products/4596/slimline-green-eco-heater-55w-tube-heater-with-thermostat-500mm/

These are the things you want.  Greenhouse heaters is a good google for alternatives.  I use one up the shed to keep an old fridge warm for homebrewing in.  Cheap, bullet proof (with a RCD plug) and much less likely to cause burns than an incandecent.

[cajen2]

An aquarium heater is a definite no-no (I have four aquaria and have kept tropicals and marines most of my life). They are NOT designed to be run in air.

If you want to save a bit of money on a scope cover, try this (or a similar one):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/FiNeWaY-Waterproof-Breathable-Protector-Protection/dp/B09CZKKG8K?pd_rd_w=MZcuI&content-id=amzn1.sym.2fea9265-6ce8-40b5-908e-3e55f1bdf7f9&pf_rd_p=2fea9265-6ce8-40b5-908e-3e55f1bdf7f9&pf_rd_r=DCJHPVG3RTRXB5DW6W37&pd_rd_wg=tfPnF&pd_rd_r=9dad6c91-257e-478e-80ea-81beaf8661cf&pd_rd_i=B09CZKKG8K&psc=1&ref_=pd_basp_bia_rpt_ba_s_2_sc

It's breathable and designed to be used outside for months. £15 because it doesn't have the word 'Astro' on it! 😄

[Synchronicity]

1 hour ago, cajen2 said:

An aquarium heater is a definite no-no (I have four aquaria and have kept tropicals and marines most of my life). They are NOT designed to be run in air.

If you want to save a bit of money on a scope cover, try this (or a similar one):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/FiNeWaY-Waterproof-Breathable-Protector-Protection/dp/B09CZKKG8K?pd_rd_w=MZcuI&content-id=amzn1.sym.2fea9265-6ce8-40b5-908e-3e55f1bdf7f9&pf_rd_p=2fea9265-6ce8-40b5-908e-3e55f1bdf7f9&pf_rd_r=DCJHPVG3RTRXB5DW6W37&pd_rd_wg=tfPnF&pd_rd_r=9dad6c91-257e-478e-80ea-81beaf8661cf&pd_rd_i=B09CZKKG8K&psc=1&ref_=pd_basp_bia_rpt_ba_s_2_sc

It's breathable and designed to be used outside for months. £15 because it doesn't have the word 'Astro' on it! 😄

I'll second that opinion.  I bought one of these a few months ago and so far it's doing the job nicely - mount on a pier though, the scope stays indoors. 
I always bring the cover indoors when I take it off and leave it positioned so that any dampness inside can dry off.  We'll so how it lasts the winter though...

Michael

[cajen2]

I just use mine for star parties, etc. 100% waterproof and fits my scope exactly.

[Mr Spock]

On 21/10/2022 at 15:02, Carbon Brush said:

They also have limited life,

Don't know about that. I have a 100W bulb in my workshop that's been in there over 20 years 

[Louis D]

I haven't found a grill cover that lasts more than a season or two under our hot Texas sun, hail, high winds, deluging rain, ice storms, etc.  I just bought a 100% heavy gauge stainless steel grill so I don't need to worry about covering it.  As such, I would never leave any astro equipment outdoors here under any soft cover all season long.  Perhaps at a star party during the day, but that's it.