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Started my Observatory

paul11

By paul11
in DIY Observatories

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paul11

paul11

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That is exactly my main reason for an obs. Setup and pack up time. Now it takes me an hour to set everything up on the patio (incl alignment) and about 30 min to pack up. I have to go in and out about 5 or 6 times each time with all the gear I have by now.

But have to by a house first... :-/

That was the same for me, it was about an hour to setup including getting focused and ready to image. On more than one occasion after all that I have looked up to see the clouds arriving and twice it has started to rain on me and all the gear. No more of that thank you,,,,Paul.

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red dwalf

red dwalf

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fantastic image of Orion Paul, very impressed, i can`t wait to get mine up and running although it will more than likely be begining of summer before i can get started on the footings for the base due to the cold and wet weather now upon us,

just for the record, what scopes do you image with, i`m looking out for a smallish imaging scope to get me started down the dark side

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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Hi Paul

Awesome observatory! Has been an interesting read and love the pics. Not to be a kill joy but you have to by law have armored cable outside and it has to be properly earthed. Reason being for what ever reason it may be. If someone was to go through the T&E and get a shock you would have hard times ahead. There are above ground armored cables so you need not worry about having to dig a 2 ft trench down to the work shop. Cable size is also determined by the run length as well as loads. Recommended supply for a garage/workshop is 30amp with 4mm T&E Armored which can be easily junction-ed at the observatory. I'm no electrician but I had do do a LOT of research into this to run my 250amp mig in my workshop. Although not the same kind of power on your part it is still the same principle of running electricity through what can be considered loosely as a "public area". These days if someone was to try and break into your obsy with a saw fell and went through the T&E you would be the one doing time. I heard a story a guy had an allotment that kept being broken into so he put up barbed wire. 2 weeks later he was up in front of the judge because a vandal cut himself on the barbed wire while trying to vandalize the allotment. Hindsight is something we don't posses but wish we had.

Your certainly are a master of your trade Paul this is an obsy to be envious of. Lucky your a chippy by trade as I bet there's a fortune in ply alone.

Superb job :):icon_salut:

SPACEBOY

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astroimpulse

astroimpulse

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I mentioned this earlier in the thread but Paul will likely rip it all out when/if he moves so as long as he doesn't go digging in the area he should be ok :)

But you're right in everything you say. Worth mentioning for safety sake. :p

If you're supplying power to an area attached to your house it is regarded as the same zone but if it's separate it needs armoured cable and a separate CU!

I will be doing this on mine as it'll be quite a far way from the house. And the warm room will have a hungry electric heater. But by law you should tell the council. But I personally hate that nanny side of things. I do a better job than any of the pros have in this house. Some of the work I had to rip out was shocking beyond belief. Don't grass on me please :eek::)

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paul11

paul11

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Hi Paul

Awesome observatory! Has been an interesting read and love the pics. Not to be a kill joy but you have to by law have armored cable outside and it has to be properly earthed. Reason being for what ever reason it may be. If someone was to go through the T&E and get a shock you would have hard times ahead. There are above ground armored cables so you need not worry about having to dig a 2 ft trench down to the work shop. Cable size is also determined by the run length as well as loads. Recommended supply for a garage/workshop is 30amp with 4mm T&E Armored which can be easily junction-ed at the observatory. I'm no electrician but I had do do a LOT of research into this to run my 250amp mig in my workshop. Although not the same kind of power on your part it is still the same principle of running electricity through what can be considered loosely as a "public area". These days if someone was to try and break into your obsy with a saw fell and went through the T&E you would be the one doing time. I heard a story a guy had an allotment that kept being broken into so he put up barbed wire. 2 weeks later he was up in front of the judge because a vandal cut himself on the barbed wire while trying to vandalize the allotment. Hindsight is something we don't posses but wish we had.

Your certainly are a master of your trade Paul this is an obsy to be envious of. Lucky your a chippy by trade as I bet there's a fortune in ply alone.

Superb job :):icon_salut:

SPACEBOY

Thanks a lot you make a very good point here, when the better weather gets here in the new year I will take your advice and protect the wire,,, Paul.

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paul11

paul11

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fantastic image of Orion Paul, very impressed, i can`t wait to get mine up and running although it will more than likely be begining of summer before i can get started on the footings for the base due to the cold and wet weather now upon us,

just for the record, what scopes do you image with, i`m looking out for a smallish imaging scope to get me started down the dark side

You won’t regret building an obsy, let me know when you start it by PM and if you need any help you only have to ask. What kind of obsy are you going to build, ROR or Dome, flat roof or pitched etc? For imaging I am using a home made 200mm newt and Canon lenses, the Horsehead was taken with a 300mm lens. I also have a 120 WO for imaging and an 80mm Equinox for guiding.

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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I will be doing this on mine as it'll be quite a far way from the house. And the warm room will have a hungry electric heater. But by law you should tell the council. But I personally hate that nanny side of things. I do a better job than any of the pros have in this house. Some of the work I had to rip out was shocking beyond belief. Don't grass on me please :D;)

No intentions grassing on anyone Astro! Just making sure Paul is aware of the implications involved when it comes to the outdoors and electricity.

The council need not be told about everything that goes on as you wouldn't be allowed to do anything otherwise but you have to make sure you don't land your self in the s**t if the worst case scenario was to come about. Paul's neighbors don't sound the best and if a ball was to come over the fence... are they the sort to come around to knock on the door and say please sir / or are they the sort to commando over the fence to grab it ? Like I said before hindsight. It's no good saying afterwords if only. You need to try and cover any inevitability.

Just offering helping advice but it's up to Paul or anyone else to decide if they want to take it. I took my precautions because if anyone was to go through 16mm T&E they wouldn't need to worry about being buried :) but I have friends who are electricians so I always have help if I needed it.

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astroimpulse

astroimpulse

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I agree...and I was agreeing with you in my post.

I've stuck a spade through live cable before! Luckily the wooden handle was my savior but the spade was melted about and inch around the contact within milliseconds. Looked like a science fiction laser had hit it.

Always the offer of safety advice is to be embraced. :)

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astroimpulse

astroimpulse

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Does the armour have to be inside the cable? Or would it be ok to, say, run the cable in a hose pipe that has a metal mesh layer? (assuming that would work out cheaper...)

By law it has to be armored cable.

I'll be running my armored cable down a pvc pipe just to make life easier...for me. When I remove it it can just be pulled out or extra can be fed through.

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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I think it's a bit more to it than just wrapping a bit of protection around the outside of cable. The armored layer of steel acts as an earth. The more steel/earthing the quicker the power is absorbed and the less likely your going to look like MJ on speed :)

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darkly

darkly

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I think it's a bit more to it than just wrapping a bit of protection around the outside of cable. The armored layer of steel acts as an earth. The more steel/earthing the quicker the power is absorbed and the less likely your going to look like MJ on speed :D

"the less likely your going to look like MJ on speed" :p:D:headbang:

The armour should be tied in to the earth at both ends of the SWA.

The SWA should still be 3 core though, Live Neutral and Earth (for this 240v application). Please don't hook up L&N and then use the SWA as the only earth to save time / money / hassle :) - I have seen it done, lots of times. (I've done similar using shielding and armour for extra data paths never power though).:(

Don't use those crappy plastic glands either, get the proper brass ones with earthing washers etc, I know they're a right pain, but, they grip the SWA outer and really work. Also, once you've done your first one the whole affair just gets easier.

Also, don't forget the correct IP rating for the gear / application, pointless having a nice safe cable into a box that fills with water and goes live at the first hint of dampness.

RCD protection, the list is endless

Good luck. ;)

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