Dinodoc328
member
Reged: 06/06/08
Posts: 51
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When is the correct time to place the dew shield on a CPC 1100, at the onset of the cooling down period outside or after this period of time but before dew formation actually begins?
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Jason B
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/21/04
Posts: 2069
Loc: Mid-Michigan
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I usually put them on at the beginning of the session. It may slow cooling slightly but it definetly slows the dew down even more.
Jason
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Jason
Discovery 12.5" F5 PDHQ
GSO 6" F5 Newt.
Vixen 80mm F8 APO (FL80S)
Vixen GP and Astro-Tech Voyager Mounts
MX 716 and Canon Rebel XT
Volunteer Administrator for Fox Park Observatory
16" and 12" LX200's
10" Meade and Parks Dobs
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Grouptele
super member
Reged: 08/11/07
Posts: 171
Loc: Qcy, IL
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At session's start. Note that the dew shield also will keep stray light and [lots of] dust from reaching the corrector, as well as serving as a small counter-weight for balancing the OTA.
Victor.
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C8-XLT, G5, AT66
EQ-G
Starshoot color CCD
Canon XS, unmod
SPC900NC webcam
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alienux
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/17/08
Posts: 673
Loc: Dayton, Ohio
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I usually set my OTA outside to cool awhile before I go out to observe, and then I put the dew shield on when I actually go out to observe right after attaching the OTA to the mount.
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Brian
Orion SkyView Pro 127mm EQ Mak
Meade 60mm Push-To TeleStar
Phillips SPC900NC
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Sirquack
super member
Reged: 05/03/08
Posts: 141
Loc: Iowa
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I take the mount out first and level it with the incorporated bubble level, then attach the OTA and Dew Sheild, then go back inside while it gets used to the outside temps, then go back out and enjoy.
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CPC 1100 XLT
8" DIY DOB
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rmollise
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/06/07
Posts: 1558
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Quote:
When is the correct time to place the dew shield on a CPC 1100, at the onset of the cooling down period outside or after this period of time but before dew formation actually begins?
As soon as you remove the aperture cover.
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Uncle Rod
Watch for Rod's New Book:
Choosing and Using the New CATs--coming soon!
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w orchid
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/23/07
Posts: 662
Loc: Tampa, Fl
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I'm with Rod. That's when I attach the dew shield.
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Celestron C8 orange tube circa 1982
Stellarvue SV102ED
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doug76
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/05/07
Posts: 2554
Loc: SE Louisiana
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And so do I.
Doug
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Matthew Ota
super member
Reged: 04/30/05
Posts: 197
Loc: New Hampshire
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Yup, I put mine on as soon as the cover comes off...
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Matthew Ota
10 inch Meade LX250GPS SCT (LX50/LX200GPS clone) f6.3-Orion 80ED, ETX-90 OTA, Coronado Helios 1 H-alpha Solar Telescope
Cassini Huygens Saturn Observation Campaign
New Hampshire Astronomical Society
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NorthCoast
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/05/04
Posts: 2195
Loc: Westerville, Ohio, U.S.A.
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Me too! Sometimes - when I feel dangerous - I even put it on just before I remove the aperture cover... 
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Mark
Hold the "Alt Key" and type 248 on the number pad for °
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Dinodoc328
member
Reged: 06/06/08
Posts: 51
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Wow!!!! I just used a plain Astrozap dew shield for the first time on my CPC 1100 up here in The Berkshires in Massachusetts...outside temp was about 65-70 and it felt moist. I applied the shield immediately when I took the scope outside and allowed a 90 minute cool down period but then noticed dew on the OTA and finder scope and therefore chickened out after 40 minutes of viewing. There was fog on the corrector plate which had not yet dewed.
I obviously need a heated system. Astrozap is the only one I am aware of with a built in heated strip...am I correct and is this adequate? Is Astrozap's dual channel controller a good choice or is Kendrick's standard, premier or Digifire 7 or 10 a better choice? I have a Denk II binoviewer and I guess I need heater strips for the eyepieces as well as 2 strips for the finder scope...total of 4 plus the main heated Astrozap?
I think a good combo would be the Astrozap heated dew shield with 4 heater strips (Astrozap or Kendrick) with the Kendrick Digifire 10 controller since it has the temperature sensing controller.
I'm a newbie so all input is welcome.
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Midnight Dan
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/23/08
Posts: 556
Loc: Brockport, NY
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If you already have the Astrozap unheated shield, no need to buy a heated one. Just use a heater strip along with the shield. From posts I've seen here, the Dew-Not strips seem to be a good combination of high quality and reasonable price.
The DewBuster controller seems to be the controller of choice. Unlike other controllers which just provide metered power to the strips, this one actually has two temperature sensors to control the power flow. One measures the telescope temperature and the other measures air temp. The dial on it sets how many degrees you want the telescope to be above air temp. This allows it to use much less battery power, and eliminates fiddling with the controls all night long to keep the dew off.
I just purchased my Dew-nots (one for corrector, one for eyepiece, one for Telrad), and DewBuster but have not had a chance to use them yet.
-Dan
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Scopes: Celestron NexStar 8, Orion EON 72mm ED/APO on Astroview mount (EQ3)
Eyepieces: Celestron 40mm, 25mm, Baader Hyperion 13mm, 8mm, 5mm
Other: Telrad, 2x Barlow, 0.63x Focal Reducer, Dew-not strips, DewBuster controller
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