Midnight Dan
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/23/08
Posts: 2733
Loc: Brockport, NY
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Since I'm getting tired of being a nightly blood donor, I'm probably going to be getting a Thermacell. I've heard all the rave reports here on CN and that's good enough for me. But I have a question regarding deployment due to a different product I just tried.
Last night, I used some PIC Mosquito Repellent Sticks around my viewing spot. These are basically Citronella punk sticks that smolder and give off a small amount of smoke. There was almost no wind, but still a small amount of air movement. I put one stick in the ground upwind of me but a few minutes later I noticed the smoke wafting away from me. In the end, I used 3 sticks in a triangle around me about 20 feet on a side. This was extremely effective and the only "side effect" was the slight smell of woodsmoke, like a campfire, on my clothes after observing.
I'd like to move to the thermacell since it is completely odorless and is touted to be more effective. It is apparently based on a synthetic Pyrethrin as opposed to Citronella. The question I have is regarding where you put it, what you mount it on, and how effective it is in different wind conditions. Will I need to get several to surround myself like I did with The PIC sticks last night? That could get expensive!
Since the thermacell doesn't give off any visible smoke, how can you be sure where to put it? If I hadn't seen the smoke moving away from me last night, I never would have known which way the air was moving.
-Dan
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Scopes: Celestron NexStar 8SE, Orion EON 72mm ED/APO, Orion ShortTube 80
Mounts: NexStar Alt/Az GoTo, Orion Astroview (EQ3) w/single axis drive
Eyepieces: Baader Hyperion 36mm (Aspheric), 21mm 13mm, 8mm, 5mm;
Other: 2x & 3x Barlow, 0.63x Focal Reducer, Dew-not strips, DewBuster controller, SQM Meter
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GJJim
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/09/06
Posts: 907
Loc: Western CO
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Amazon has quite a few reviews of the Thermacell products. Have you tried the new mosquito repellents that use Picaridin? It works almost as well as DEET but doesn't have that oily feel.
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40133
Loc: montana
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Dan, those pesky bloodsuckers absolutely love me  I have a 10x10 Dobservatory in which I've only used one Thermacell, with wonderful success. I would say, if there's not enough of a breeze to tell which way it's coming from, it really wouldn't matter which direction you place the Thermacell.
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40133
Loc: montana
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I've been noticing a new product that has a small fan, & clips on your belt, etc. Don't know how effective it is; but I'm going to try one, for working around the yard, where I'm moving all the time. This might have possibilities for observing, also.
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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Midnight Dan
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/23/08
Posts: 2733
Loc: Brockport, NY
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I see that the Thermacell has an optional holster that you can use to attach it to a variety of things like your belt, trees, etc. Does anyone use the Thermacell attached to one's self, or do you put it on your observing table, place it on the ground???
-Dan
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Scopes: Celestron NexStar 8SE, Orion EON 72mm ED/APO, Orion ShortTube 80
Mounts: NexStar Alt/Az GoTo, Orion Astroview (EQ3) w/single axis drive
Eyepieces: Baader Hyperion 36mm (Aspheric), 21mm 13mm, 8mm, 5mm;
Other: 2x & 3x Barlow, 0.63x Focal Reducer, Dew-not strips, DewBuster controller, SQM Meter
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40133
Loc: montana
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Dan, I place my Thermacell on the floor of the Observatory.
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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Telescopeman54
Vendor - Trapezium Telescopes & Services, LLC.
Reged: 08/17/07
Posts: 1541
Loc: New Hampshire
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We just place one on the ground under each tripod. Sometimes, we spread them around a larger area for group use. One every 8 - 10 feet of radius is good protection.
Look into the top window of the unit. If there is a small red glow then it is running. If the pad has turned white then it's time for a new pad. You can feel the gentle heat from the unit if you place your hand close to the pad.
CS
Steve
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Stephen Forbes - President
Trapezium Telescopes & Services, LLC
61 Valhalla Farm Road
Hillsboro, NH 03244
Web: http://TrapeziumTelescopes.com
Email: Stephen.Forbes@TrapeziumTelescopes.com
Phone: 1.603.325.0619
6" f/15 Jaegers refractor on GOTO GEM
5.1" f/8 Burgess on CG-5 w/ iOptron GOTONOVA
102mm f/7 refractor on iOptron Mini Tower
1975 Celestron Orange Tube C8 on Equatorial Mini Tower
1978 RV-6 on iOptron Mini Tower
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Al Canarelli
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/06/07
Posts: 2611
Loc: Central New Jersey
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The effectiveness of Thermacell is reduced as wind increases...unfortunately. Usually, I attach a unit to a tripod leg and another to another tripod several feet away. If the breeze picks up much, I usually shut the units down and go back to deet.
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Luigi
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/03/07
Posts: 4927
Loc: MA
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We just got one of the new "OFF" brand repellers with the built in fan. We haven't tested it definitively yet. It uses refills with a indicator that shows when it's used up. I imagine it performs similary to the thermacell except it uses fan instead of heat to disperse the repellant. It uses metofluthrin instead of allethrin used in the Thermacell.
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17.5" f/5 Dob. IM-715 MCT. 120ED. Lunt 60mm Ha.
Zeiss, Leica, Fujinon, Nikon, Pentax, Bushnell bins
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coopman
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/23/06
Posts: 1544
Loc: South Louisiana
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I used my new Thermacell for the first time Saturday night. It worked great, but it was a very still night. I just laid the unit down on the base of my Dob. It has no stock fittings on it that would allow you to hang it from something.
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Regards,
Clay
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Psalms 19:1
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medieval1
super member
Reged: 12/18/08
Posts: 160
Loc: Colorado Springs
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I too just laid it on ground near the tripod. No critter attacks. 
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Jim West
Meade LX200-ACF 8"
Coronado P.S.T
Canon 40D (unmodified)
Meade DSI Pro II w/color filters
Galileoscope
astro.jameswest.com
Lifetime member of Colorado Springs Astronomical Society
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Bob Myler
sage
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 224
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Anyone here ever use the ThermaCELL lantern? It produces more light, but Walmart sells it for about 40% of the cost of the "standard" unit - and it advertises the same coverage.
Edited by Bob Myler (05/25/09 08:12 PM)
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medieval1
super member
Reged: 12/18/08
Posts: 160
Loc: Colorado Springs
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How much light? I'd be worried about dark adaptation.
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Jim West
Meade LX200-ACF 8"
Coronado P.S.T
Canon 40D (unmodified)
Meade DSI Pro II w/color filters
Galileoscope
astro.jameswest.com
Lifetime member of Colorado Springs Astronomical Society
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Bob Myler
sage
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 224
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Don't know...haven't used it yet, but it uses the same butane cartridge and is advertised to last 12 hours - the same as the standard unit.
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Barry C
super member
Reged: 04/15/08
Posts: 215
Loc: North Bend, WA
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I just put it on the ground between my table and tripod. If there is a detectable breeze, I put it upwind. It does take about 15-20 minutes for it to be effective. I used it this weekend without a bite. Nor did others near me get bit either...
Barry
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CPC 1100 XLT
Moonlite Dual Rate Focuser
TV 2" Everbrite Diagonal
31T5, 22T4, 17E, 13E
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DennisF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/03/06
Posts: 1184
Loc: Northern IL
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Quote:
I just put it on the ground between my table and tripod. If there is a detectable breeze, I put it upwind. It does take about 15-20 minutes for it to be effective. I used it this weekend without a bite. Nor did others near me get bit either...
Barry
That pretty much sums up how I use it.
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10" XTi
C6 SE
C8 SE
C8 (late 90's?)
SV80ED
SV102ED
SV M1
Original AYO EzTouch mount
LM Teegul
Gone-ETX 125, C80, ED80SF, PortaMount
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Chris Curran
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 06/14/05
Posts: 827
Loc: Brandon, FL
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Something I like better than the ThermaCell:
http://www.offprotects.com/mosquito-repeller/
Once modified, these things ROCK. I live in Florida - skeeter capital of the world. They're the size of small birds around here in the summer.
Needed modification:
1) Get a can of red engine paint.
2) Remove the clear housing
3) Give it a coat of that red paint
4) Enjoy
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cheers & beers,
Chris
Homepage | Over 40?
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bdjeep
sage
Reged: 01/29/07
Posts: 440
Loc: Bolton, MA
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Quote:
Something I like better than the ThermaCell:
http://www.offprotects.com/mosquito-repeller/
They both use the same ingredient (Allethrin) and in the same quantity. The main difference being the heat delivery method, candle vs. butane.
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40133
Loc: montana
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And, the Thermacell doesn't need additional "light-blocking", as the lantern would.
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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Midnight Dan
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/23/08
Posts: 2733
Loc: Brockport, NY
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OK, I ordered the Thermacell along with the holster and a some refills. I was able to get it on their website in one of their package deals for a bit cheaper than at Wally world. Sounds like the best bet is to just attach it to the leg of my tripod using the holster.
Thanks for all the input!
-Dan
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Scopes: Celestron NexStar 8SE, Orion EON 72mm ED/APO, Orion ShortTube 80
Mounts: NexStar Alt/Az GoTo, Orion Astroview (EQ3) w/single axis drive
Eyepieces: Baader Hyperion 36mm (Aspheric), 21mm 13mm, 8mm, 5mm;
Other: 2x & 3x Barlow, 0.63x Focal Reducer, Dew-not strips, DewBuster controller, SQM Meter
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