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mewmartigan
member
Reged: 07/02/08
Posts: 77
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Hi All,
I am leaving my Atlas EQ-G outside under a Telegizmos 365 cover to avoid constant polar alignment and moving of the mount. Now that Southern Maryland is getting 65 degree days and 40 degree nights, the dew is getting bad. I took the cover off today and there was definitely some dew on the equipment, my question is how to stop it!?
I know there are some that put a light bulb under the cover and I am planning on getting the little stick heater (like a fish tank one) from scopestuff. Will this actually work? Since the cover goes over the Atlas and the tripod, I tighten it around where the mount meets the tripod. So if the heater is hanging from the tripod spreader, will this actually keep the dew off since the bottom of the cover, around the tripod legs, is not cinched down? Unfortunately it is also on my deck outside, so the cold weather can come "up the skirt" in-between the wood.
Sorry for the long post... I am trying to see if the heater will work in my situation or if I have to store the Telegizmo away for the future and set my scope up every night 
Thanks!
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Marcus
Orion XX12
8" LX200R
ST80 guidescope
Atlas EQ-G w/EQMOD
Canon XSi unmodded
Astronomik CLS clip-in filter
Meade DSI Pro
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WarrenS
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 03/04/08
Posts: 892
Loc: Orange County New York
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Hi Marcus, I too am using a Telegizmo cover over my Atlas mount. I don't use a lightbulb or other source of heat, but I wrap a large towel over the mount and this has keep moisture off the mount for the past year and a half. Someone at High Point Scientific where I bought the cover gave me the suggestion. I also put a heavy duty plastic bag over the towel and under the Telegizmo cover because the first 2" rainstorm did seem to penetrate the 365 cover! My mount is on a pedestal so I can cinch it closed, but I usually don't. FWIW
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Warren
Astro-Tech 127EDT
Celestron Onyx 80ED
Astro-Tech Field Flattener
C8 (circa 1983 Orange Tube)
Atlas EQ-G, Orion SSAG
Canon 135mm F2.8
Canon 40D, Astronomik CLS clip filter
Leica, Minolta binos
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mewmartigan
member
Reged: 07/02/08
Posts: 77
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Hi Warren,
Thank you for the reply. I actually had a towel draped over the top of the mount and when I took it off this morning the towel was damp. If the towel is going to get damp, then I don't think I want it securely wrapped around the scope because then it would seem to start holding moisture in.
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Marcus
Orion XX12
8" LX200R
ST80 guidescope
Atlas EQ-G w/EQMOD
Canon XSi unmodded
Astronomik CLS clip-in filter
Meade DSI Pro
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Luigi
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/03/07
Posts: 4933
Loc: MA
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It's best to support the cover by some means so it doesn't contact the scope and allows dew on the inside of the cover to run down the insided. You might do this with dowels, a makeshift wire frame, or put a plastic container over the scope under the cover.
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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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Darenwh
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/11/06
Posts: 1219
Loc: Covington, GA
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Get a string of christmass lights (traditional, not LED) and wrap them around the mount. They will generate enough heat to keep the covered mount from dewing up. Since they will be under the cover they will be fully sheilded and not contribute to LP.  The problem isn't so much just the dew forming on the inside of the cover, but also the dew forming on the mount itself. You need to create heat to keep the mount dew free.
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Daren
Covington, GA
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mewmartigan
member
Reged: 07/02/08
Posts: 77
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Daren,
Would this work better than hanging the "fish tank heater look-alike" rod from Scopestuff on the tripod spreader?
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Marcus
Orion XX12
8" LX200R
ST80 guidescope
Atlas EQ-G w/EQMOD
Canon XSi unmodded
Astronomik CLS clip-in filter
Meade DSI Pro
|
Gargoyle
super member
Reged: 03/13/08
Posts: 135
Loc: Long Island, New York
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Hey Marcus,
I've got the same problem with dew-condensation. I looked at the dew heater rod thing on ScopeStuff and it looks like it will work with one exception. It should not be used for temps over 80F. Well, my LX200 is mounted on a pier, in direct sunlight with a Telegizmos 365 cover. Even with a light colored cover, I'll bet it would get a bit toasty under there even on a January afternoon and would not be surprised if it pushes past 80F.
I was thinking then that perhaps if I powered it through a timer (off at 9:00 AM, on at 9:00 PM or so), then this could work. What do you think?
Jerry
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Meade 8" f/10 LX90 GPS
Meade 10" LX200-R on permanent pier
MoonLite CS 2" Focuser
ETX-125 PE
StellarVue SV80ED(Blue)and F50M2 Finder Scope
DSI ProII
DSI III
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Billydee
super member
Reged: 01/23/08
Posts: 184
Loc: Winter Haven, FL
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Non-LED night lights. The type you plug into the bathroom wall socket. You can get 3 watt or 6 watt bulbs. They have an electric eye that turns them on at dark and off in the morning with proper placement. Just enough heat to keep the dew at bay. The other problem is rain and then heat from the sun that makes the steam rise.
Bill
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mewmartigan
member
Reged: 07/02/08
Posts: 77
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Bill,
The nightlight idea seems good but if the nightlight is underneath the cover keeping things warm, won't it be on all the time?
Gargoyle,
Do you think it would hit 80 degrees under there on a 30 degree day, even with the sun? If so, I may have the same problem. Would the timer help create more dew? With the heater going on and off and causing temp swings underneath the cover?
Also, I would have to power it from an outdoor outlet; one with a plastic box cover over it. Do they make timers small enough to fit in the weather proof box?
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Marcus
Orion XX12
8" LX200R
ST80 guidescope
Atlas EQ-G w/EQMOD
Canon XSi unmodded
Astronomik CLS clip-in filter
Meade DSI Pro
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Darenwh
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/11/06
Posts: 1219
Loc: Covington, GA
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Sorry, just got back to this thread. You would just need to insure that the sensor is exposed to light. If the cover doesn't go all the way to the ground you could probably get away with pointing it down towards the ground out from under the cover as the grouns would likely have enough reflection to cause the eye to turn off. The timer option is also a good one and they do make them for outdoors for christmass use now. It could stay under the wrap also. I don't know about the scope stuff heater, it may work well also when combined with a timer. I would call them to get their input.
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Daren
Covington, GA
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