Buhlig
super member
Reged: 12/03/07
Posts: 192
Loc: Derby, KS
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I've seen some mention here and there about the temperature and humidity in observatories and various methods of tackling both. What is the concensus on leaving electronics, particularily computer, DSLR and guidecams out in an obs? Are there certain times of the year when it would be detrimental? Summer worse than winter or vice versa? My instinct tells me that heat is harder on electronics than cold. Hot/humid seems the worse of both worlds. It's not clear to me what cold humidity means to electronics though. Frequently, we get temps in the 40's and humidity in the 90's on the same day. Is this bad too?
Thanks,
Sean
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Celestron 80mm ED Apochromatic Refractor
Orion 8" Newt
Celestron 80ST achro (guider)
PHD via handcontroller interface
CG-5 Advanced GT Mount
Canon 350D
Philips SPC900NC
http://www.flickr.com/photos/derbysluggers/sets/72157605255114566/
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rodney
Vendor - Explora Dome
Reged: 03/08/05
Posts: 809
Loc: Asbury, NJ
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Sean,
I leave everything in my observatory less the DSLR. That usually is traveling with me. Other than that for almost 3 years now everything is kept in the obs. To be honest, heat has its problems but I find the cold to be harder on the equipment. The mount, the PC, the cameras. And I am talking below 32 degrees F.
I wanted an obs that I could leave everything in. Otherwise the reasoning behind having the obs is mute!!
Clear skies,
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Explora Dome information can be found here:
www.exploradome.us
Rodney
Meade 10 SCT
AT 8/F4 imaging scope
13 Truss
C8-NGT
Orion 80mm/F11
Canon 300D
Canon XSi
Two AS-GT mounts
Extremely happy Explora Dome home observatory owner
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Fish
sage
Reged: 10/13/07
Posts: 470
Loc: Norridgewock, ME
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Sean,
I live in the Northeast, where it rarely gets hot, hot, hot but can be quite cold; I went down 6 feet for the pier to clear the frost line! Given this I decided to build the observatory insulated such that it can be climate controlled. During the winter when not in use I keep the inside always above freezing, typically in the 40s. At all other times I only worry about moisture and keep the humidity below about 50%.
Personally I believe relative humidity is more important than absolute temperature, especially for the electronics. Powering up a damp circuit board is only asking for trouble. Yes, extreme heat can be hard on enclosed electronics and certain adhesives but that can be alleviated during those periods with adequate air handling.
I also believe that cold weather does little damage to equipment not in use but does stress parts that move if they are asked to do so. That, of course, is true whether you have an observatory or not.
For many, the chief advantage of building an observatory is not having to tear down / set up / polar align (!) every session. Anything you can do to exploit these advantages is a good thing!
Regards, Marc
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Goseck Observatory
Kunming 152 f/5.9 & Baader Wedge
Orion ED80 & LS75FHa2/B1200
Meade 102ED & LS18CaKMDd2
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Scott K
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 1409
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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Humidity is the only problem I've noticed. Out of all the stuff in my observatory, in the past two years, I've had:
- my lcd monitor refuse to start after I'd left it off for a few days because of the humidity. (I brought it in the house for a few hours and it was fine.)
- a couple of computer mice have died.
That's it.
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Buhlig
super member
Reged: 12/03/07
Posts: 192
Loc: Derby, KS
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I agree, definitely want to leave everything setup. Has anyone tried one of these portable ac/heaters link ? I don't have the $$ for a real climate control unit...but this seems it would help
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Celestron 80mm ED Apochromatic Refractor
Orion 8" Newt
Celestron 80ST achro (guider)
PHD via handcontroller interface
CG-5 Advanced GT Mount
Canon 350D
Philips SPC900NC
http://www.flickr.com/photos/derbysluggers/sets/72157605255114566/
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Scott K
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 1409
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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That unit should work fine. I haven't used one personally, but that is the type of thing I'm looking at getting. I toyed with the idea of a ductless mini-split system, but the difficulty of installing such a thing in the round fiberglass walls of my dome gives me pause. A portable unit like that should be very straight-forward to install.
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Mike Clemens
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/26/05
Posts: 4269
Loc: Wasilla, Alaska 61N
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I have used my stuff into negative temps. I leave DSLR out without worrying about them. They are plugged into 120V full time though. I have had computers which would not start until I ran hair dryers into their power supplies. Also, hard disks can be sluggish to turn on it seems. Besides that, no problems. Oh yeah - LCD monitors become useless in the cold.
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Bob Griffiths
Postmaster
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 6580
Loc: Frederick Maryland
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I run a dehumidifer 24/7 most of the year to keep the humidity down... Can;t say it really does anything but I've had no problems with anything inside the OBS...BUT I did have to replace the dehumidifiers motor last summer after only 3 years of use)...
The only precaution I take in the winter is to house my laptop inside a small wooded box which I heat using a 7W Christmas tree light bulb as a heat source... this keeps the screen from freezing and the laptop fires right up
Bob G
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CPC1100
Nexstar 8i + GPS & Rays Brackets
Denk S1 power switch
Orion 100 mm Refractor
Meade LXD 55 ...AR-5 127 mm Refractor
Exploradome Observatory S.I.E. (Smiling Irish Eyes)
Gerbring Heated Motorcycle clothing in the winter
39*21'03" N
77*28'12" W
The sky over my head....
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oldsalt
Astro Philosopher
Reged: 02/12/05
Posts: 8672
Loc: Pa - between starparties
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Best thing to do if possible is leave the electronics powered up, even if only in sleep mode. As for the DSLR, that could be brought in if you are really worried about it.
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There are no winners in war, only bigger losers.
Jim
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Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3855
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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I have had a computer running 24/7 for close to three years in mine. I do -not- leave my scope/mounts out there 24/7, though. I did bring everything inside for Ike. I expected to lose the dome, but it survived.
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Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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Fish
sage
Reged: 10/13/07
Posts: 470
Loc: Norridgewock, ME
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Sean,
That type of AC/Heat/Demudifier is what I use, although not that make/model. Since it is essentially a heat pump I vent it to the outside and pipe the captured water through the floor.
This setup is fine for most of the year but unfortunately does not allow for temperature control below 61 F in any mode, even heating. As this would be a waste during the cold months I use a simple space heater to keep the inside in the 40s as I said earlier.
Once the outside daytime temps stay below freezing humidity is not that much of an issue. That's a good thing since the water being removed would freeze as soon as it hit the outside, plugging the pipe!
Regards, Marc
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Goseck Observatory
Kunming 152 f/5.9 & Baader Wedge
Orion ED80 & LS75FHa2/B1200
Meade 102ED & LS18CaKMDd2
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Danno2006
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/25/06
Posts: 661
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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I keep one of these under the cover of my scope. I lay it across the top "bolt ears" of the G11 gemini panel and under the Telegizmo cover covering the C14.
http://www.scopestuff.com/ss_drd2.htm
Edited by Danno2006 (10/30/09 11:02 PM)
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JAT Observatory
Got Cookies?
Reged: 02/20/05
Posts: 6788
Loc: Eastern PA
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I use a PetCool unit in the OBS to control the humidity in both the summer and winter. The unit also heats and cools, but it doesn't produce a lot of either, just enough to keep the edge off. Since the unit is a closed system it excels as a dehumidifier.
The unit is made for outside installation so it saves space inside.
Only two small holes (about 2 inches) are needed in the wall.
The bottom vent is the return line, which filters the air going into the unit, so clean air is returned back into the OBS.
The unit shown is a couple of years old. I purchased 2 at the intro price which is about $75 to $100 less than the going price now.
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-Marcus
The problem with free speech is even the stupid have a voice.
http://www.jatobservatory.org
Currently a SV102A, WO 66mm & 10" LX200GPS OTA on a Paramount ME
(these OTAs subject to change without notice)
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AlienFirstClass
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/13/09
Posts: 742
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An observation...
A friend left his Anvil cases out in his observatory last winter...and this spring he noticed that many of the plastic coated surfaces were cracked.
Another had several filters and eyepieces cracked from the cold.
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40217
Loc: montana
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I have extremely cold Winter temps; and have all my eyepieces in a Doskocil case, left year round in my Observatory; not to mention 2 telescopes, filters that are just in a plastic box. I've not seen any damage whatsoever. 
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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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rodney
Vendor - Explora Dome
Reged: 03/08/05
Posts: 809
Loc: Asbury, NJ
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I am with Carol. I leave my EP's, imagers the works out in the observatory year round with no problems. Imagers are in their respective boxes. EP's in boxes or case. Everything else is inside wall mounted storage cabinets. As a test a few summers ago I left a not so quality EP with a rubber grip out in the open for one year. The only thing that happened to it was during the summer at some point the rubber grip fell off. Other than that everything has been great.
Clear skies,
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Explora Dome information can be found here:
www.exploradome.us
Rodney
Meade 10 SCT
AT 8/F4 imaging scope
13 Truss
C8-NGT
Orion 80mm/F11
Canon 300D
Canon XSi
Two AS-GT mounts
Extremely happy Explora Dome home observatory owner
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40217
Loc: montana
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It would defeat the purpose of an observatory, if we had to cart everything back & forth.
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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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rodney
Vendor - Explora Dome
Reged: 03/08/05
Posts: 809
Loc: Asbury, NJ
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Quote:
An observation...
A friend left his Anvil cases out in his observatory last winter...and this spring he noticed that many of the plastic coated surfaces were cracked.
Another had several filters and eyepieces cracked from the cold.
Wow, where is your friend located? Cracked filters and EP's, that had to be very cold!
Clear skies,
--------------------
Explora Dome information can be found here:
www.exploradome.us
Rodney
Meade 10 SCT
AT 8/F4 imaging scope
13 Truss
C8-NGT
Orion 80mm/F11
Canon 300D
Canon XSi
Two AS-GT mounts
Extremely happy Explora Dome home observatory owner
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AlienFirstClass
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/13/09
Posts: 742
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Quote:
Quote:
An observation...
A friend left his Anvil cases out in his observatory last winter...and this spring he noticed that many of the plastic coated surfaces were cracked.
Another had several filters and eyepieces cracked from the cold.
Wow, where is your friend located? Cracked filters and EP's, that had to be very cold!
Clear skies,
South Dakota and Minnesota
The equipment was okay in the fall but the damage WAS caused by the cold they had last winter.
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AlienFirstClass
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/13/09
Posts: 742
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I would be concerned for LCD screens in severe cold...the LIQUID crystal componenet can freeze.
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