jriechel
member
Reged: 02/16/09
Posts: 35
Loc: Snohomish, WA
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Reading so many recommendations on thorough temp equalization is causing me to consider a cat cooler. I hesitate though at the thought of the potential of blowing in contaminants and causing a bigger problem in the long run than a slight temperature differential.
Are these things a good deal? Is the filter in them good enough, and if so, is there a life expectancy on them?
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CPC 1100
Denk S1 Powerswitch
JMI EV1
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mclewis1
Thread Killer
Reged: 02/25/06
Posts: 3946
Loc: New Brunswick, Canada
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Yes they work very well, no there aren't issues with contamination they use a simple foam filter.
They are also very easy to make at home (and save something like $100), you use PVC plumbing pipes and fittings and a small 50-60mm fan.
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Mark
C11, C6, APM/TMB115, and AT80ED - Tandem mount CGE and CG-5A, WO EZ-Touch and AT Voyager
25x100s and 8x56s, T-Mount Light, Mark 1 eyeballs - Modded 350D, DSI-P, SPC900, Mallincam
Just because you can doesn't necessarily mean that you should
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jriechel
member
Reged: 02/16/09
Posts: 35
Loc: Snohomish, WA
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Do you know a diy link to one?
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CPC 1100
Denk S1 Powerswitch
JMI EV1
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aglaaluk
member
Reged: 07/28/09
Posts: 99
Loc: Rio Rancho, NM, (U.S.A.)
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If you can make one great, but I just bought the Lymax cooler and so far it has mad a big difference.
I also had the same hesitation, it was completely unfounded. I have seen no contamination issues and the views have steadied considerably.
Very cool item. 
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Jeff
CPC 1100
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b1gred
Enginerd
Reged: 04/01/04
Posts: 15711
Loc: Castle Rock, CO 6677' MSL
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Mine has worked well for several years. I recently "enhanced" it by drilling 4 more "nozzles" in the end of the tube. I found that with the 4 existing ones, there was a lot of "back pressure" and reducing (with more vent holes) increased the air-flow. I don't know (yet) if it's going to make a large operational difference, but I like the idea of higher flow volume.
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"Dark Skies & Great Viewing"
RandyR / W0RDR
GPS 9.25 XLT/Sky Align /FeatherTouch
TV85 w/FeatherTouch
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Psyire
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 06/24/07
Posts: 979
Loc: 55* North
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That's a good idea Randy.. I think I'm going to do the same.
Oh and for the OP, I do use a Cat Cooler and it works great. (Lymax)
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Celestron CPC 1100 XLT, Sky-Watcher Equinox 80ED
TV 31T5-Nagler, 8&13mm-Ethos
EarthWin Binoviewers w/ 24mm Panoptics
Elusive Photons.com
Edited by Psyire (11/06/09 06:08 PM)
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mclewis1
Thread Killer
Reged: 02/25/06
Posts: 3946
Loc: New Brunswick, Canada
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Quote:
Do you know a diy link to one?
http://members.tripod.com/tom_shaull/toms_scope_cooler.htm
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Mark
C11, C6, APM/TMB115, and AT80ED - Tandem mount CGE and CG-5A, WO EZ-Touch and AT Voyager
25x100s and 8x56s, T-Mount Light, Mark 1 eyeballs - Modded 350D, DSI-P, SPC900, Mallincam
Just because you can doesn't necessarily mean that you should
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arowana
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/02/06
Posts: 2900
Loc: Pleasant View,Tennessee
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I used a Cosmic One Cat Cooler for years on my
C-11's/Nexstar 11's/cpc 1100's.
One of the best purchases I ever made.
The Cat Cooler works well.
And I never changed the filter on mine.
I took it out every now and then and cleaned it. But never replaced it.
Over the years, I did notice a little dust debris on the flocking material as well as the optics. But it was very little. Nothing like a Dobsonian Mirror.
I would still be using mine today if I had not installed internal fan's on my CPC 1100.
CS's
Joey
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CPC 1100
Earthwin Binoviewer with Dielectric P/F Switch
Matched Pair of 24 Pan's
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jriechel
member
Reged: 02/16/09
Posts: 35
Loc: Snohomish, WA
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That sounds interesting! Can you give some specifics on your internal fans?
Jeff
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CPC 1100
Denk S1 Powerswitch
JMI EV1
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Lunatiki
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/07/05
Posts: 1848
Loc: Amarillo, TX
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The Lymax Cat cooler is the best money on an accessory I ever spent
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Mars Watch
All images taken with:
Celestron CPC 1100
DBK 21AF04.AS
K3ccd/Registax4/PSP8/Maxim DL IP
ALPO Member #4287
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arowana
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/02/06
Posts: 2900
Loc: Pleasant View,Tennessee
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Quote:
That sounds interesting! Can you give some specifics on your internal fans?
Jeff
Read through this thread I started about the fans.
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/3395852/page/1/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1
I am writing up a new thread that includes the whole process. I will post it here soon.
CS's
Joey
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CPC 1100
Earthwin Binoviewer with Dielectric P/F Switch
Matched Pair of 24 Pan's
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Doug Culbertson
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/06/05
Posts: 1348
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Quote:
Quote:
That sounds interesting! Can you give some specifics on your internal fans?
Jeff
Read through this thread I started about the fans.
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/3395852/page/1/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1
I am writing up a new thread that includes the whole process. I will post it here soon.
CS's
Joey
Your fans look terrific! But, for those of us that lack the stones to disassemble our OTAs, cut into the rear cell, etc., is the Lymax Cat Cooler a decent alternative?
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Doug
Midway, FL
NS11GPS/Feathertouch/Starizona Virtual View
100ED/Giro II
Some eyepieces and a barlow
1 Thermacell®
Life's too short to drink cheap beer
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 8279
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
That sounds interesting! Can you give some specifics on your internal fans?
Jeff
Read through this thread I started about the fans.
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/3395852/page/1/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1
I am writing up a new thread that includes the whole process. I will post it here soon.
CS's
Joey
Your fans look terrific! But, for those of us that lack the stones to disassemble our OTAs, cut into the rear cell, etc., is the Lymax Cat Cooler a decent alternative?
Yes, it is a good alternative, although every once in a great while, there may be periods during the night as conditions change where the scope may end up being slightly out of thermal equilibrium with the environment (might have to put it back in for a few minutes, although this tends to be rare). I have the Lymax model and it cuts my cool-down time under cold conditions from over an hour down to 20 to 30 minutes or less depending on the outside temperature. I generally start my setup with the cat-cooler on first as I get all my stuff out and assembled, so part of the cool-down time is not wasted just sitting there. Once cool, I usually don't have to put the cooler back in. Clear skies to you.
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
Prairie Astronomy Club
http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
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Doug Culbertson
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/06/05
Posts: 1348
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Thank you David! Since it gets much colder up there than it does here, I think that the Lymax cooler will suit me just fine.
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Doug
Midway, FL
NS11GPS/Feathertouch/Starizona Virtual View
100ED/Giro II
Some eyepieces and a barlow
1 Thermacell®
Life's too short to drink cheap beer
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astrovienna
super member
Reged: 12/04/06
Posts: 131
Loc: Vienna, VA
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I got a Lymax for my CPC1100 a couple months ago, and I think it makes for noticeably better images of Jupiter. One warning - pay attention to dew levels! I put my cooler in one night recently and went away for a couple hours. When you're imaging, you need the scope to stay at ambient, which was dropping rapidly that night. Unfortunately, the dew point was changing too, and by the time I came back there was dew all over the scope - and condensation inside the OTA! I had to blow a hair dryer/dew gun into the baffle tube for about twenty minutes to clear this. So much for imaging that night!
Kevin
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The Hole in the Trees Skybox
CPC1100 on a Milburn wedge
C8 Phoenix (1985 Super C8+ remounted on a Nexstar GPS fork)
Meade DSI II Pro
DMK 21AU04.AS
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arowana
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/02/06
Posts: 2900
Loc: Pleasant View,Tennessee
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
That sounds interesting! Can you give some specifics on your internal fans?
Jeff
Read through this thread I started about the fans.
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/3395852/page/1/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1
I am writing up a new thread that includes the whole process. I will post it here soon.
CS's
Joey
Your fans look terrific! But, for those of us that lack the stones to disassemble our OTAs, cut into the rear cell, etc., is the Lymax Cat Cooler a decent alternative?
As David posted above, the Cat Cooler works well. And for most of us, it would be the only thing you will ever need.
I just wanted something I could use without removing my viewing equipment if and when the air inside the tube became unstable through the night.
For this, the fans are perfect.
CS's
Joey
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CPC 1100
Earthwin Binoviewer with Dielectric P/F Switch
Matched Pair of 24 Pan's
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boblakewood
super member
Reged: 04/26/06
Posts: 184
Loc: Vlg of Lakewood IL
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Yes, it is a good alternative, although every once in a great while, there may be periods during the night as conditions change where the scope may end up being slightly out of thermal equilibrium with the environment (might have to put it back in for a few minutes, although this tends to be rare). I have the Lymax model and it cuts my cool-down time under cold conditions from over an hour down to 20 to 30 minutes or less depending on the outside temperature. I generally start my setup with the cat-cooler on first as I get all my stuff out and assembled, so part of the cool-down time is not wasted just sitting there. Once cool, I usually don't have to put the cooler back in. Clear skies to you.
David, have you ever had problems with moisture? I live in Northern Illinois (Chicago burbs) and would expect our climates to be similiar.
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CPC1100
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 8279
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Quote:
Yes, it is a good alternative, although every once in a great while, there may be periods during the night as conditions change where the scope may end up being slightly out of thermal equilibrium with the environment (might have to put it back in for a few minutes, although this tends to be rare). I have the Lymax model and it cuts my cool-down time under cold conditions from over an hour down to 20 to 30 minutes or less depending on the outside temperature. I generally start my setup with the cat-cooler on first as I get all my stuff out and assembled, so part of the cool-down time is not wasted just sitting there. Once cool, I usually don't have to put the cooler back in. Clear skies to you.
David, have you ever had problems with moisture? I live in Northern Illinois (Chicago burbs) and would expect our climates to be similiar.
No, but I keep a close eye on the dew levels. If it is getting pretty heavy (requiring the use of my dew-buster gun for example), I don't bother with re-inserting the cat-cooler, at least for any extended period of time. Clear skies to you.
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
Prairie Astronomy Club
http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
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