8 replies to this topic

[gatehealing]

I have a Pegasus pocket power box advance, which has 2 pwm hook ups for dew heaters (they look like rca connectors) but the dew heaters I got are usb. I may not need all 4 USB ports on the Pegasus, but I’d like to have them available as I grow my rig.

 

I cannot find any heaters on Amazon that use this pwm type connector. Y’all have suggestions?

thx! 
jon

[Linwood]

Try any of the astro online retailers -- agena astro, mile high, telescopes.net, astronomics (sponsor here), etc. 

 

RCA is the de facto standard for hobby astro dew heaters.

 

USB seems more for camera (i.e. terrestrial camera) users.

[gatehealing]

Thanks Linwood,

 

these go on the dew shield end of the scope and guide scope, right? I see some mentioning measuring eyepiece circumference. I’ll mostly be imaging with zwo asi cameras and I don’t know if I need one on the tubes between cameras and scopes.

 

thanks for the help,

jon

[t-ara-fan]

Thanks Linwood,

 

these go on the dew shield end of the scope and guide scope, right? I see some mentioning measuring eyepiece circumference. I’ll mostly be imaging with zwo asi cameras and I don’t know if I need one on the tubes between cameras and scopes.

 

thanks for the help,

jon

If you are doing AP you just need one for the main scope and one for the guide scope.   Those who like to see faint fuzzy things also put one on the eyepiece. 

 

Companies that make dew heaters aka dew strips include AstroZap, Kendrick, and Primaluce. 

Edited by t-ara-fan, 03 March 2021 - 01:25 AM.

[Linwood]

If you are doing AP you just need one for the main scope and one for the guide scope.   Those who like to see faint fuzzy things also put one on the eyepiece. 

 

Companies that make dew heaters aka dew strips include AstroZap, Kendrick, and Primaluce. 

I think it also depends a bit on weather.  Here everything not heated is soaked, I'm almost always at 100% RH by midnight, and on my C11 I have a pretty long (maybe 3-4") metal adapter from the OTA to the OAG, FW then camera.  I've got a small dew strip around it either to keep it from getting soaked, not because it affects the optics, but I was afraid the water might get into/past the threads.

 

To the OP though... you do not want things HOT.  Indeed, you want the temperature just barely warm enough to detect with your hand; the idea is to get the dew-sensitive areas just a degree or two above ambient. 

[gatehealing]

I think it also depends a bit on weather.  Here everything not heated is soaked, I'm almost always at 100% RH by midnight, and on my C11 I have a pretty long (maybe 3-4") metal adapter from the OTA to the OAG, FW then camera.  I've got a small dew strip around it either to keep it from getting soaked, not because it affects the optics, but I was afraid the water might get into/past the threads.

 

To the OP though... you do not want things HOT.  Indeed, you want the temperature just barely warm enough to detect with your hand; the idea is to get the dew-sensitive areas just a degree or two above ambient. 

Ah! That's good to know. I have an attachment that plugs into the Pegasus that reads conditions. Is there a particular strip that will adapt it's temp to what the conditions detected are?
 

[Linwood]

Ah! That's good to know. I have an attachment that plugs into the Pegasus that reads conditions. Is there a particular strip that will adapt it's temp to what the conditions detected are?
 

The pegasus is what adapts, it will throttle back or up based on the relative humidity.  The strips are just pure resistance heat, there's no "smarts" in them, the smarts is in the controller.

 

Other than the from aperture, I would hold off on dew strips on other parts to see where you have a problem and react accordingly.

[gatehealing]

The pegasus is what adapts, it will throttle back or up based on the relative humidity.  The strips are just pure resistance heat, there's no "smarts" in them, the smarts is in the controller.

 

Other than the from aperture, I would hold off on dew strips on other parts to see where you have a problem and react accordingly.

Perfect. Thanks!

Jon

[TareqPhoto]

I bought three dew heaters all with dew heater pwm port or connector, and i even bought two more cables, one is from 12v DC to 2 pwm and another one from one pwm to two pwm [Y splitting both cables], so in this case i will never worry if i grow with gear later, i am thinking about buying more dew heaters, and i will always make sure they are not USB connectors.

 

You can buy a USB hub also, but i like the Pegasus can control the dew heater, i didn't try to control more than two yet, but i try to control the ones with imaging scope and not try with heater on guide scope, maybe later if i will have many optics i might buy only a dew heater controller so i can control more dew heaters separately.