How do you maintain and protect your mount/tripod if you leave it overnight/s outside? Would be plastic cover enough?
Are you using WD40 for legs or some oil for rust protection?
Any thoughts? Thanks
How do you maintain and protect your mount/tripod if you leave it overnight/s outside? Would be plastic cover enough?
Are you using WD40 for legs or some oil for rust protection?
Any thoughts? Thanks
If I have to leave it out a couple of nights I put old rags on it and got a motorbike cover from ebay for $40 or there about that I put on top. It has a fabric backing and it's waterproof.
Covered at night and leave it in the sun during the day so it doesn't keep condensation on it.
I reckon as long as you keep it as dry as possible to start with you'll have no problems with corrosion.
I made up some covers out of insulation material which is about eighth of an inch foam "rubber" doubled it up so both sides are the foil side out. Stuck together with insulation tape.
I have tried many things including a beach umbrella over various covers but this is the best by far mainly because during the heat of the day your gear does not get cooked. That was when things were outside but I still put on these covers even though the gear in now housed in an observatory.
And I recently purchased a small windscreen fan/heater that runs on 12 volts that was to manage dew until my dew strip arrives hopefully tomorrow, or the one after that...it worked to manage the dew ok but after I put the foil cover over, which is tent like, I left the little heater fan running to reduce the moisture on the gear..From Auto Barn $45 ..The insulation stuff is at Bunnings and $50 buys heaps of it..I may make a cover for the scope and camera to keep dew off while in opperation.
Alex
Neville,
I've been leaving my HEQ5pro mount outside all the time, for the past ten years. Winter, Summer, rain or shine.....
It's protected by three layers: An old towel, a black garbage bag and a "PolyTuf" Patio chair cover (Bunnings).
The PolyTuf usually lasts about three years before it starts to crack and disintegrate (hence the black garbage bag)
No issues with the drives or other electronics, but you have to occasionally clean the ports and connectors.
The paint and stainless steel legs seem to handle the weather OK, but the powder coating on the feet...well that deteriorated and came off a few years ago. I did mean to re-paint them, but never got round to it.
Thank you gentlemen, good ideas.
I am thinking to mark points for tripod on terrace to ease polar alignment, when mount will be indoors (it is on JMI dolly, medium size), maybe with non slip white self edhesive strips or triangles.
I can see some smart innovations on photos (guess it is for autoguiding camera).
Thanks for advice!
Neville,
I think your looking at the SW motor I set-up to allow adjustment of the SM60 front etalon. For Ha solar observing.
I only basically do solar observing, with this set-up (or the occasional grating spectroscopy)
Permanent marks are the way to go. You'll see I have small "caps" on the deck to register the tripod feet.
Internal condensation is the big enemy, both that which occurs under the outer water proof cover you put over it, and that which forms on internal parts during nightly cooling cycles and daytime heating. Damp towels under water proof covers do not dry out, but just trap moisture on and inside the mount. Good Stainless steel is fairly immune to moisture cycles but, many so called (Chinese) stainless parts are not rust resistant for long. the internal parts are not stainless at all. My CGX sits in my observatory continuously, but I quickly realised it was a condensation magnet each morning. The solution, used for four years now, was a reflective foil insulation shroud I made for it, and the placement of a low (25W) wattage incandescent light bulb on the counterweight bar under the shroud. I use one of the decorative bulbs which produce very little orange filament light but which are good heat producers. The bulb runs on a 24 hour timer, it's purpose is to just maintain slight mount heating, and to create a chimney air affect inside the shroud (which has a small opening at the top. This design creates a convection current of warm air rising through the shroud, with cool air entering through the bottom. This air flow prevents condensation, even when winter humidity levels at night here by the water can get to 95%. Yes it helps that this setup is inside the closed observatory, and the observatory is built off the ground on posts with a raised floor to provide ventilation..
I used a similiar design on my Dobs for many years. Many Dob owners have been using low wattage bulbs to keep mirrors clear of condensation for years.
Hi Neven, Bags and a cut up BBQ protector works for me
A Rubber car strap can hold it all together.
Especially if you have a pier
(BTW your dob turned out nicely) ... see images below
Hi Neven, Bags and a cut up BBQ protector works for me
A Rubber car strap can hold it all together.
Especially if you have a pier
(BTW your dob turned out nicely) ... see images below
Wow, that's only I can say. Beautiful!.
Thanks for tip.
Cheers Neven
Probably I will set up tripod on my big terrace (13m long) and mark where tripod is aligned (cannot see Polaris Australis :-( but YT gave me some procedures) and during rainy days move it inside (got JMI dolly recently), and use protection you guys suggested :-)
Many thanks for good ideas.
