Dew Shield/Heaters

[BenM]

Hello,

I was after some help finding a decent dew shield/heater for my Celestron 8SE. As last night i found its a pretty important bit of kit that you need if you intend on being out for any length of time at night. Ive tried looking online at a few stores with no luck at all. Is anyone able to give me some advice on what to buy and from where in there experience cause i've had absolutely no luck. I live in Sydney but happy to order from where ever in Aus.

Thanking you in Advance
-Ben.

[pluto]

I bought this: http://www.bintel.com.au/Accessories/Dew-Control/Controllers/Kendrick-Micro-Firelite-Controller/741/productview.aspx
And this: http://www.bintel.com.au/Accessories/Dew-Control/Heaters/Kendrick-FireFly-Heater-4-/802/productview.aspx
from Bintel in Sydney. Apparently if you're going to be somewhere REALLY cold then you might need the better straps though.
If you're in Sydney pop in to Bintel and they'll advise you on what you need, they helped me a lot. :)

[Allan_L]

Hi Ben,
Basically, for a SCT like you own, you will need a dew shield and a dew heater strap (probably with a controller).

The dew shield you can make yourself, there are plans on this site for how to make several varieties. I did one from a foam exercise mat, cut to size, and velcro down the ends to seal.

But even with a shield, you will eventually need a heater strap for the corrector plate.
You can buy ones that do not need a controller, or you can buy the controller ones and run several at the same time (finder / eyepieces / etc).
There are even DIY heater straps you can make if you search here.

Or you can buy a combined dew shield with heater built in.

Bintel sell them for the Celestron range (among others). I agree with Hugh, they will see you right.

al

[BenM]

Thanks for the response guys thats a major help!

[rogerco]

If you are considering a dew shield with the heater strap built in, consider any bars you might have fitted to the tube. The dew shield may have a cut out for one bar but if you have a bar top and bottom like I fitted the dew shield will not go round without cutting a notch in the side, problem is that is where the heater strip is. Get a separate heater strip and then make the dew shield (out of plastic). You can use a 12volt Pulse Width Modulator control (PWM) to control the temperature they can be brought much cheaper than the full blown Dew controllers.

[mithrandir]

The dew shields with built in heaters have to be compatible with the dovetails you are using. If you have to modify the shield to fit the dovetail you'll probably cut the heater wires.

[Allan_L]

Yep.
Thats why you go to Bintel, and tell them what scope it is for, and buy the one designed for the 8SE.