Dew bands and shields question

[04Stefan07]

Ordered some Dew equipment which arrived today.

I got a controller and a 5" heater band but now I am a littleeeee confused on the most appropriate setup to do. See below for combinations.
- 5" heater band + shield (band on top of the shield or underneath???)
- Or should I have just bought one of these??
http://www.bintel.com.au/Accessories/Dew-Control/Dewcaps/Kendrick-ZapCap-140mm--C5/ETX125-/827/productview.aspx

I sort of pre-ordered a shield and just realised now I may have made a boo-boo. One of those situations where it clicks to you once you get the stuff :lol:.

This is obviously for a Maksutov OTA.

I have been searching all online and could not find any thread asking this question!

Probably a stupid question anyway...

[04Stefan07]

Might as well change it.

[glend]

If you bought the shield from Bintel then read the info provided on the website as I think it has enough slack to allow a heater band to be inserted under the shield (and against the objective carrier). Either of the shields Bintel sells should work, one (as you linked) has a heater band built in, and the other does not have a band but does have a rubber strap which can be replaced with a separate heater band. I think your probably ok as ordered but ring them if it concerns you.

[Allan_L]

I have had the smaller (SE4) Mak, as well as bigger CPC (SCTs).
I have used both the separate heater band and shield, and the combined astro zap cap.

Personally I preferred the separate units. Allows a bit better flexibility.
But the Astro cap is convenient.

And no it (placement) is not so dumb a question as I wondered this myself initially.

The heater band goes (fuzzy side out) close to the corrector plate.
If the shield covers it, so much the better, otherwise it is OK to have it just up snug against it. (as I used to have it on mine).
To increase the efficiency of the heater strap, I also had a narrow strip of foam rubber (like pilates mat made from) to cover it, velcroed at the end, like a belt, and that covered the gap between heater belt and shield

[04Stefan07]

Great advice guys.

Just having a think what would my best option be.

I could always get the Zap Cap and sell the 5" band I got.

[Steffen]

I'm reluctant to heating the corrector plate (or meniscus in Maks) directly. I usually wrap the heater strap around the dew shield from the outside, a couple of centimetres in front of the meniscus. This keeps the dew away and avoids a constant heat flow (and thus temperature gradient) through the meniscus.

Cheers
Steffen.

[04Stefan07]

Thanks Steffen.

I have decided to do the shield and band separately :).

[04Stefan07]

My Dew Shield came today!!

Just to be sure I made a diagram on how it goes together, if someone could help that would be great.

Black - OTA
Red - Heater Band
Blue - Dew Shield

This Kendrick dew cap says to apply the foam that comes with it. So I put my heater band right on the edge where the glass sits so do I put my shield just behind that as seen in the image?