Mount under a waterproof cover

[bhavdhillon]

Is it safe to leave mount outside under a waterproof cover?
Something like this: https://www.ikea.com/au/en/p/tosteroe-cover-for-barbecue-black-00292329/

[blink138]

i am sure many people do, i had done for a couple of years and no harm was done
pat

[Stonius]

It may depend on your local relative humidity. Some places are more prone to corrosion and mold.



Cheers


Markus

[bhavdhillon]

I am based in Sydney

[Merlin66]

My HEQ5pro mount stays out in all conditions.
Uses a patio chair cover from Bunnings.
No issues so far.

[TrevorW]

Ensure cover has both UV and water resistance also pack some foam around mount head as insulation for those hot summer days IMO

[bhavdhillon]

Planning to use a similar cover.

[bhavdhillon]

Good advice

[Startrek]

I leave my scope outside for 1 to 2 weeks at a time and have been doing this for +3 years
I use an Orion scope cloak ( not cheap but my scope has no signs of rust , mildew , mould etc... )
2 Locations, Sydney and South Coast NSW

[Hemi]

I left my mount and scope under a telegizmo 365 for several yrs, up in Darwin!

The cover finally leaked, and caused some problems with the OTA. No trouble before the leak however.

Cheers

hemi

[MortonH]

In Sydney's humidity you'll eventually have issues if you leave it outside permanently. If the convenience of leaving it outside is worth more than this then go for it. Or go with Startrek's comment of only having it outside for a week or two at a time.

[Merlin66]

Guys,
I think you're under estimating the capabilities of the SW mounts.


Down here on the Bellarine, 100 mtr from the Bay we get our fair share of wet and windy conditions -plenty of sea spray at times.


The mount has been out in these conditions for over five years now, with no technical failures.
Any comments on actual "failures" from similar users????

[PeterM]

+1 for Telegizmos 365. I had one of my 12inch LX200s (ota & mount) on the balcony at Gold Coast under a Telegizmos 365 cover for 3 years. No issues through big storms, very heavy rain, driving winds and steaming hot days. They are not cheap but then neither is your telescope.... http://www.telegizmos.com/

[Sunfish]

The electrics in my Heq5 need cleaning up if I leave it out over night for a few days covered with a large hard plastic bucket. The humidity and constant salt air means here means it will not connect at the crucial moment so I need to clean and fiddle . The mounts should have rubber plugs like a camera st4. Quicker to just leave the tripod or pier set up with marks and carry the mount head out .

I have one of those Bunnings chair covers on my outdoor seat. It really is pretty heavy duty coated material. I might get one just to fit the tripod.

[Merlin66]

Ray,
I assume you mean the connections ports on the mount?
I have been known to apply Vaseline to a "dummy" connector and leave that in the mount ports.....

[Sunfish]

Sounds like a good idea if that works. Or buy some port plugs with shrouds and leave those in.

[Hisanori]

I leave my EQ8 (a mount & tripod only no OTA) in backyard wrapped with a layers of Bunning heavy duty tarp. Inside the tarp, to cut out the moisture from the ground, the mount head is wrapped with a large trade grade plastic bag and sealed with stretchable packing films (when you put back the bag after observation make sure the mount head is dry;)). Tripod legs are also wrapped with the film after spraying WD40 to protect from rusting. I did the same for NEQ6 for the last 3 years (the mount & tripod stayed like new) :)

[Merlin66]

No problems with rust on the stainless steel SW legs....but the powder coating (??) on the feet rots away!
(I did put it on my "To do" list to clean up and re-paint the feet - about six years ago!!!)