Dew Heater System -Done, up & running

[ballaratdragons]

Yippeeeeee. :cool:

I went into Ballarat today with my budget of $27 (all I had), and spent about 45 mins at Dork Smiths.
I came out with all the gear I needed to build my Heater and Fan control system . . . with change!!!! :eyepop:

Yep, the whole lot only cost me $24!!!!

I spent the next 2 hours building it.

I am no electronics person, and this was complicated. But I nutted it out with a bit of common sense, and all works perfectly.
Oh, and Gary will be pleased to know I built a Fuse into it :thumbsup:

It is outside right now on the scope running the 2 heater strips I made. :)

Its cold & dewy out there and no dew on the lenses yet :):):)
Thanks to everyone that assisted with info to help me :thumbsup:



1. The bits I bought today.
2. My wiring job :P
3. The control box mounted
4. All wired up :thumbsup:

[Orion]

Looks very professional Ken:thumbsup:

[Omaroo]

So, "I can't do this sort of stuff Ken"....you've done OK. :thumbsup:

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks Ed. I try to make things look 'bought' not home-made. It gives me more pride in my work.

Pity I can't make my backyard as neat :lol:



:P Touché

Yep Chris, all the technical jargon lost me: Amps, Thermoelectric thingies, Wave Modulators, etc.
But when it came to the crunch, I just wired it the way I think it should work.

I made sure all the bits I bought were rated at 4 amps coz the power supply I'm using is 3.5 amps.

I have just been outside to check it again. Everything is wet except the lenses :)
and they aren't too hot, coz when I feel the heater straps I can hardly feel any warmth at all.

Oh, and the scopes are pointing at Zenith!!!

[h0ughy]

well done Ken - I cant do that sort of thing. Your a natural!!

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks Houghy, I didn't think I could either!!! :doh:

[ballaratdragons]

I just did a wierd test. :lol:

The Observatory is covered in dew, the scopes are covered in dew, so I breathed on the lenses of both the ED80 and the guidescope!!!

The breath fog evaporated immediately!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I felt the heater strips and I can barely feel anything at all. The heater strips must only be the required 1 or 2 degrees above ambient!

What a fluke :eyepop:

[erick]

Well done Ken! It's not textbook, but if it is doing the job, looks neat, and nothing has caught fire yet :eyepop:, then who cares!

[ballaratdragons]

Fire? did someone say Fire? :eyepop:

Nah, all working good thanks Eric :thumbsup:

[ballaratdragons]

Test run finished.
Gear now packed away.

Results - Perfect!!!!

It is midnight, it is currently -1.9c and Ice has formed on the obs and scopes. :cold:

BUT the lenses are clear and dry :cool: :jump2: :party: :jump: :clap: :cool:

I am happy :)

[GTB_an_Owl]

and if you keep jumping up and down like that Ken the dew won't form on YOU either

:lol: :lol: :lol:

well done on the dew heaters

geoff

[Tamtarn]

Well done Ken, no end to your talent. - Looks like a bought one. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[sheeny]

Congratulations Ken! Good stuff! What's are you building next????

Al.

[ballaratdragons]

:shrug: Dunno yet Al.

A larger Observatory would be nice :D

Problem is, I have been spoilt by Astrophotography for too long now, and because my Toucam has all but died, I am spending all these clear nights inside on the Pooter. I only do Visual Astronomy on club nights.

Yeah, I know, 'what a waste of clear nights'. But I feel lost without imaging :sadeyes:

Maybe I could go to Dork Smiths and buy a heap of resistors, capacitors, a project box, some wire and stuff and build my own camera!!! :lol:

[leon]

Ok Ken now that you have built this stuff, and it is working well, go get the lawn mower and get to it. :lol: :lol:
Great work mate, looks very professional indeed. :thumbsup:

Leon :thumbsup:

[gary]

Hi Ken,

Great to hear you are up and going. Apologies for not getting back to you
earlier but I have been on the road and haven't had a chance to check-in and
follow-up, but will follow-up shortly as I work through the back-log of
correspondence.

Best Regards

Gary

[ballaratdragons]

Half done Leon :lol:

Spent a few hours today at it :lol:



No worries Gary. All works well, and safely so far :thumbsup:

[mill]

Well done Ken and i'm still going to make you the box :P
I know this works but you want everything just above ambient and not 1 or 2 degrees over.
Look at it as an present for organising the snake valley camp :P

[cookie8]

Brilliant! Job well done.No fluke.
Where did you get this idea from?
PM sent
Regards

[ballaratdragons]

The idea came from reading other posts, and other sites about how other people made theirs. I just did it my own way coz I couldn't follow lots of other over-complicated technical plans. :lol: