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I think the 2 main enemies (disregarding theft!) will be moisture and dust, possibly insects as a minor third?
If the diurnal cycle of min/max temps causes condensation, then droplets of water will form and evaporate on the mount’s internals. If you have a built in Polar Alignment Scope (PAS) then you may get fungus growing on the optics. The humid internal environment may also lead to corrosion and perhaps water interacting with greases and oils?
So, I would try to ensure that the mount can breathe; that is, the cover is not a tight fitting plastic bag which would trap moisture. It looks like John has implemented a good solution as there appears to be adequate air flow under his cover allowing moisture to escape, and reducing the potential ingress of dust. In addition, the heat build up in an open system will be less than a closed system as air movement will vent off the excess heat as the temps drop.
Ants and small insects that gain access to the internals of the mount “could” end up in the moving parts; gears, worms etc and this "could" lead to their debris, when crushed by the gear wheels, causing irregular tracking in the precision machined gear train?
Cheers
Dennis
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