has anyone tried rainex

[Paduan (Brett)]

hi i like most are having a large problem with dew accumulation, i own a 8" SCT and the secondary mirror seems to collect dew like a sponge. has anyone out there tried any of these products designed to stop dew forming. they are mainly used on bathroom mirrors or the interior of car windscreens so they are ok on glass. i have used it on my bathroom mirror and it does not seem to distort the image. i understand that this is not magnified 300x. i am trying to avoid spending hundreds more dollars on heaters
cheers Brett

[xstream (John)]

I wouldn't even think/contemplate it, I think you probably mean the corrector plate. If it has a coating which most Meade and Celestron do you'll probably end up destroying it.

Do yourself a favour and save your pennies for a dew shield or dew strap system.

[Ric]

Don't do it Brett, you don't want those chemicals anywhere near your mirrors.

I made myself a dew shield with some thick camping rubber, cost me a total of $10.

It's over 4 years old now and still working a treat. I've never had a dew problem yet.

Cheers

[gbeal]

Brett,
agree with the others, forget Rainex, It is great for what it was intended, but that didn't extend to optics.
There is no reason dew control should or needs to cost "hundreds" either.
There are a few articles in the archives or maybe the Projects pages, detailing DIY dew systems. Ultimately though, there is no getting around the fact that you will need some form of dew control, I do, and it is just a fact of life.
Gary

[Paduan (Brett)]

i have not done it as i was unsure of the materials of the optics. it was only an idea that i had whilst cleaning out the garage. i thought that i might be bad which i why i asked the question . i guess that i will have to buy a heater and make a dew shield

[AdrianF (Adrian)]

Tried Rainex on a cheap $10 eyepiece and killed it.
Keep it away from Telescopes.....


Adrian