Leaving AP rig outside for extended periods

[Startrek (Martin)]

I’ve just packed away my AP rig in Sydney as I’m heading south to my retirement getaway after Boxing Day to spend the holiday period with my kids and grandkids and hopefully some imaging in the Dome. For those beginners who think that mounts have to be brought inside every night or every couple of nights ( unless for security reasons ) my 3 year old Skywatcher EQ6-R mount has been outside since early April this year ( 8 months ) just with an Orion scope cloak over it ( Velcro strapped at the bottom of the tripod legs )
It has no signs of rust or deterioration at all, even the zinc plated cover screws have no rust marks. I used the mount last week and it performed really well after lying dormant for months.
Leaving the mount outside has many advantages, the main one being set up time for mount, tripod and scope , cabling and polar alignment.
Obviously I bring my Laptop and imaging camera inside, guide camera stays outside in the guide scope.
I also ensure all screws , bolts etc on the mount and tripod are lubricated with Lithium grease / WD 40.
The mirrors in my newt were in excellent condition too, no mould , no dead bugs , moths etc...
So in essence it’s a semi permanent set up
When I first started AP I use to disassemble and reassemble , re cable, re polar align each session , it use to drive me crazy !!!
Obviously if you live in really hot humid climates like northern QLD then leaving your mount outside for 8 months may be an issue ??

Just thought I’d share my experiences with leaving my Rig outside for extended periods of time without any issue at all

Cheers

[leon]

Martin if the rig is well covered as you say, and protected from the elements there is no reason that it wouldn't be Ok for extended times.

It sure dose save a lot of time.

Leon

[fsphotography (Frank)]

Martin,my AZEQ6-GT has lived outside covered up on a stand for more than three years without suffering any obvious deterioration. The only problem i experienced was when i went to use it one day for solar observation it went haywire,i soon discovered that a colony of very small black ants had set up home in the hand piece. After a good clean it works as per normal. The hand piece now lives indoors. However i draw the line at leaving my TSA102 outside,however well covered up.



Frank.

[Outcast (Carlton)]

Originally Posted by Startrek

Obviously if you live in really hot humid climates like northern QLD then leaving your mount outside for 8 months may be an issue ??

I'm so glad you said this...

I have to keep an very close eye on my scopes & eyepieces for mould formation up here in FNQ even though they all live inside in a well ventilated (fan running all the time) room on a well ventilated rack with desiccant placed in all the right places.

If I left a mount outside overnight I suspect I would awake to rusty everything in pretty much one or two nights..

The tropical climate is brutal on everything..

[Wilsil (Wilco)]

I only bring it in when the forecast has heavy winds and rain, otherwise it is outside ready to go under a cover from AstroShop.

[Drac0 (Mark)]

I just wish I had somewhere I could setup even for a few days at a time...

[toc (Tim)]

Just make sure you ensure the mount is either tethered or weighed down. My rig blew over a few months ago causing significant damage to the mount.