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#1
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Keeping a scope/mount outside...
I'm considering putting up a permanent pier and was thinking about leaving
my mount outside permanently. The big problem is I live in the Northeast where it's cold (sometimes brutal!) in the Winter with snow and freezing rain and hot and muggy in the Summer. I'm worried about the electronics surviving in this weather. Does anyone do this in the Northeast? What do you do to keep the stuff covered (short of building a roll off roof observatory) dry/safe/clean etc.? Thanks, Mike. |
#2
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Keeping a scope/mount outside...
Easy solution to your problem...
Go ahead and build your permanent pier. Take your mount off and leave it in the shelter of your house until you intend to use is. I also live in the Northeast and understand that it would be very convenient if you can cover it and leave it outdoors. You can try, but if the moisture doesn't get to the electronics, the spiders and bugs will. The compartment which houses your electronics sure makes a nice home for a few hundred homeless spiders. Al "Mike Fitterman" wrote in message ... I'm considering putting up a permanent pier and was thinking about leaving my mount outside permanently. The big problem is I live in the Northeast where it's cold (sometimes brutal!) in the Winter with snow and freezing rain and hot and muggy in the Summer. I'm worried about the electronics surviving in this weather. Does anyone do this in the Northeast? What do you do to keep the stuff covered (short of building a roll off roof observatory) dry/safe/clean etc.? Thanks, Mike. |
#3
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Keeping a scope/mount outside...
Easy solution to your problem...
Go ahead and build your permanent pier. Take your mount off and leave it in the shelter of your house until you intend to use is. I also live in the Northeast and understand that it would be very convenient if you can cover it and leave it outdoors. You can try, but if the moisture doesn't get to the electronics, the spiders and bugs will. The compartment which houses your electronics sure makes a nice home for a few hundred homeless spiders. Al "Mike Fitterman" wrote in message ... I'm considering putting up a permanent pier and was thinking about leaving my mount outside permanently. The big problem is I live in the Northeast where it's cold (sometimes brutal!) in the Winter with snow and freezing rain and hot and muggy in the Summer. I'm worried about the electronics surviving in this weather. Does anyone do this in the Northeast? What do you do to keep the stuff covered (short of building a roll off roof observatory) dry/safe/clean etc.? Thanks, Mike. |
#4
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Keeping a scope/mount outside...
On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 22:08:47 GMT, "Al"
wrote: Easy solution to your problem... Go ahead and build your permanent pier. Take your mount off and leave it in the shelter of your house until you intend to use is. I also live in the Northeast and understand that it would be very convenient if you can cover it and leave it outdoors. You can try, but if the moisture doesn't get to the electronics, the spiders and bugs will. The compartment which houses your electronics sure makes a nice home for a few hundred homeless spiders. Al ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ You should try South Florida. A steel pier outside over the summer is rusted by September. The humidity here close to the ocean just loves any ferous material. Even the good Stainless Steel will rust near the ocean. james "Mike Fitterman" wrote in message .. . I'm considering putting up a permanent pier and was thinking about leaving my mount outside permanently. The big problem is I live in the Northeast where it's cold (sometimes brutal!) in the Winter with snow and freezing rain and hot and muggy in the Summer. I'm worried about the electronics surviving in this weather. Does anyone do this in the Northeast? What do you do to keep the stuff covered (short of building a roll off roof observatory) dry/safe/clean etc.? Thanks, Mike. |
#5
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Keeping a scope/mount outside...
On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 22:08:47 GMT, "Al"
wrote: Easy solution to your problem... Go ahead and build your permanent pier. Take your mount off and leave it in the shelter of your house until you intend to use is. I also live in the Northeast and understand that it would be very convenient if you can cover it and leave it outdoors. You can try, but if the moisture doesn't get to the electronics, the spiders and bugs will. The compartment which houses your electronics sure makes a nice home for a few hundred homeless spiders. Al ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ You should try South Florida. A steel pier outside over the summer is rusted by September. The humidity here close to the ocean just loves any ferous material. Even the good Stainless Steel will rust near the ocean. james "Mike Fitterman" wrote in message .. . I'm considering putting up a permanent pier and was thinking about leaving my mount outside permanently. The big problem is I live in the Northeast where it's cold (sometimes brutal!) in the Winter with snow and freezing rain and hot and muggy in the Summer. I'm worried about the electronics surviving in this weather. Does anyone do this in the Northeast? What do you do to keep the stuff covered (short of building a roll off roof observatory) dry/safe/clean etc.? Thanks, Mike. |
#6
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Keeping a scope/mount outside...
"Mike Fitterman" wrote in message ...
What do you do to keep the stuff covered (short of building a roll off roof observatory) dry/safe/clean etc.? Thanks, Mike. I keep two old equatorial mountings permanently under lightweight tarpaulins out on the lawn. We get down to -20C here occasionally. There are no electronics out there day and night. Only the fixed synchronous drive motors. Common steel rusts quickly but I am changing (too slowly) to stainless steel. Which appears to be quite unaffected depite constant exposure over two years now. We are about ten miles from the sea from the prevailing wind direction. My power supply drive box & paddle go into a secure unheated workshop to avoid condensation when brought in and out of use. As do the OTAs to avoid cooldown delays. My main practical problem is the external drive worms rusting slowly over time. Despite attempts to combat this with grease and oil. I am considering an oil bath and felt wick for the RA worm which is the most affected. The house being on the southern border of the garden makes an observatory at ground level a waste of time. So I use a massive semi-permanent pier for the 6" refractor and a slightly more mobile (though still heavy) one for a smaller 90mm Vixen. For when interesting objects hide behind the house. The smaller mounting can carry the 6" with a quick change of mounting rings. Though not with the same level of stability. The ease & speed with which a telescope can be brought into action, by simply being dropped into the rings, is a priceless advantage. It reduces the mental resistance to going out to observe. Which must occur when a complete mounting has to be dragged out. Set up, aligned, the OTA brought out and then the long wait for cooldown. If you can manage an observatory of any kind I'd still recommend it. For the shelter and security it gives to you and your equipment. Then you can leave the OTA(s) in place too if the building is really secure. Once your polar alignment is perfectly tweaked you are ready for anything. Every time the sky clears. Chris.B http://mysite.freeserve.com/fullersc...k4/index.jhtml http://mysite.freeserve.com/fullersc...k3/index.jhtml |
#7
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Keeping a scope/mount outside...
"Mike Fitterman" wrote in message ...
What do you do to keep the stuff covered (short of building a roll off roof observatory) dry/safe/clean etc.? Thanks, Mike. I keep two old equatorial mountings permanently under lightweight tarpaulins out on the lawn. We get down to -20C here occasionally. There are no electronics out there day and night. Only the fixed synchronous drive motors. Common steel rusts quickly but I am changing (too slowly) to stainless steel. Which appears to be quite unaffected depite constant exposure over two years now. We are about ten miles from the sea from the prevailing wind direction. My power supply drive box & paddle go into a secure unheated workshop to avoid condensation when brought in and out of use. As do the OTAs to avoid cooldown delays. My main practical problem is the external drive worms rusting slowly over time. Despite attempts to combat this with grease and oil. I am considering an oil bath and felt wick for the RA worm which is the most affected. The house being on the southern border of the garden makes an observatory at ground level a waste of time. So I use a massive semi-permanent pier for the 6" refractor and a slightly more mobile (though still heavy) one for a smaller 90mm Vixen. For when interesting objects hide behind the house. The smaller mounting can carry the 6" with a quick change of mounting rings. Though not with the same level of stability. The ease & speed with which a telescope can be brought into action, by simply being dropped into the rings, is a priceless advantage. It reduces the mental resistance to going out to observe. Which must occur when a complete mounting has to be dragged out. Set up, aligned, the OTA brought out and then the long wait for cooldown. If you can manage an observatory of any kind I'd still recommend it. For the shelter and security it gives to you and your equipment. Then you can leave the OTA(s) in place too if the building is really secure. Once your polar alignment is perfectly tweaked you are ready for anything. Every time the sky clears. Chris.B http://mysite.freeserve.com/fullersc...k4/index.jhtml http://mysite.freeserve.com/fullersc...k3/index.jhtml |
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