Dew heater advice please ?

[cosmic dave]

I have never been down this road before but my 120 frac is very prone to dew, my question is would one dew band suffice for the finder-scope or do they need two ? or do people not bother with heaters for finder-scopes ?

Any advice would be great...

[cosmic dave]

Thanks pat, I have had to pack the scope away loads of times at meets because of the dew I am looking at options to control the problem..

[cosmic dave]

Cool, will look into that...

[Daz Type-R]

Dave, on my dob I have a RACI finder and I origanally just bought a dew band for the "front" end, i.e, the other end to the ep. This was great, until 2 hrs later the ep end dewed up, being a RACI it points upwards.

So for my finder I have 2, a 2" one for the front and a 0.965" one for the ep end - works a treat now - no dew.

[cosmic dave]

Mmmm so that's gona be four bands then...

[Daz Type-R]

I have a total of 5 (or will have by the time I am finished) all running off a 4 port kendrick dew controller and a 38A/H Baz battery.

[catman161]

So for my finder I have 2, a 2" one for the front and a 0.965" one for the ep end - works a treat now - no dew.

Hey Darren,

I want to get dew heaters for my RACI and 200P could you advise what you are getting/got and where from etc please? I see the sizes you have put of the tapes but where did you source them?

[Daz Type-R]

Felix.

I sourced all my dew stuff from Altair Astro, I have got.....

Kendrick 4 port 2 channel dew controller - controls the lot - wired up to a 38A/H baz battery - http://www.altairastro.com/product.php?productid=16152&cat=243&page=1

Kendrick premium 2" dew heater band - for the EP - http://www.altairastro.com/product.php?productid=16273&cat=243&page=1

Kendrick firefly 2" dew heater band - for the front of the finder - http://www.altairastro.com/product.php?productid=16173&cat=243&page=1

Kendrick firefly 0.965" heater band - for the ep of the finder - http://www.altairastro.com/product.php?productid=16173&cat=243&page=1

Kendrick firefly Telrad heater - heats the Telrad - http://www.altairastro.com/product.php?productid=16175&cat=0&page=1

It is all a bit pricey - but I have never had to cut an observing session short yet with this lot - even when other people with dew stuff have!

[catman161]

Awesome thanks Darren

[Daz Type-R]

FYI - we cant get secondary heaters for the 200P, I`m making my own (with Martyn's help) as I am pants at electrical stuff!

[Guest Steve]

I can recommend Dew it Yourself kits. http://www.dewityourself.co.uk/the-kits.html

The main one works well on the C9.25 and I've just got a binocular set to put around my eye-piece.

If you've got a soldering iron you'll get a warm glow from dewing it yourself!

(Gosh darn, should have gone into advertising after all)