Atik Cameras Forum
General => Equipment => Topic started by: Lex on January 20, 2013, 10:16:54 am
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Hi Guys,
I am just asking myself how others are keeping their cameras in their observatories...
Are you simply letting it mounted or do you keep in somewhere warm?
In my cas I let it mounted with a blanked covering the whole setup, this in a shed not heated under ambiant temperatures and low humidity levels ( sometimes condensation on equipment when hot day cold night )
As for the moment it is always cold and cloudy, I am not visiting my equipment every day....
So fellow astrophotographers, tell me how you do it :D
Thanks
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I run a small 50w greenhouse heater mounted on the pier. Just enough heat convection with it all closed up to keep condensation to a minimum though at -11 last week there was a bit of ice on the mount counterweights.
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That's what I tried also,
I also had ice on my whole setup. I read horror stories about short-circuits in the mounts or cameras due to the moisture :o
I just want to avoid that; especially within this awful weather; my roll of roof is terribly covered with snow and no clear night in sight!!!
Thanks
Best
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I cant help thinking it is worse to wrap it all up. At least with it all open any condensation dries up naturally and the 50w tube heater does a pretty good job.
I have had condensation literally dripping off the mount whilst imaging so I think most components are pretty robust.
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I leave an Atik 4000M, a 383L+C and a 16IC in my roll off shed since almost 2 years and never had a problem.
I live in northern Italy and use no heating inside; I only have 2 salt dehumidifier boxes (from a hobby center).
I think the camera should be designed robust enough: when I take picture sometimes the camera and OTAs are really wet!
Best
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I cant help thinking it is worse to wrap it all up. At least with it all open any condensation dries up naturally and the 50w tube heater does a pretty good job.
I have had condensation literally dripping off the mount whilst imaging so I think most components are pretty robust.
Hi Chris,
thanks again for your reply; as you said; i also already had "dropping wet" equipment; and I think that it "should" handle it. I simply want my equipment to last as long as possible.
I leave an Atik 4000M, a 383L+C and a 16IC in my roll off shed since almost 2 years and never had a problem.
I live in northern Italy and use no heating inside; I only have 2 salt dehumidifier boxes (from a hobby center).
I think the camera should be designed robust enough: when I take picture sometimes the camera and OTAs are really wet!
Best
Hi pf_fin;
thanks also for your reply!! As I see I am not the only one handling my stuff this way; this calms me a bit ;D
What about salt dehumidifiers; do they kick moisture significantly?
Guys; thanks for your comments; always a pleasure to hear how others handle stuff 8)
Cheers
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Hi Lex,
the 2 salt dehumidifier boxes (1kg of salt each box) I put inside of my roll off shed reduce the relative humidity of some point % (of course when my shed is closed).
That's enough for me: when the shed is closed I almost never have condensation on any metallic part.
Cheers
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LOL,
I would buy a 1000 of them if they would work with the roof open ;)
No jokes aside, I will give it a try and see the result!
Thanks