Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
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Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
With several new-moon clear nights forecast this week, I thought it would be a good idea to clear the snow off the dome.
That turned out to be harder than it looked. Not only is the top of the dome impossible to reach, but the recent cycle of storms started with an ice storm, so the base layer was frozen solid. I managed to chip away enough snow and ice to rotate the dome, with manual assistance. (The rotation motor was trying, but I had to haul the dome around by hand to keep it moving.) That allowed my to reach all azimuths of the dome from the front deck. I paid extra attention to the shutter track, clearing as much of the snow and ice as possible from it.
So the final step was to try the shutter. It has a very powerful geared DC motor, so I was optimistic that it could break the remaining ice free. Nope! The motor is indeed powerful, though: the aircraft-grade stainless steel cable snapped! I guess the ice was stronger.
So, with no way to open the shutter until I can do repairs, the observatory is out of commission for a while.
That turned out to be harder than it looked. Not only is the top of the dome impossible to reach, but the recent cycle of storms started with an ice storm, so the base layer was frozen solid. I managed to chip away enough snow and ice to rotate the dome, with manual assistance. (The rotation motor was trying, but I had to haul the dome around by hand to keep it moving.) That allowed my to reach all azimuths of the dome from the front deck. I paid extra attention to the shutter track, clearing as much of the snow and ice as possible from it.
So the final step was to try the shutter. It has a very powerful geared DC motor, so I was optimistic that it could break the remaining ice free. Nope! The motor is indeed powerful, though: the aircraft-grade stainless steel cable snapped! I guess the ice was stronger.
So, with no way to open the shutter until I can do repairs, the observatory is out of commission for a while.
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
Ugh that's a bitter pill to swallow.
There is no way to warm things up to melt the ice and snow?
There is no way to warm things up to melt the ice and snow?
Tom
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
Very annoying and disappointing; sorry that happened, Kathy. Foiled again by water - as clouds or as ice, it has its own way.
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
Ah thats a bummer , but another lesson learnt I suppose. Everything will be a bit more fragile in the cold as well. Might be time to snuggle up with a book. I've never had to live with those extremes. Good luck . Phill
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
For fast snow removal.
Last edited by Refractordude on Tue Jan 21, 2020 10:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- UlteriorModem
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
How did I know it involved a flame thrower before I even clicked the link
Tom
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
Bummer! I wonder if it is possible to install some sort of heating elements to defrost the dome as needed.
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
We are supposed to have a thaw on the weekend. If I help it out with a portable heater, it might melt the ice.
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
Shame Kathy. When I read the title though, I was thinking something serious!
You certainly have an impressive setup under that snow. Beautiful, beautiful location!
Jim
You certainly have an impressive setup under that snow. Beautiful, beautiful location!
Jim
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
Wow, that's cool! It looks like a giant "Shave Ice" you'd get out here on the islands.
I hope it clears easily enough so you don't get a coronary!
Cheers,
JT
I hope it clears easily enough so you don't get a coronary!
Cheers,
JT
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
Bummer.
=============================================================================
I drink tea, I read books, I look at stars when I'm not cursing clouds. It's what I do.
=============================================================================
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I drink tea, I read books, I look at stars when I'm not cursing clouds. It's what I do.
=============================================================================
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
I used bolt cutters to clip a section of the broken cable as a sample. I think they have cable like that in Home Depot. I'll go have a look this afternoon.
While I was out there, I checked for damage at the attachment points for the cable, the pulleys, and the motor. All are fine. Who knew that the weakest link in that system would be aircraft grade stainless steel cable?
While I was out there, I checked for damage at the attachment points for the cable, the pulleys, and the motor. All are fine. Who knew that the weakest link in that system would be aircraft grade stainless steel cable?
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
That is unfortunate, Kathy. I'm glad it sounds like it won't have you out of commission too long!
Bob
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
Did the cable break or the swage fittings? Typically they fail at the fittings.
Tom
Current Equipment:
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Scope: 130mm f7 APO
Cam: ASI071mc-pro
Current Equipment:
Mount: Celestron CGX-L
Scope: 130mm f7 APO
Cam: ASI071mc-pro
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
It was the cable that broke, right at the winch. I would have expected the clamp that holds the end of the cable would have let go first, but no it was the cable itself. I just got back from buying some replacement cable. The rated strength is 95 lbs, so it's not ultra-strong. Probably just as well that it will fail before the HDPE of the dome structure itself. That would be expensive.UlteriorModem wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2020 6:36 pm Did the cable break or the swage fittings? Typically they fail at the fittings.
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
Think of it as sort of a fuse to protect the other pieces
Hope you get back up and running soon.
Hope you get back up and running soon.
Tom
Current Equipment:
Mount: Celestron CGX-L
Scope: 130mm f7 APO
Cam: ASI071mc-pro
Current Equipment:
Mount: Celestron CGX-L
Scope: 130mm f7 APO
Cam: ASI071mc-pro
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
I don't plan to repeat the exercise, but if it does happen again, I hope the cable fails the same direction. It broke at the winch, so the free end whipped towards the base of the shutter, away from my computer desk. If it were to break at the shutter end, the free end would whip towards me. Hopefully, the tension vector would take it high enough to clear my head, but...UlteriorModem wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2020 8:56 pm Think of it as sort of a fuse to protect the other pieces
Hope you get back up and running soon.
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
I'll bet you nearly pooped your breeches and jumped a foot when that happened!
Tom
Current Equipment:
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Scope: 130mm f7 APO
Cam: ASI071mc-pro
Current Equipment:
Mount: Celestron CGX-L
Scope: 130mm f7 APO
Cam: ASI071mc-pro
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
Too busy! I heard the motor starting to strain, so I was moving the mouse to the emergency stop button when It let go. It all happened too fast for anything else.UlteriorModem wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:15 pm I'll bet you nearly pooped your breeches and jumped a foot when that happened!
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
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Re: Drat, there goes my imaging for a while!
Maybe you should wear safety glasses
Tom
Current Equipment:
Mount: Celestron CGX-L
Scope: 130mm f7 APO
Cam: ASI071mc-pro
Current Equipment:
Mount: Celestron CGX-L
Scope: 130mm f7 APO
Cam: ASI071mc-pro
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