Just finished my Heater ctrl Box
- man1
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Just finished my Heater ctrl Box
I have build a Dew Heater control box for my new XT10i. I have 3 channels, #1 will be for the tel rad, eyepiece, red dot and the 9x50 finder scope. #2 will be for the edge of my Dew Shield and the secondary mirror. #3 will be at my primary. All is powered by a bench lab power supply. Since I don't travel with my setup I have a dedicated 12VDC line run to the scope from the house.
I haven't wired the heating elements themselves yet... since I have to measure the XT10i tube first. The wattage will be very specific for each location that needs heat. I purchased some fireproof material made from lava rock and all together will go into a Velcro sleeve that attaches to wherever it is needed.
Cheers, man1
I haven't wired the heating elements themselves yet... since I have to measure the XT10i tube first. The wattage will be very specific for each location that needs heat. I purchased some fireproof material made from lava rock and all together will go into a Velcro sleeve that attaches to wherever it is needed.
Cheers, man1
Orion XT10i custom, Orion GiantView BT-70, Bushnell Natureview 20-60x65, Barska 25-125x80
SkySafari6 Pro & 7 Pro, SkyFi 3, ASI290MC, T7C
SkySafari6 Pro & 7 Pro, SkyFi 3, ASI290MC, T7C
- smeyer8015
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Re: Just finished my Heater ctrl Box
Very nice. Mine is still in the "box of parts" stage. I bought the same controller but the 3 channel version.
Celestron Classic 8, Old Sears 60mm f/15 refractor, Old Edmund Scientific 6 inch F/8 newt, GSO 2" Diag, ES 30mm/70, ES 25mm/70, Orion 32 Super Plossl, Mead 24mm MA,
X-Cel LX 18mm, Luminos 15mm, F/6.3 reducer, Luminos 2.5x barlow, Telrad, Celestron 9x50 RACI, DIY Baader Solar Filter, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Bresser EXOS-2 Goto, Revolution Imager R1
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X-Cel LX 18mm, Luminos 15mm, F/6.3 reducer, Luminos 2.5x barlow, Telrad, Celestron 9x50 RACI, DIY Baader Solar Filter, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Bresser EXOS-2 Goto, Revolution Imager R1
No trees were killed in the sending of this post. However, a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced
- Don Quixote
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Re: Just finished my Heater ctrl Box
Very nice, Man !
Looks very professional.
You electrical engineers always amaze my !
Thanks for sharing your project.
Looks very professional.
You electrical engineers always amaze my !
Thanks for sharing your project.
- Juno16
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Re: Just finished my Heater ctrl Box
Nice looking rig man1!
You sure can’t beat those controllers. I just use one controller for dew heaters for both the main scope and guide scope. I just sized the heater bands to heat slightly more than I need for each at 12v and marked the controllers at 6 and 9 vdc for reference. Never go beyond 9.
Great workmanship! Looking forward to seeing your completed project!
Thanks,
Jim
You sure can’t beat those controllers. I just use one controller for dew heaters for both the main scope and guide scope. I just sized the heater bands to heat slightly more than I need for each at 12v and marked the controllers at 6 and 9 vdc for reference. Never go beyond 9.
Great workmanship! Looking forward to seeing your completed project!
Thanks,
Jim
Jim
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), ZWO OAG, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, ASI 220mm mini , IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), ZWO OAG, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, ASI 220mm mini , IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
- man1
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Re: Just finished my Heater ctrl Box
Thanks for all the comments...
I am working at -30C type of temperatures that's why I didn't put metal connectors directly on the box, but extended the feeds. The eyepieces and all the finders are rather small not only will I cut the wire accordingly for wattage, but I also wanted an extra PWM controller so that I have more adjustment range compared to the big tube. I never opened one before I bought the PWM ctrl's. For redundancy I went with 3 separate units. I could have easily made my own from scratch using cheap 555 timers and a couple of mosfets, but I could never get all the parts that cheap as already made from China.
Cheers, man1
I am working at -30C type of temperatures that's why I didn't put metal connectors directly on the box, but extended the feeds. The eyepieces and all the finders are rather small not only will I cut the wire accordingly for wattage, but I also wanted an extra PWM controller so that I have more adjustment range compared to the big tube. I never opened one before I bought the PWM ctrl's. For redundancy I went with 3 separate units. I could have easily made my own from scratch using cheap 555 timers and a couple of mosfets, but I could never get all the parts that cheap as already made from China.
Cheers, man1
Orion XT10i custom, Orion GiantView BT-70, Bushnell Natureview 20-60x65, Barska 25-125x80
SkySafari6 Pro & 7 Pro, SkyFi 3, ASI290MC, T7C
SkySafari6 Pro & 7 Pro, SkyFi 3, ASI290MC, T7C
- man1
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Re: Just finished my Heater ctrl Box
Good Morning Mark...Don Quixote wrote: ↑Wed Sep 18, 2019 1:51 am Very nice, Man !
Looks very professional.
You electrical engineers always amaze my !
Thanks for sharing your project.
I am thrilled my UPS tracking is telling me that my scope reached Chicago.... UPS is telling me I will get it by Friday....
Cheers, man1
Orion XT10i custom, Orion GiantView BT-70, Bushnell Natureview 20-60x65, Barska 25-125x80
SkySafari6 Pro & 7 Pro, SkyFi 3, ASI290MC, T7C
SkySafari6 Pro & 7 Pro, SkyFi 3, ASI290MC, T7C
- Juno16
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Re: Just finished my Heater ctrl Box
-30C!man1 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 18, 2019 8:47 am Thanks for all the comments...
I am working at -30C type of temperatures that's why I didn't put metal connectors directly on the box, but extended the feeds. The eyepieces and all the finders are rather small not only will I cut the wire accordingly for wattage, but I also wanted an extra PWM controller so that I have more adjustment range compared to the big tube. I never opened one before I bought the PWM ctrl's. For redundancy I went with 3 separate units. I could have easily made my own from scratch using cheap 555 timers and a couple of mosfets, but I could never get all the parts that cheap as already made from China.
Cheers, man1
Wow, having lived on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico for so long (1972), I really can’t imaging those kind of temps.
It’s like a swamp here most of the year which soaks the atmosphere with moisture and temperature gradients. Not ideal, but it’s mine!
You probably get dew early, then it freezes!
Yeah, can’t beat those Wm controllers. I think I paid about $2 (maybe less) directly from China! Just took awhile.
I know that you are fired up to receive your new scope!
Thanks,
Jim
Jim
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), ZWO OAG, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, ASI 220mm mini , IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), ZWO OAG, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, ASI 220mm mini , IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
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