Protect outside mount and tripod vs high temps next week?

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Radon86
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Protect outside mount and tripod vs high temps next week?

Post by Radon86 »

Hi all!
For those of us who do not have the facilities like Pedro (with his domed observatory) or Marty (MalveauX) with his roll off roof etc, how do we protect our equipment in boiling heat ?

Its very tempting to keep your tripod and mount setup in your garden/patio etc during the hot weather, but I worry that the very high temps next week (in UK at least) from 30 to 35 for almost 7 days at least...could lead to damage from heating - exposure all day in the sun.
I am going to try initially for some reflective material (the aluminium surface reflecting cloths for car shading) and some other stuff, but apart from complete climate control, how do you ensure your mount and stuff does not get overheated and damaged ?

Any advice or suggestions would be welcome?

(otherwise, dismantle mount in morning after imaging the sun, and setup each time you wish to use it (no accurate polar alignment then, unless set up again in the night after 3am).

[apologies if this has been discussed in the past]

Thanks
Magnus


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Re: Protect outside mount and tripod vs high temps next week?

Post by DeepSolar64 »

I have a small plastic shed like those intended for garden tools, trash cans etc on my back deck to store my Losmandy AZ8 in when not in use. It stands tall enough to walk into and is about 30-36 inches deep and 4 feet or so wide and watertight after me sealing it a bit with tar. It does the job. It is lockable.

James


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Re: Protect outside mount and tripod vs high temps next week?

Post by Dennis »

1: I use the equipment in its specified temperature area.
2: I protect the mount from direct sunlight with a bit on tinfoil (mount head with electronics).

A dome will not help if outside temperatures are outside of the specs of the mount / camera. If its too hot, i simply would not set up.
Storing always indoors of course unless you want the expensive stuff to be exposed to humidity, heat and sunlight.


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Re: Protect outside mount and tripod vs high temps next week?

Post by DeepSolar64 »

My Losmandy Altazimuth mount is a heavy duty mount with no electronics so is quite durable. I keep it in the outdoor shed to aid in quick setup. It avoids me carrying the heavy mount in and out of the house.

The scopes stay inside the house when not in use.


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Re: Protect outside mount and tripod vs high temps next week?

Post by rsfoto »

Hi,

Interesting question.

I have had my equipment "working" for few hours while having ambient temperatures of maybe 30°C to 34°C and they still work up to today ...

As others said just put a reflecting foil over the equipment and I would also recommend to put and old Cotton towel or bed sheet under the refelecting foil. why ? during the day your mount will ehat up and so the humidity inside the package will raise and at night it will cool down and you will get condensation inside the package. Condensation IMHO is far worse than some heating up ...


regards Rainer

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Re: Protect outside mount and tripod vs high temps next week?

Post by MAURITS »

When it's to hot, I can open a part of the roof.
A little air blower keeps the temperature down for a few degrees.


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Re: Protect outside mount and tripod vs high temps next week?

Post by gabrieli »

Hi Magnus

This is a topic I addressed last year to try and lighten my workload when I set up for an imaging session. Last year, I started keeping two tripods set up outside at all times. Obviously there should be some protection against the elements.

The solution I found is effective protection against direct heat and heavy rain from spring to late fall. I started by getting a cover from TeleGizmos for my larger mount and tripod. These covers are a bit expensive but very heavy duty and lined with aluminum foil. I have the tripod situated on concrete pavers where the feet of the tripod are wrapped by plastic tubes made from water bottles. The mount Is covered by a couple of plastic bags secured by clothes pins and on top of that I have a large white food container (or garbage can) to help reflect heat away and to further protect the electronics from the weather.

I found later that some large barbecue covers will work as well and are much more reasonably priced. I use this method for my other tripod. Once the cover is in place there should be a hoop of some kind to weigh down the cover in case of wind.

My optics are kept in the house.

I hope this helps

Lou
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Re: Protect outside mount and tripod vs high temps next week?

Post by Radon86 »

rsfoto wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 7:11 pm Hi,

Interesting question.

I have had my equipment "working" for few hours while having ambient temperatures of maybe 30°C to 34°C and they still work up to today ...

As others said just put a reflecting foil over the equipment and I would also recommend to put and old Cotton towel or bed sheet under the refelecting foil. why ? during the day your mount will ehat up and so the humidity inside the package will raise and at night it will cool down and you will get condensation inside the package. Condensation IMHO is far worse than some heating up ...
Good point about the condensation. I actually use a thick layer of old curtain material as the bottom, then 2 more of "water proof material like umbrella fabric, then I can put the heat reflector layer over ths in very hot conditions.

But I don't like idea of leaving stuff in the sun. Maybe I will take it down when it gets too hot...

Magnus


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Re: Protect outside mount and tripod vs high temps next week?

Post by Montana »

My EQ6 Pro mount has lived in my south facing conservatory for around 12 years now and it regularly gets to 65 degrees in summer all day in there. It seems to work fine and has never gone wrong (yet). I cover it with a white table cloth to stop the saddle heating up more.

Alexandra


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Re: Protect outside mount and tripod vs high temps next week?

Post by rsfoto »

Radon86 wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 6:33 am
rsfoto wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 7:11 pm Hi,

Interesting question.

I have had my equipment "working" for few hours while having ambient temperatures of maybe 30°C to 34°C and they still work up to today ...

As others said just put a reflecting foil over the equipment and I would also recommend to put and old Cotton towel or bed sheet under the refelecting foil. why ? during the day your mount will ehat up and so the humidity inside the package will raise and at night it will cool down and you will get condensation inside the package. Condensation IMHO is far worse than some heating up ...
Good point about the condensation. I actually use a thick layer of old curtain material as the bottom, then 2 more of "water proof material like umbrella fabric, then I can put the heat reflector layer over ths in very hot conditions.

But I don't like idea of leaving stuff in the sun. Maybe I will take it down when it gets too hot...

Magnus
Hi Magnus,
I actually use a thick layer of old curtain material as the bottom
I have not seen curtains of Cotton. Most curtains are Polyester (Manmade fiber, more or less a plastic) and Polyester does NOT absorb water ... so makes no sense as water is there in its physical form ...


regards Rainer

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Re: Protect outside mount and tripod vs high temps next week?

Post by marktownley »

My mount has been outside for a couple of years now with just a telegizmos style cover on it, no problems any time of the year.


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Re: Protect outside mount and tripod vs high temps next week?

Post by Ibbo »

My solar mount has been under a cover for years and no problems.
I think the mount in the obshed gets hotter and the only problem there was a power supply that gave up , though it was as old as the hills.


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Re: Protect outside mount and tripod vs high temps next week?

Post by pedro »

Telegizmos cover is a good option. I also had My second paramount covered outside for a couple of months without any issues
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Re: Protect outside mount and tripod vs high temps next week?

Post by DeepSolar64 »

A UV resistant tarp would work too. Standard tarps would have to be replaced often.


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