"Dew Buster" vs. "Kendrick"
Mark Smith
the heaters themselves are interchangable. The high end Kendrick
controller, while it looks really cool, is much more than I am ever
going to need. I like the looks of the Dew Buster over the basic
Kendrick controller but am looking for experiences.
Thanks.
Clear, Dark Skies
Mark
Rod Mollise
>Anybody have experience with the two controllers?
Hi:
I've got both the 'Buster and the standard Kendrick. My observation? The
Dewbuster is both easier on the batteries and more effective. Plus, I don't
have to keep messing with it all night long. I do have a review of the
Dewbuster on Cloudynights that I wrote some time back.
Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto <http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html>
Jon Isaacs
>Kendrick controller but am looking for experiences.
>
>Thanks.
My experience: As long as the weather is as clear as it and has been for the
last week, don't buy anything new...... <g>
jon
Rod Mollise
>last week, don't buy anything new......
_Boring!_ :-)
Mark Smith
I'm looking to the future here. I was cut WAY short saturday by dew.
I can't see myself cutting short viewing sessions with $3,000+ of
Telescopic Equipment for the lack of $250 worth of dew heater.
Paul Gustafson
news:02at9091h53qqsakr...@4ax.com...
I had the basic Kendrick and was happy with its performance on a variety of
scopes from a 92mm refractor to a C-11. However, it couldn't keep my 10"
mak-cass dew free even when set on high in severe dew conditions. I bought
the DewBuster in the hopes that it would perform better on the 10" but it
did not. I saw no difference in performance between the two -- where the
Kendrick basic works the Dew Buster works, but neither was up to the task on
the 10" with that big chunk of glass. I tried a new heater strip to make
certain it wasn't involved, still no go. I guess I'll try the new Kendrick
next.
Paul Gustafson
dmoody
Paul,
I wonder if your problem isn't more of a function of your heating strip
configuration (or the strips themselves) rather than the controller. Also,
do you have a good dew shield that is also insulative? When do you start
(turn on) your dew heating system? A 10" Mak-Cass meniscus is a thick
piece of glass compared to a 10" SCT corrector. In high dew situations,
both your heating strip set up and your dew shield insulation capabilities
are very critical.
Additionally, it would be critical to start your dew heating system at the
very beginning of the evening as soon as you are set up. Otherwise, it
will be trying to play catch up the rest of the evening if the temperature
drops are steep, which is typical for heavy dew situations. With your
thicker glass, that becomes even more critical. I am a big fan the
DewBuster, but I don't think any controller will solve your problem if
those elements aren't properly addressed as well.
Have you spoken with Ron Keating (of DewBuster) about your problem? I am
sure he would be more than happy to help you, especially considering the
uniqueness of your situation. He has a very good understanding about the
dynamics of dew as it can apply to wide range of telescope configurations.
I have a 10" SCT and the DewBuster has performed in an outstanding fashion
for me while keeping the objective plate, a companion scope (ranging from
an 80mm f/5 to a 5" refractor on a side by side), finder optics, Telrad,
and eyepiece clear. It is basically a fire and forget solution to dew. I
live north of New Orleans and, naturally, the dew is tremendous down here.
David Moody
Jeff Polston
controller. I use it with an Orion dew heater for my 8" SCT, plus I've made
a lot of eyepiece heaters out of resistors:
http://www.mindspring.com/~jeffpo/dealwdew.htm
I also put a couple of resistors under the Telrad glass.
Like Paul, I have some nights here in North Carolina when my dew heater just
can't keep the corrector plate clear. On those nights, I also put on my
flexible Orion dew shield. The combination works just fine.
Jeff
http://www.mindspring.com/~jeffpo
"Paul Gustafson" <lase...@NOSPAMcox.net> wrote in message
news:rDCnc.12060$%o1.9051@lakeread03...
Kirk Carbo
I have the old style Kendrick controller and the Dew Buster. The
advantage of the DewBuster is the temperature sensing function that
allows you to hold your optics at a preset temperature differential.
The old unit won't do this, the new Kendrick will. Using just enough
heat to keep your optics clear increases the time on your battery and
it minimizes the chance of overheating the scope and introducing heat
currents into the tube. The Dew Buster is built with heavy duty
components. It will handle at least a 30 amp load. The old Kendrick
controller is rated for 7 amps. I read the specs on the new Kendrick,
really cool looking unit, but expensive. Extra sensors would run an
additional $100 per scope. The DewBuster sensors are inexpensive.
Anyway, I didn't see any specifications on how much current the new
Kendrick can handle. I would ask that question before buying the new
Kendrick. That's another advantage of the Dewbuster. You can hook
up some really large heaters for SCT's and still have lots of current
left to run other heaters.
Kirk Carbo
Mark Smith <emar...@san.rr.com> wrote in message news:<02at9091h53qqsakr...@4ax.com>...
Jon Isaacs
>I'm looking to the future here. I was cut WAY short saturday by dew.
>I can't see myself cutting short viewing sessions with $3,000+ of
>Telescopic Equipment for the lack of $250 worth of dew heater.
Looks like the clouds are here so it is safe to go ahead and make a purchase.
<g>
Did you try the hair dryer, those do work though they require repeated use?
jon
Paul Gustafson
news:kiJnc.148818$Yw5....@bignews4.bellsouth.net...
> I wonder if your problem isn't more of a function of your heating strip
> configuration (or the strips themselves) rather than the controller.
I thought of that, and talked with Kendrick, Ron Keating, and the
manufacturer of my scope concerning location of the heater strip. I tried it
on the dew shield just in front of the meniscus, on the meniscus cell
itself, and on the OTA tube behind the meniscus per Mr. Keating's
suggestion.
> Also, do you have a good dew shield that is also insulative?
A large dew shield made by the manufacturer of the scope. It is machined out
of an aluminum tube, painted both sides (white exterior, black interior). I
haven't tried one of the flexible insulated dew shields, partly because I
had a couple different kinds for my C-11 and had difficulty keeping them in
place due to the single Losmandy dovetail on the C-11. It wasn't an issue
with that scope, since the regular Kendrick did a good job. Keeping a
wrap-around insulated dew shield on the mak would be more difficult, since
it has dovetails on both top and bottom that run all the way to the cell in
the front.
> When do you start (turn on) your dew heating system?
As soon as the scope is placed on the mount. I originally started on medium
but eventually put it on at the onset cranked up full. Still didn't prevent
the dew, but the visible heat plumes did interfere with my observing at that
setting.
> A 10" Mak-Cass meniscus is a thick
> piece of glass compared to a 10" SCT corrector.
Therein lies my problem.
> In high dew situations,
> both your heating strip set up and your dew shield insulation capabilities
> are very critical.
I understand. I will next try two dew heater strips, one on the OTA and
another on the dew shield as described above.
> Additionally, it would be critical to start your dew heating system at the
> very beginning of the evening as soon as you are set up. Otherwise, it
> will be trying to play catch up the rest of the evening if the temperature
> drops are steep, which is typical for heavy dew situations. With your
> thicker glass, that becomes even more critical. I am a big fan the
> DewBuster, but I don't think any controller will solve your problem if
> those elements aren't properly addressed as well.
>
> Have you spoken with Ron Keating (of DewBuster) about your problem? I am
> sure he would be more than happy to help you, especially considering the
> uniqueness of your situation. He has a very good understanding about the
> dynamics of dew as it can apply to wide range of telescope configurations.
>
> I have a 10" SCT and the DewBuster has performed in an outstanding fashion
> for me while keeping the objective plate, a companion scope (ranging from
> an 80mm f/5 to a 5" refractor on a side by side), finder optics, Telrad,
> and eyepiece clear. It is basically a fire and forget solution to dew. I
> live north of New Orleans and, naturally, the dew is tremendous down here.
Best regards,
Paul Gustafson
CLT
home of perpetual dew. The Dew Buster lets me turn it on and forget it for
the rest of the evening.
Clear Skies
Chuck Taylor
Do you observe the moon?
Try http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/
And the Lunar Picture of the Day http://www.lpod.org/
************************************
"Mark Smith" <emar...@san.rr.com> wrote in message
news:02at9091h53qqsakr...@4ax.com...