Swarovski ATX module - eyepiece condensation (1 Viewer)

[Binastro]

First Light Optics offer eyepiece heaters for 1.25 inch and 2 inch fit eyepieces at £21.

1.25 inch fit eyepieces £18.

One may need a controller, which costs extra.

They work on 12 volt power supplies.

For spotting scopes one doesn't want too much weight, so one has to consider how best to supply power.

But I think something can be made to work well.

Also consider safety.

I don't know if anyone here has tried these heaters.

I used to have a neat heater for frozen car locks that short circuited a single AA battery.
It was a tiny device that worked.
With a prong that went into the lock.

B.

 

[Allen]

Thanks Binastro but I'm not going to start heating it....will just see how it goes and worst case try and find a pre-2020 model to trade in for.

 

[Allen]

Just resurrecting this thread as had the same scenario happen again today albeit under different conditions to the Belted Kingfisher scenario (i.e. not raining). This time at the Eleonora Falcon; watched the bird at circa 5am with no issue as scope had been 'acclimatised' on the walk from the car yet when the temperature dropped around 6am I noticed that condensation had settled on the objective lens. It had been open to the air for the entire period so wasn't as if I had had it in a warm car and then exposed it to the chilly misty morning air. Even when the sun came out and I turned it round to 'burn off' the condensation it wouldn't clear and I had to resort to a lens cloth.

Anyone else experienced this? Any technical experts have any suggestions? Swarovski have offered to take a look in case the nitrogen filling has leaked but the condensation seems to be on the outside not inside.

 

[Binastro]

This is common and normal for astro viewers using refractors.

A long dew shield can help, maybe longer than the width of the front.

Sometimes the problem is only noticed when objects being observed disappear as the fogged up lens front becomes nearly opaque.

With Newtonians in closed tubes it takes longer as the mirror is at the bottom of the tube and the diagonal is shielded.

I used a small hair dryer to clear the large optical window at the front of the 12.5 inch Dall Kirkham.
Just sufficient heat to view for say another half hour before repeating.

I wonder if a hand held small fan would clear a spotting scope front surface.

Regards,
B.

 

[Jason Bugay Reyes]

Just resurrecting this thread as had the same scenario happen again today albeit under different conditions to the Belted Kingfisher scenario (i.e. not raining). This time at the Eleonora Falcon; watched the bird at circa 5am with no issue as scope had been 'acclimatised' on the walk from the car yet when the temperature dropped around 6am I noticed that condensation had settled on the objective lens. It had been open to the air for the entire period so wasn't as if I had had it in a warm car and then exposed it to the chilly misty morning air. Even when the sun came out and I turned it round to 'burn off' the condensation it wouldn't clear and I had to resort to a lens cloth.

Anyone else experienced this? Any technical experts have any suggestions? Swarovski have offered to take a look in case the nitrogen filling has leaked but the condensation seems to be on the outside not inside.

Was it sent for inspection last time?

 

[Allen]

Hi Horukuru, no not sent last time as I hoped it might be a one off as the conditions were very inclement then. But yesterday's were not.