Telescopes shouldn't get rained on

Looksguywalker

squeaky wrote: »

Nope, doesn't say it is.

But it still begs the question... for an item of equipment with electronic controls that is meant to be used out of doors (in fact can ONLY be sensibly used outdoors) - holes in the covers over the electrics?

However lots of people do sensibly use telescopes indoors, especially if it's chucking it down!

squeaky

Looksguywalker wrote: »

Have you dried it out thoroughly?

Stripped down to component level, blow dried, and left disassembled for 24 hours in my nice warm house before reassembly and testing. It's now had almost a week.

squeaky

Looksguywalker wrote: »

However lots of people do sensibly use telescopes indoors, especially if it's chucking it down!

NOT me.

I'm intrigued as to just what such people might be looking at? Through rain and the associated clouds?

shaun_from_Africa

holes in the covers over the electrics?

The holes must be there for a reason. To allow cooling for the electrics/electronics/motors perhaps?

Even though the shop has refused a repair, have you considered trying the manufacturer (if they are UK based)?

Looksguywalker

squeaky wrote: »

NOT me.

I'm intrigued as to just what such people might be looking at? Through rain and the associated clouds?

I'll ask at the Coats Observatory (indoors) next month. The have an open weekend!:D

somethingcorporate

Is it advertised as an indoor telescope? Is it a decent (expensive / professional) one?

I'd argue that the nature of such an item it would be expected to be used outdoors and as such is not suitable for use outside if it could not take a brief shower.

bitemebankers

bod1467 wrote: »

I'll see your question and raise you a "Does it say in the instructions that the telescope IS waterproof?" (This is the more-pertinent question).

This is a fair point, I think. I would tend to assume that electronic goods aren't waterproof unless stated otherwise. Unfortunately I think the OP is going to have to take this one on the chin. Might still be worth a letter to the manufacturer, asking if they're prepared to help though.

bris

Sorry squeky you wont win this one, commonsense tells me not to use electrical goods outdoors if it rains, or if caught in a downpour to cover it quickly and turn it off until it dries out.
Would you expect your camera to be waterproof, or your phone, water damage is something that is instantly rejected.

squeaky

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

The holes must be there for a reason. To allow cooling for the electrics/electronics/motors perhaps?

Even though the shop has refused a repair, have you considered trying the manufacturer (if they are UK based)?

Not for cooling.

There are two motor/encoder units. One for up & down, the other for left & right. Both have exactly the same cover. The holes are there to allow a bracket (which holds the hand controller) to be fitted to the OTHER unit.

So they fit exactly the same cover to my problem assembly, complete with holes, and don't bother to cover or fill them.

squeaky

bris wrote: »

Sorry squeky you wont win this one, commonsense tells me not to use electrical goods outdoors if it rains, or if caught in a downpour to cover it quickly and turn it off until it dries out.
Would you expect your camera to be waterproof, or your phone, water damage is something that is instantly rejected.

But I DID cover it quickly. AND dried it out thoroughly at the earliest opportunity!

As it happens I HAD a camera fitted into the telescope because I was taking photos of a distant nebula. The camera is fine. The telescope isn't.

I also had a laptop out there with me and THAT's fine too.

I also had an inverter out there to change battery voltage into AC for the laptop and THAT's fine as well.