I also use a cheap item for balcony chairs from Amazon and a kind of awning over it, which I attach to the balcony railing. This works relatively well, although I only leave the telescope outside when the weather is good for at least some days. My setup is always in the room directly next to the roof terrace, so assembly only takes about 5 minutes + PA. This works quite well for me.
I would NEVER use a BBQ cover. The cover is BLACK and absorbs way too much heat. I live in southeast Louisiana. In the summer, it is hell-hot. The equipment could not handle it. I like the idea of a heavy-duty tarp. If it is silver - even better.
Another great video Cuiv! I've had my Telegizmos 365 for 6 years now and it's in perfect condition, like the day I bought it. While I don't use it 365, it's used probably used 100 days /year. My remote setup is an EDGE 8 with F/7 (galaxy season) as well as Hyperstar (nebula season). The only wear is the elastic band which has lost its elasticity and that can easily be replaced. In northern Alberta, Canada, we get temperature up to 35C during the summer and -40C during the winter. I don't image below -25C because the cables just become too brittle. Anyhow - three 👍👍👍 for the Telegizmos 365 - it's worth it's weight in gold!
I have 3 of these, one for each scope. I place a towel over the rig before applying the cover as there are sharp surfaces that will cut into the Gizmos. I have suffered no wear or tear at all after 3 years. No time for nightly setup and breakdown. Since the ASI Air (game changer) up and running in 5 minures. Then from the couch or bed ❤
I do the same with a towel. Been using a cover for a couple years based on your recommendation. Certainly cheaper and smaller than an observatory. Which I don’t have room for anyway.
I use two of them outside, and have for over a year. One covers the tri-pier, including the PC which is on a couple blocks under it all, and then an enormous one that goes over my SCA260 + full imaging train and overlaps the bottom one slightly. It's in my front yard, right at the edge of the pavement and front yard. Same reasons as you. The one I have covers the SCA + image train, a CEM120, and the Tri Pier 360a. I don't cinch the bottom. To prevent condensation issues (this is right over the ground, not a balcony), I have a full size bath towel that I put over the OTA before putting this cover on. I haven't had to use any desiccant. You can also use one of those rod-shaped gun cabinet heater rods to raise the ambient temperature under the cover, but I found I didn't need to. Only real issue I've had is spiders love to get under there. Nothing a duster and little battery powered Milwaukee leaf blower can't take care of. No damage to the liner on either of them, and I'm not super gentle when I throw it over the top to cover the OTA. Because of the expense, I originally had tried two or three BBQ type covers over it all. Even the good ones are useless for all-weather in an area that gets a full set of seasons and a fair bit of precipitation. I couldn't find a single one which didn't have massive condensation and water permeation. I suspect if you find one good enough, it's probably cost to the expense of these. It took me a while to realize that it's ok to spend a bit of money when protecting 20k worth of equipment. I did bring it in when we had some strong wind storms coming. Otherwise, it's all outside 24/7, through snow, and more. If I had a permanent pier, I wouldn't even need to do that. If I had to go back to hauling my equipment outside, especially after a snowfall when the sky is cold and clear, I likely wouldn't. I found I use my equipment MUCH more since it's outside, acclimated, aligned, etc. The OTA is really heavy and the CEM120 doesn't support tilt-in on the dovetail, so I have to really get the OTA way up to slide it in. Not having to do that is a huge benefit to me, as is not doing polar alignment in the freezing cold. :)
While it’s usually not too humid at my home in Southern California, I use an old bed sheet that I was going to throw away as the first layer before putting on the Telegizmos cover. Any moisture caught inside should be absorbed by the bed sheet and hopefully help extend the life of that lining. But I’ve only owned the cover for about 2 years and I don’t use it all the time as the closest dark sky location (Bortle 3-4) is only about 3 hours drive. But it does allow me to shoot narrowband at home before and after my trips to the dark sky location to gather more data.
Same here - a bed sheet. Throw it in the washer to remove any dust, and fluff it the dryer. The losmandy and the discmount are on wheels - roll 'em out from under the patio roof. So far, the black anodizing hasn't faded -fingers crossed.
Nice and useful video Cuiv! I bought one of these for my imaging rig this year and it’s been a huge enabler for me to get out and take pictures. Basically, my setup time is maybe 10-15’ after which I can scoot back into the nice warm house and start my session remotely. No worrying about something not working, optics coming to temp, tripping carrying expensive equipments, or cables getting fouled at 2AM. If it’s clear out these days, I’m imaging since everything is already pretty much ready to go which is a far cry from before getting the cover. About the moisture, some folks put a gun cabinet heater in there but looking at their power draw, the smaller ones pulled similar watts to my mini PC so I just have been leaving that on and it’s worked so far.
Hey Cuiv, thank you for all your video's they helped me a lot during my past 3 years as a beginner ! Yes, i use the telegismo as well. My eqr6pro is too heavy to put aside all the time (not often anyway because not many clear skies in Belgium grrrr) but as a 68 yr old lady i dont have the power to take this out (and i love my eqr6pro too much to replace it) Lots of rain and humidity here so I leave only the mount out (unless it is clear skies for a few days in a row). I put a towel on too and then a foldable poncho and then the gismo. Sometimes i put rechargable dissacent underneath. This has been working great for 2 years now. Survide a lot of rain and humidity ! Grt from Belgium Nina
I bought a cover for my mount and scope (several scopes but just one at a time) after watching that 3 year old video. Holding up well in the -18C norwegian winter...
In Florida daily thermal cycling can draw moisture into an instrument. As the scope cools in the evening it will draw in humid outside air. As temperatures drop condensation may form. As the tube heats up the next day air is expelled sometimes leaving condensate inside. Then the cycle repeats every day. William Optics mentions steel lens cell and instruct to allow the open tube to dry before putting it away.
I bought two Telegizmos covers after watching your first video a couple years ago. They are one of my most useful astrophotography accessories! For the most part I love them because they are such a time saver for me especially with the unpredictable weather where I live . I still bring my equipment if I know it will rain for a couple days.
I agree 100% that convenience in getting started observing is a massive plus in hours of observation. If I have a 2 hour clear window in the sky, I'm not going to spend half an hour dragging everything out, setting it up, collimation, polar alignment, doing a focus check, then two hours later in the middle of the night undo all of that work. If I could reduce it to 10 minutes setup and 5 minutes teardown, that would be a significant change in how I observe. I wish that I were in a position to do what you're doing, but the risk of theft is just high enough here to make it untenable. I've been considering building something like wheelie bars though, so that I could leave it assembled in my garage and bring it out in one go to my usual observation spot (or anywhere else I wanted, I suppose).
Purchased a 365 cover 3 years ago, my rig stays outside in my garden 365 days of the year. We don’t get horrendous weather in the UK but we do get pretty much everything between +30c to -5c (and sometimes outside of that). Theft is a concern, but not as much as it would be if I lived in a city rather than the outskirts of a town. My kit has some rust on it like yours (the fan grille on my 1600 and some screws) but all in all it’s still going strong. I don’t use desiccant and haven’t noticed a huge amount of condensation underneath the cover, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there. Great video as always Cuiv!
Hi Cuiv, I too use the Telegizmos 365 cover for my two rigs which I leave outside at all times. When done, I place a large beach towel over the scope (which helps to minimize dew formation) then a light-weight cover then the Telegizmos. I don't have any issues whatsoever, other than some rusting of the adjustment screws and the counterweight bar. I have several astro-camers and have had no issues except for the ZWO 1600m. Like yours, the back fan cover has rusted, but none of the others. And yes, the older cover (4yrs old) is experiencing the same fate as yours with the inside degeneration of the reflective layer. I do bring the camera(s) inside when finished but leave everything else outside, including the mini-computers (both rigs). - Patrick -
This is great feedback Patrick, thank you!! I'll consider the beach towel idea as well! And good to know others have experienced the degradation issue, good to keep in mind
Hi Cuiv, thanks for the heads up. I'm considering buying one of these for my EQ6-R mount. Currently I'm living in temporary accommodation as my own house has been damaged due to flooding. I've removed my scopes but might leave the mount in place as it is semi permanently installed. Currently its protected with a heavy duty reusable refuse sack and a garden furniture cover. Was also thinking of installing an electric heater as well, currently I am using silica gel cartridges which do seem to work ok.
I don't leave my OTA outside but do leave 2 mounts in the back yard. For an EQ6-R Pro I put a folded towel, usually some random beach towel, on first then the Telegizmos 365 cover. My theory is the towel absorbs some moisture and keeps the cover from being scratched. Been doing this with the EQ6-R for over 2 years now. For a more recent AM5 purchase, less than 1 year old now, I decided to go with a weber grill cover. I got a black one but would get white in the future. I do a little more for this one though. I have a bag of rechargeable desiccant (1 lb to 1.5 lbs) in a mesh bag I put on top of the mount. This is covered by a 2 gallon zip lock bag. On top of this I put a folded towel and then the grill cover. I don't use counterweights on this mount and it's on the EQ6-R Pro tripod (I have the EQ6-R on an iOptron Tri-pier). So I use a bungie cord to gather the grill cover closer around the top of the tripod. All this combined reduces the amount of air that can flow in/out and with the plastic ziplock and desiccant I have no moisture ever on the mount. The black cover probably results in the mount getting hot in the summer but I have no problems at all so far. I've thought about doing this for my EQ6-R as well but given I have the counterweights (and I'm lazy) I simply stick with what has worked so far. The EQ6-R is getting a little rust around the bolts for the saddle and counterweight screws. Nothing I loose sleep over. So I think the key tenant is keep things dry and you'll be fine.
This is honestly the most hopeful thing I'd read so far. I only recently purchased my EQ6-R so I'm still very hesitant to just leave it outside, but only leaving the mount outside and taking the OTA in is a very happy compromise I can agree with because the electronics and optics were my primary concern with years of Texas weather. I would be so glad to not spend time and energy lugging that mount outside every time I get a clear sky on top of the polar alignment. Thanks!
I use the Geoptik telescope protective cover for 50$ and works well. Must say that i do not use it for longer than 2-3 weeks then i clean up and pack. Geoptik protects from light and moisture and if you choose the right size you can wrap gently around tripod offering quite a nice protection. Nice video 🎉
Great vid Cuiv! Here in Northern California it's pretty dry, I usually leave my rig set up and use the silver Tele-Gizmo light weight cover unless we are going to get some real rain. Then the rig comes in for 3 or 4 days until the bad weather passes. The light weight cover is serving my needs for now. I must say that having the cover has increased my utilization quite a bit. Take off cover, turn on ASI air, turn on mount, go inside and plant the night. 5 minute set up vs 15-20 min if I have to put it together and PA. Cheers and clear skies!
Hey Cuiv! Because of you other video about this cover I bought one but I don't leave my equipment outside all the time. Being born and raised in Chicago, I learned not to make things easy to steal even though I live in a suburb now with a low theft rate. But I do sometimes have to leave my equipment out for a few nights if I have an imaging project and the conditions will be good for those few days. What I have noticed with this cover is when the sun starts beading down on it, it gets pretty hot but the gear underneath stays nice and cool. So I imagine that is what the reflective layer is for and I do expect it do degrade over time. But leaving it out for 5 years and all you have is flaking on the old one and patches missing on the newer one is quite impressive. I have given up on grill covers for my grill because even though they are thick material, they start to harden and crack after on one year! If you don't want Katsuobushi on you CEM60, just buy a new one. Obviously they are relatively cheap and long lasting 🙂
BTW, you can also use Silica Gel Crystals as an inexpensive desiccant. This is sold as “Fresh Step Premium Crystals” which is a type of cat litter in the US and can be baked out in your oven periodically to rejuvenate it.
@@lionki3 I’ve placed these in a cloth sack and also separately in a metal can with some cloth rubber banded over the top. In both cases you can bake these out periodically as long as you keep the temperature reasonable.
I've been using one of these in Kyoto for 2 years now but I usually bring in the scope if it looks like bad weather for a few days and even bring in the mount during rainy season & typhoon season. Also I use the rechargeable desiccant devices. With that in mind, great results so far. Actually I started with a barbecue cover and then a bike cover. I found that these were more susceptible to getting holes or letting small amounts of water through. To your point - peace of mind - maybe there is a high end bike cover that would perform better, but I'll stick with the well proved Telegizmos.
Hi Cuiv, another useful video, I have a Losmandy G11 with an old Meade LX90 8" ota, I have only just added a mini pc so can't comment how that's doing yet. I leave everything outside in the garden all the time, covered with a BBQ cover from Amazon. I find this works well for me and they seem to last about 18 months to 2 years, but the only cost about £25. Having said that I would like to get the Telegizmos cover but am put off by the price. I am based in Somerset, south west England. One problem I do get occasionally is screws, such as in the guide scope rings, the constant movement of the cover occasionally works them loose and the vanish into the grass.
They are great. I have two for my single rig in Ottawa where I have to account for very cold winters and very hot summers. 24/7/365. 3 years. No problems. No deterioration. One cover is for the summer and is open in the bottom. I use celopane to cover the bottom bolts and keep the rain off. The other cover is for the winter (special order) which covers everything and gives the rig a foot or two envelope so that the snow can be easily cleared away from the cement platform before I uncover the rig. I cover the rig with a thick blanket and have a red light bulb at the bottom of the rig on constantly. This eliminates moisture. I'm happy with them
I've found that the winter cover is big and heavy enough to resist strong winds and sort of 'props itself up' to take off much of the weight of deep snow. I do take the rig down if the weather looks particularly bad. No worries about theft where I am. As you say, there are risks involved, but I'm sure I would do far less observing if I had to put up and tear down the rig each time. BTW: love your videos
Here in the Pacific NW, you need something that can weather the rains. During this time of year, the rig comes in but the mounts stay outside. During Spring, Summer through late Fall, i use a bbq cover over a T365 with, when needed, a 40-100w incandescent light beneath it. The light bulb keeps the ambient temperature beneath the covers above the dew point. This time of the year is the worst and the light is on 24/7
I bought a tire cover 80x120 cm and I will get a round bbq cover of similar size and use these together. Still need to find out if humidifier is required. I’ll use a microfibre towel because it does not contain humidity as cotton towels do.
Very intersting, thanks a lot, since 3 years I use telescope rig covers: always I use two covers in parallel: Inside a barbecue cover, outside a garden furniture cover: Up to know no problem.
Nice video! I really enjoy your channel. I was thinking of getting one and now you have convinced me! With regard to the older cover that is flaking onto your equipment, have you considered putting a heavy duty plastic "leaf, garbage" bag over the equipment then the heavier telegizmo cover over that? Keep up the great content.
Excellent idea! In the end since I managed to remove the net that was halfway holding the flakes in place, and then the flakes, I'll try using it as is for now! Maybe reconsider once summer comes again :)
Telegizmo: 1. Polar alignment DOES change according to 10um. Small changes (under 1’), but changes nevertheless. 2. Star model DOES change. This is critical. 3. It doesn’t protect well against humidity and > 95F heat. 4. It is better to avoid keeping electronics under Telegizmo. But: 1. It shorten set up 2-3 times, since it keeps mount intact. If no high temperature, then telescope is also fine.
Great video. Until recently I used two towels to absorb any moisture under an oilskin jacket inside my wee observatory. Its very dusty here in summer and those two towels would be tied around the bottom. I did WD-40 all threads and screws on my EQ6-R but forgot to do the leg screws on the tripod and they had seized and snapped when I moved my rig to travel to image a solar eclipse earlier this year. So "rusty" bits was an important point that you bought up and something that could be easily overlooked especially when leaving gear out in the elements. Here in Western Australia where I live, critters like Redback Spiders, Centipedes, Snakes, and lizards like to make their homes in those sorts of places so Im always cautious when remove the covers!! Im in the planning phase to construct another observatory with a roll off roof. Because of the dust I will still cover my gear inside it and would use something similar to those that you use. You do great videos Cuiv! Ive learnt a lot watching them. Keep up the good work - cheers D
I've been using a 365 cover for 2 years and i'm very happy with it, personally I chose it for peace of mind, besides the cost is minimal compared to most other astro kit! The only time i have had any issues with damp was when I left a towel over the rig before putting on the cover, a few months later when we had a clear sky i removed the cover to find a damp towel and slight corrosion on my ASI120mm mini. Last year I used dessicant, but i've not bothered this year and everything is fine. I do leave all of my equipment switched on 24/7 so that the internal heat prevents moisture condensing on any electronic items, i also have my dew heaters on a low setting constantly.
Always love seeing your videos. Thank you for the time you put into them. I have a little different problem. I live in southern Arizona. Heat and dust is my problems. How well does this cover hold up to dry heat. Do you viewers have any tips and or experience with southwest heat.
I absolutely agree with your point about possibly having a shortened life span but using it a lot more. I don't have a T365 but I use an old pop up hunting blind which is basically a tent without a bottom. I also use dessicant and it is also very humid where I live for most of the year, especially since I live near a creek. I have never had moisture issues and like you I have only noticed a little bit of rust on some of the thumb screws that aren't stainless steel. I live in a safe rural area and I only take it down when it is really windy or if we are supposed to get heavy snow and that is just because I don't trust the tent to hold up to the weight of snow.
Ooh I wasn't aware of the existence of hunting blinds but that's actually a genius way to protect your equipment! Do you anchor it to avoid the risk of it flying off?
@@CuivTheLazyGeek yes the blind has cloth loops at the bottom to stake it to the ground just like a regular tent as well as strings attached further up for the same purpose. I use large ground nails (almost the size of railroad spikes) to take mine to the ground with carabiners for quickly putting it up and down. I also have a ground screw like you would tie a dog to and a rachet strap holding the tripod to the ground. I don't like people tying dogs to those things but it works great for a telescope
same for me, keep my scope on the roof most of the year, with a TG365, but also had all the silver lining start to disintegrate and flake off everywhere. I'm in Phoenix, AZ and assumed the heat did this after 3 years....company said to just trimmed out the silver on the lower part, and it will still do the job. It does as far as water protection...maybe the Waterproof blanket idea from Amazon is a cheaper idea next time.
I live in the SW United States, its pretty dry most of the time. But wind is significant. I bring my OTA inside when not in use, but the mount is outside most of the year with a good quality BBQ cover. I would not trust a BBQ cover for my optical system, but I have had no concerns with it for the mount only. So for me set up just means putting the tube on the mount, connecting a USB (I have a hub velcro'd to my tube, so one USB, and One power). After that I'm good to go.
I had the exact same cover, didn't last two summers in Phoenix Arizona. The temperature here completely denigrated the silver lining. I now just bring my equipment inside from MAY-SEP.
Me too, I live in Phoenix...keep my scope on the roof most of the year My silver lining disintegrated after 2-3 years, and I called the company. they said it still works, just cut out the silver lining...which i did since it was getting little pieces everywhere. maybe the BBQ would work just as well, just not cut to size.
Super interesting feedback all around, thank you! Interesting the company was saying it still works without the silver lining, since I'm the left wondering whether this is a point to it!
Bought my 365, 5 months ago. Only leave it out occasionally. Almost every imaging session ends with dew on the equipment. How do othes contend with this? I'm concerned about trapping that dew under the cover. Usually wait for the sun to dry it. Then cover if no chance of rain. Theft is a concern, but my yard is fenced in. The Telegizmo covers price is cheep compared to equipment. It's made for it. I'll try towel, and desiccant.
I've been using mine for about 2 years and it's worked great so far. There's a little bit of wear due to wind buffeting the cover around the refractor dust cap (WO FLT120 has some knurling to remove integrated bahtinov mask cover) and there is some minor rust pitting on my EQ6-R chrome plating (counter weight rod, screws etc) even though I use some dessicant bags. I live a mile or two from the coast so this is could be more related to salt than dew. But so far no rain has penetrated the cover and it's saved so much time in setting up / stripping down each night. I tried a cheaper bike cover I already had, but the inside would just condense like mad. It was either a dew magnet or it does not have a high hydrostatic head which would eventually allow water to seep through. I suspect the Telegizmos has a far higher hydrostatic head and thus better waterproof ability.
Cuiv, I really like your videos. I've seen most of them. You really helped me to learn NINA, which I'm quite comfortable with now. I use the 365 covers as well but inside my observatory 😁. They keep lizards, frogs and the occasional bugs off my rig. I think they're worth the money. If you have to replace them every 4 or 5 years, I won't have to, so be it. It's a worth while investment in thousands of dollars of equipment. Keep the videos coming!
I have used one for almost ten years. It is the C11 GEM size and also fits my 10” SN and 8” MN. The bottom is getting a bit tattered, mostly from snagging on something when putting on or off. I leave my equipment set up year round except the cameras. If hail is forecast I cover up with a large garbage can or take the equipment down. I will get another. As Cuiv said himself is your gear worth it?
Very interested in the desiccant bags. I have just built a role off roof observatory and people are telling me I should put a dehumidifier in there. It would cost me a fortune in electric LOL. May try these bags instead as it’s well ventilated.
I used two Telegizmos-365 covers on my EM-200T2Jr and tripod (one for tripod, one for mount/scope), kept on my balcony in Singapore for about 18 months. This was a mistake. I am generally careful with my equipment and they were like new at the start. The covers are good, but you need to think of the whole environment. I put a Raspberry Pi in to measure temperature and humidity. Both got very high (see: Singapore). Now I have have rust. People who build observatories often put in heaters to keep the scope above the dew-level to prevent this. I don't think there's a way to do this effectively with covers. For a few days use, these covers are great, but not for long term.
Your argument about reducing the equipment overall lifespan in order to get more actual use is the exact same argument I used when I bought mine. Now I've moved away from Singapore I'm tempted to try out these covers again, but I'm now in a position where I should be building an observatory.
Wow, Singapore is indeed a difficult place to image from AND cover your equipment like that... I wonder if fan + electric dehumidifier would have worked...
I've had a Telegizmo 365 for probably 4 years now and it too is showing some wear and tear. Mostly at the bottom where the rain can splash up inside it a bit. I think wind has a bit to do with it as well. But for being 4 years old, it's held up remarkably well. I bought it for my GT102 refractor, but am using with my 8" Edge HD now. It's a little big inside, but it does the job well enough. I'm in Northern Colorado around 5000 ft and I leave my gear out 24/7. I only bring it in if it gets REALLY WINDY. ;o)
I have two of these and they do work great. Also 100% recommend using desiccant if your rig will be covered outside for more than a few days. I had mine outside for two weeks in the summer and discovered the humidity had condensed inside the tube of my EdgeHD. That's how I learned my lesson to use desiccant.
@@CuivTheLazyGeek I was pretty upset when it happened, but I brought it inside, laid it on its side and had a fan blow on it for a day. Dried up and no harm done.
It's sad that theft has to be such a concern... Here in Japan I've left my rig on its own for hours at a public park at night while I was back at my apartment! It's just different...
I've been using mine for around 2 years on my Celestron C9.25+EQ6r+Cooled camera/OAG, etc and before that a bike/car cover - that went mouldy quite quickly! I live by the east coast of Scotland, so it's humid most of the time (90%+ around 80%+ of the year!) but also very windy a lot of the time. For that reason I never just rely on the draw cord at the bottom- I ordered a few spare ones from telegizmos (via FLO) and I use them to wrap and cinch the cover quite tightly around everything. I've only noticed internal degradation where it has snagged on sharp parts like finder scope screws. I am also a bit obsessive about dehumidifying; I wrap some parts like the camera and the mount in bright pink absorbent sheets that my wife gives me free from her work. They are used in packaging to keep medical stuff dry and are considered disposable. I also have car desiccant sacks that are recharchable in a microwave or on a radiator so no ongoing expense there. My only real worry- and I have not seen it mentioned anywhere else, so it may just be me being a worrier, is the sheer weight of the Telegizmos 365 covers. Admittedly I use a much bigger one than I need- I think the one I have is for a large 10 or 12inch Dob! I worry that it is pressing against the clutch mechanism of the EQ6 and indeed the axis are sometimes forced to move by the wind. I just wonder if over time, all this weight on a tightened clutch will damage the worm drive, etc. Indeed my EQ6 now takes a long time to stop settle on one axis after a slew sometimes and I do wonder if it's due to the weight of the cover. I have experimented with leaving the clutches off and just tying the tube to the mount so it doesn't move in the wind under the cover, but that's time consuming and starts to add to setup time. Any comments on my worries here appreciated! I also use Geoptik covers sometimes. They are a lot lighter, but they are extremely noisy (think a big giant crisp/chip packet) which is not ideal when covering during the night. They also need a lot more lashing down than the weightier Telegizmos. Swings and roundabouts ! I've never had condensation inside the covers, but this may be due to all the desiccants and pads I use and the fact that the oversized cover goes most of the way to the ground and I tie it tight at the bottom.
Cuiv, I always feel it right to ‘go with what has worked’ for you. The cost difference between a TG cover and barbecue or bike cover, is trivial compared to the cost of the equipment underneath AND, in terms of the peace of mind that you mentioned.There are always going to be product variations that impact performance. Perhaps the TG folks made modifications in materials, stitching, coatings, etc, between your two covers. What ever the reason, these covers are improving your quality of life without introducing additional anxieties and risk to your equipment. Gary.
I have mine on my mount and pier, just take the scope in, cover the mount with x2 towels and then apply the cover. After x2 months the plate bolts have a little rust so need to figure what to do with that - any advice ? Thanks !
I bought a like-new 365 cover to cover my old asgt mount on your recommendation. It's been good for about 3 months so far, having been slightly stained by leaves falling and resting on it... Even though it's pretty dry here in Colorado I haven't tried leaving a scope on it yet, but it cuts out that set up and polar alignment step. You're braver than I... All your setup needs is to get Jeremy Fielding (UA-camr) to build you a robotic arm to remove and replace the cover for you! (unfortunately, this will enable you to be even more lazy... 😉) I think the older degraded one is too bad, but still... 4 years without failing is a long time to be out in the elements! I'd say it's insurance well worth it considering how many thousands of dollars you have sitting out there! Just buy a new one to replace it and be good with spending an additional $50 or so per year. 👍
Thanks for sharing your experiences. I would have difficulty leaving financially irreplaceable equipment out 365 in all elements but the main concern would be theft. It comes down to personal circumstances and I'm sure many would find such a cover ok for their needs.
The temperatures and conditions are too extreme in Montana. The wind alone would toss my gear around, especially with a sail, er, a cover 😂. I have to bring everything inside after every session.
I've been using BBQ covers on my outdoor pier for about 7 yrs now. It's outside all the time and even during storms. check polar alignment 2x a year and left fully setup and I'm right on the coast. I use 3 cheap Amazon BBQ covers, as long as you get the 600D Oxford fabric ones they are brilliant and only cost about £15 each. I tend to renew one layer once a yearish, putting the newest one on the bottom and the oldest one exposed, as soon as I see too much sun damage I throw it away and get a new bottom layer.
J'utilise ma Telegizmo 365 depuis presque 2 ans déjà. Aucun problème, je demeure au Québec et nous avons des températures l'hiver qui sont sous les -20° ... J'aimais eu de problèmes avec cette toile.😉
Has anyone done any actual experiments of humidity and dew point with different telescope covers over time? I am in the early process of doing that but was wondering if anyone else has?
you could make a desicant Bean-Bag. with a breath able layer on the underside, and waterproof on top. find some-one Who Can Sew. sew a circular pocket at the top for the dessicant.
Hello, thank you for your videos! I am very afraid that there has been a drop in the manufacturing quality of these Telegismo covers between 2019 and 2020!
use a cheap tarp ontop to protect the good cover from u-v and other elements, don't trust one tarp use 2-3 layers . you can buy thick plastic tarps used for greenhouses,cheap and water tight .
ill tell you what, i live in canada and my $13k setup sits under a garbage bag and tarp 24/7 out in my backyard. I use it way more than I would if it needed 30min setup every night. just my 2 cents
Maybe I’m a fool… but I’ve been using a simple tarp with emergency safety blankets taped on the inside for 6 months and is been through rain, hail, and snow with no problems
Would you use such a cover for your equipment? Or even a cheaper one (gasp)??
I now use a heavy duty tarp. I wouldn't waste my money on a Telegizmos again.
3x layers of £15 cheap ones. Always felt that was safer than 1 single expensive one, same material just without the foil lining.
I also use a cheap item for balcony chairs from Amazon and a kind of awning over it, which I attach to the balcony railing. This works relatively well, although I only leave the telescope outside when the weather is good for at least some days. My setup is always in the room directly next to the roof terrace, so assembly only takes about 5 minutes + PA. This works quite well for me.
I would NEVER use a BBQ cover. The cover is BLACK and absorbs way too much heat. I live in southeast Louisiana. In the summer, it is hell-hot. The equipment could not handle it. I like the idea of a heavy-duty tarp. If it is silver - even better.
Another great video Cuiv! I've had my Telegizmos 365 for 6 years now and it's in perfect condition, like the day I bought it. While I don't use it 365, it's used probably used 100 days /year. My remote setup is an EDGE 8 with F/7 (galaxy season) as well as Hyperstar (nebula season). The only wear is the elastic band which has lost its elasticity and that can easily be replaced. In northern Alberta, Canada, we get temperature up to 35C during the summer and -40C during the winter. I don't image below -25C because the cables just become too brittle. Anyhow - three 👍👍👍 for the Telegizmos 365 - it's worth it's weight in gold!
I have 3 of these, one for each scope. I place a towel over the rig before applying the cover as there are sharp surfaces that will cut into the Gizmos. I have suffered no wear or tear at all after 3 years.
No time for nightly setup and breakdown. Since the ASI Air (game changer) up and running in 5 minures. Then from the couch or bed ❤
I used tape and taped sharp edges up
That's solid advice to avoid the wear and tear! I'll try that! I have a beach towel I never use that could serve the purpose :D
Sounds like a great idea! I've heard elsewhere too that a towel helps with some condensation and humidity. I'd best try that next.
Yup - I do the same, use a beach towel. Help with the edges as well as absorbs any smaller amounts of moisture.
I do the same with a towel. Been using a cover for a couple years based on your recommendation. Certainly cheaper and smaller than an observatory. Which I don’t have room for anyway.
I use two of them outside, and have for over a year. One covers the tri-pier, including the PC which is on a couple blocks under it all, and then an enormous one that goes over my SCA260 + full imaging train and overlaps the bottom one slightly. It's in my front yard, right at the edge of the pavement and front yard. Same reasons as you. The one I have covers the SCA + image train, a CEM120, and the Tri Pier 360a.
I don't cinch the bottom. To prevent condensation issues (this is right over the ground, not a balcony), I have a full size bath towel that I put over the OTA before putting this cover on. I haven't had to use any desiccant. You can also use one of those rod-shaped gun cabinet heater rods to raise the ambient temperature under the cover, but I found I didn't need to.
Only real issue I've had is spiders love to get under there. Nothing a duster and little battery powered Milwaukee leaf blower can't take care of. No damage to the liner on either of them, and I'm not super gentle when I throw it over the top to cover the OTA.
Because of the expense, I originally had tried two or three BBQ type covers over it all. Even the good ones are useless for all-weather in an area that gets a full set of seasons and a fair bit of precipitation. I couldn't find a single one which didn't have massive condensation and water permeation. I suspect if you find one good enough, it's probably cost to the expense of these. It took me a while to realize that it's ok to spend a bit of money when protecting 20k worth of equipment.
I did bring it in when we had some strong wind storms coming. Otherwise, it's all outside 24/7, through snow, and more. If I had a permanent pier, I wouldn't even need to do that. If I had to go back to hauling my equipment outside, especially after a snowfall when the sky is cold and clear, I likely wouldn't.
I found I use my equipment MUCH more since it's outside, acclimated, aligned, etc. The OTA is really heavy and the CEM120 doesn't support tilt-in on the dovetail, so I have to really get the OTA way up to slide it in. Not having to do that is a huge benefit to me, as is not doing polar alignment in the freezing cold. :)
While it’s usually not too humid at my home in Southern California, I use an old bed sheet that I was going to throw away as the first layer before putting on the Telegizmos cover. Any moisture caught inside should be absorbed by the bed sheet and hopefully help extend the life of that lining. But I’ve only owned the cover for about 2 years and I don’t use it all the time as the closest dark sky location (Bortle 3-4) is only about 3 hours drive. But it does allow me to shoot narrowband at home before and after my trips to the dark sky location to gather more data.
Seems a lot of people do the same! Bed sheet, beach towel, etc! I think those are all great ideas! I need to do that
Same here - a bed sheet. Throw it in the washer to remove any dust, and fluff it the dryer. The losmandy and the discmount are on wheels - roll 'em out from under the patio roof. So far, the black anodizing hasn't faded -fingers crossed.
Nice and useful video Cuiv! I bought one of these for my imaging rig this year and it’s been a huge enabler for me to get out and take pictures. Basically, my setup time is maybe 10-15’ after which I can scoot back into the nice warm house and start my session remotely. No worrying about something not working, optics coming to temp, tripping carrying expensive equipments, or cables getting fouled at 2AM. If it’s clear out these days, I’m imaging since everything is already pretty much ready to go which is a far cry from before getting the cover. About the moisture, some folks put a gun cabinet heater in there but looking at their power draw, the smaller ones pulled similar watts to my mini PC so I just have been leaving that on and it’s worked so far.
A heater is also such a good idea, so many hacks and tips in this comment section!
I've recently came across your channel as a result of buying a Seestar S50. Love your videos, so informative and instructive. Keep up the good work.
Thanks so much for this feedback, this means a lot!
Hey Cuiv, thank you for all your video's they helped me a lot during my past 3 years as a beginner ! Yes, i use the telegismo as well. My eqr6pro is too heavy to put aside all the time (not often anyway because not many clear skies in Belgium grrrr) but as a 68 yr old lady i dont have the power to take this out (and i love my eqr6pro too much to replace it)
Lots of rain and humidity here so I leave only the mount out (unless it is clear skies for a few days in a row). I put a towel on too and then a foldable poncho and then the gismo. Sometimes i put rechargable dissacent underneath. This has been working great for 2 years now. Survide a lot of rain and humidity ! Grt from Belgium Nina
Excellent Nina, thanks for the feedback!
I bought a cover for my mount and scope (several scopes but just one at a time) after watching that 3 year old video. Holding up well in the -18C norwegian winter...
Awesome to know! Also -18C sounds brutal..
In Florida daily thermal cycling can draw moisture into an instrument. As the scope cools in the evening it will draw in humid outside air. As temperatures drop condensation may form. As the tube heats up the next day air is expelled sometimes leaving condensate inside. Then the cycle repeats every day. William Optics mentions steel lens cell and instruct to allow the open tube to dry before putting it away.
I bought two Telegizmos covers after watching your first video a couple years ago. They are one of my most useful astrophotography accessories! For the most part I love them because they are such a time saver for me especially with the unpredictable weather where I live . I still bring my equipment if I know it will rain for a couple days.
Full agree those things are so useful!
I agree 100% that convenience in getting started observing is a massive plus in hours of observation. If I have a 2 hour clear window in the sky, I'm not going to spend half an hour dragging everything out, setting it up, collimation, polar alignment, doing a focus check, then two hours later in the middle of the night undo all of that work. If I could reduce it to 10 minutes setup and 5 minutes teardown, that would be a significant change in how I observe.
I wish that I were in a position to do what you're doing, but the risk of theft is just high enough here to make it untenable. I've been considering building something like wheelie bars though, so that I could leave it assembled in my garage and bring it out in one go to my usual observation spot (or anywhere else I wanted, I suppose).
Yeah it would be nice if theft wasn't a concern... The wheelie bars is a great idea though!
Purchased a 365 cover 3 years ago, my rig stays outside in my garden 365 days of the year. We don’t get horrendous weather in the UK but we do get pretty much everything between +30c to -5c (and sometimes outside of that). Theft is a concern, but not as much as it would be if I lived in a city rather than the outskirts of a town. My kit has some rust on it like yours (the fan grille on my 1600 and some screws) but all in all it’s still going strong. I don’t use desiccant and haven’t noticed a huge amount of condensation underneath the cover, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there. Great video as always Cuiv!
Hi Cuiv,
I too use the Telegizmos 365 cover for my two rigs which I leave outside at all times. When done, I place a large beach towel over the scope (which helps to minimize dew formation) then a light-weight cover then the Telegizmos. I don't have any issues whatsoever, other than some rusting of the adjustment screws and the counterweight bar. I have several astro-camers and have had no issues except for the ZWO 1600m. Like yours, the back fan cover has rusted, but none of the others. And yes, the older cover (4yrs old) is experiencing the same fate as yours with the inside degeneration of the reflective layer. I do bring the camera(s) inside when finished but leave everything else outside, including the mini-computers (both rigs).
- Patrick -
This is great feedback Patrick, thank you!! I'll consider the beach towel idea as well! And good to know others have experienced the degradation issue, good to keep in mind
Why do you bring the cameras inside? I'm considering leaving my setup outside all year in Utah.
Hi Cuiv, thanks for the heads up. I'm considering buying one of these for my EQ6-R mount. Currently I'm living in temporary accommodation as my own house has been damaged due to flooding. I've removed my scopes but might leave the mount in place as it is semi permanently installed. Currently its protected with a heavy duty reusable refuse sack and a garden furniture cover. Was also thinking of installing an electric heater as well, currently I am using silica gel cartridges which do seem to work ok.
I think that probably works fine! The EQ6R really is a pain to carry and setup each time, truly!
I don't leave my OTA outside but do leave 2 mounts in the back yard. For an EQ6-R Pro I put a folded towel, usually some random beach towel, on first then the Telegizmos 365 cover. My theory is the towel absorbs some moisture and keeps the cover from being scratched. Been doing this with the EQ6-R for over 2 years now. For a more recent AM5 purchase, less than 1 year old now, I decided to go with a weber grill cover. I got a black one but would get white in the future. I do a little more for this one though. I have a bag of rechargeable desiccant (1 lb to 1.5 lbs) in a mesh bag I put on top of the mount. This is covered by a 2 gallon zip lock bag. On top of this I put a folded towel and then the grill cover. I don't use counterweights on this mount and it's on the EQ6-R Pro tripod (I have the EQ6-R on an iOptron Tri-pier). So I use a bungie cord to gather the grill cover closer around the top of the tripod. All this combined reduces the amount of air that can flow in/out and with the plastic ziplock and desiccant I have no moisture ever on the mount. The black cover probably results in the mount getting hot in the summer but I have no problems at all so far. I've thought about doing this for my EQ6-R as well but given I have the counterweights (and I'm lazy) I simply stick with what has worked so far. The EQ6-R is getting a little rust around the bolts for the saddle and counterweight screws. Nothing I loose sleep over. So I think the key tenant is keep things dry and you'll be fine.
This is honestly the most hopeful thing I'd read so far. I only recently purchased my EQ6-R so I'm still very hesitant to just leave it outside, but only leaving the mount outside and taking the OTA in is a very happy compromise I can agree with because the electronics and optics were my primary concern with years of Texas weather. I would be so glad to not spend time and energy lugging that mount outside every time I get a clear sky on top of the polar alignment. Thanks!
I use the Geoptik telescope protective cover for 50$ and works well. Must say that i do not use it for longer than 2-3 weeks then i clean up and pack. Geoptik protects from light and moisture and if you choose the right size you can wrap gently around tripod offering quite a nice protection. Nice video 🎉
Great vid Cuiv! Here in Northern California it's pretty dry, I usually leave my rig set up and use the silver Tele-Gizmo light weight cover unless we are going to get some real rain. Then the rig comes in for 3 or 4 days until the bad weather passes. The light weight cover is serving my needs for now. I must say that having the cover has increased my utilization quite a bit. Take off cover, turn on ASI air, turn on mount, go inside and plant the night. 5 minute set up vs 15-20 min if I have to put it together and PA. Cheers and clear skies!
Yep, seems similar to my MO!
Hey Cuiv! Because of you other video about this cover I bought one but I don't leave my equipment outside all the time. Being born and raised in Chicago, I learned not to make things easy to steal even though I live in a suburb now with a low theft rate. But I do sometimes have to leave my equipment out for a few nights if I have an imaging project and the conditions will be good for those few days. What I have noticed with this cover is when the sun starts beading down on it, it gets pretty hot but the gear underneath stays nice and cool. So I imagine that is what the reflective layer is for and I do expect it do degrade over time. But leaving it out for 5 years and all you have is flaking on the old one and patches missing on the newer one is quite impressive. I have given up on grill covers for my grill because even though they are thick material, they start to harden and crack after on one year! If you don't want Katsuobushi on you CEM60, just buy a new one. Obviously they are relatively cheap and long lasting 🙂
Yep I'm thinking I'll have to buy a new one before summer comes again! Cheers Dave!
BTW, you can also use Silica Gel Crystals as an inexpensive desiccant. This is sold as “Fresh Step Premium Crystals” which is a type of cat litter in the US and can be baked out in your oven periodically to rejuvenate it.
Do you put it in a mesh sack or in a plastic tub?
@@lionki3 I’ve placed these in a cloth sack and also separately in a metal can with some cloth rubber banded over the top. In both cases you can bake these out periodically as long as you keep the temperature reasonable.
I've been using one of these in Kyoto for 2 years now but I usually bring in the scope if it looks like bad weather for a few days and even bring in the mount during rainy season & typhoon season. Also I use the rechargeable desiccant devices. With that in mind, great results so far. Actually I started with a barbecue cover and then a bike cover. I found that these were more susceptible to getting holes or letting small amounts of water through. To your point - peace of mind - maybe there is a high end bike cover that would perform better, but I'll stick with the well proved Telegizmos.
Good to hear feedback on bike covers! For now I'll stick to Telegizmos!
Peace of mind is priceless! Good post
Hi Cuiv, another useful video, I have a Losmandy G11 with an old Meade LX90 8" ota, I have only just added a mini pc so can't comment how that's doing yet. I leave everything outside in the garden all the time, covered with a BBQ cover from Amazon. I find this works well for me and they seem to last about 18 months to 2 years, but the only cost about £25. Having said that I would like to get the Telegizmos cover but am put off by the price. I am based in Somerset, south west England. One problem I do get occasionally is screws, such as in the guide scope rings, the constant movement of the cover occasionally works them loose and the vanish into the grass.
They are great. I have two for my single rig in Ottawa where I have to account for very cold winters and very hot summers. 24/7/365. 3 years. No problems. No deterioration.
One cover is for the summer and is open in the bottom. I use celopane to cover the bottom bolts and keep the rain off.
The other cover is for the winter (special order) which covers everything and gives the rig a foot or two envelope so that the snow can be easily cleared away from the cement platform before I uncover the rig. I cover the rig with a thick blanket and have a red light bulb at the bottom of the rig on constantly. This eliminates moisture.
I'm happy with them
That's a great way of dealing with things, one cover per season!
I've found that the winter cover is big and heavy enough to resist strong winds and sort of 'props itself up' to take off much of the weight of deep snow.
I do take the rig down if the weather looks particularly bad.
No worries about theft where I am.
As you say, there are risks involved, but I'm sure I would do far less observing if I had to put up and tear down the rig each time.
BTW: love your videos
Here in the Pacific NW, you need something that can weather the rains.
During this time of year, the rig comes in but the mounts stay outside.
During Spring, Summer through late Fall, i use a bbq cover over a T365 with, when needed, a 40-100w incandescent light beneath it. The light bulb keeps the ambient temperature beneath the covers above the dew point. This time of the year is the worst and the light is on 24/7
The heater/light bulb is such a good idea!
I bought a tire cover 80x120 cm and I will get a round bbq cover of similar size and use these together. Still need to find out if humidifier is required. I’ll use a microfibre towel because it does not contain humidity as cotton towels do.
Very intersting, thanks a lot, since 3 years I use telescope rig covers: always I use two covers in parallel: Inside a barbecue cover, outside a garden furniture cover: Up to know no problem.
Great to know!
Nice video! I really enjoy your channel. I was thinking of getting one and now you have convinced me! With regard to the older cover that is flaking onto your equipment, have you considered putting a heavy duty plastic "leaf, garbage" bag over the equipment then the heavier telegizmo cover over that? Keep up the great content.
Excellent idea! In the end since I managed to remove the net that was halfway holding the flakes in place, and then the flakes, I'll try using it as is for now! Maybe reconsider once summer comes again :)
Telegizmo:
1. Polar alignment DOES change according to 10um. Small changes (under 1’), but changes nevertheless.
2. Star model DOES change. This is critical.
3. It doesn’t protect well against humidity and > 95F heat.
4. It is better to avoid keeping electronics under Telegizmo.
But:
1. It shorten set up 2-3 times, since it keeps mount intact. If no high temperature, then telescope is also fine.
Great video. Until recently I used two towels to absorb any moisture under an oilskin jacket inside my wee observatory. Its very dusty here in summer and those two towels would be tied around the bottom. I did WD-40 all threads and screws on my EQ6-R but forgot to do the leg screws on the tripod and they had seized and snapped when I moved my rig to travel to image a solar eclipse earlier this year. So "rusty" bits was an important point that you bought up and something that could be easily overlooked especially when leaving gear out in the elements. Here in Western Australia where I live, critters like Redback Spiders, Centipedes, Snakes, and lizards like to make their homes in those sorts of places so Im always cautious when remove the covers!! Im in the planning phase to construct another observatory with a roll off roof. Because of the dust I will still cover my gear inside it and would use something similar to those that you use.
You do great videos Cuiv! Ive learnt a lot watching them. Keep up the good work - cheers D
I've been using a 365 cover for 2 years and i'm very happy with it, personally I chose it for peace of mind, besides the cost is minimal compared to most other astro kit!
The only time i have had any issues with damp was when I left a towel over the rig before putting on the cover, a few months later when we had a clear sky i removed the cover to find a damp towel and slight corrosion on my ASI120mm mini. Last year I used dessicant, but i've not bothered this year and everything is fine. I do leave all of my equipment switched on 24/7 so that the internal heat prevents moisture condensing on any electronic items, i also have my dew heaters on a low setting constantly.
Keeping the dew heaters on seems like a great tactic :)
Always love seeing your videos. Thank you for the time you put into them. I have a little different problem. I live in southern Arizona. Heat and dust is my problems. How well does this cover hold up to dry heat. Do you viewers have any tips and or experience with southwest heat.
I absolutely agree with your point about possibly having a shortened life span but using it a lot more. I don't have a T365 but I use an old pop up hunting blind which is basically a tent without a bottom. I also use dessicant and it is also very humid where I live for most of the year, especially since I live near a creek. I have never had moisture issues and like you I have only noticed a little bit of rust on some of the thumb screws that aren't stainless steel. I live in a safe rural area and I only take it down when it is really windy or if we are supposed to get heavy snow and that is just because I don't trust the tent to hold up to the weight of snow.
Ooh I wasn't aware of the existence of hunting blinds but that's actually a genius way to protect your equipment! Do you anchor it to avoid the risk of it flying off?
@@CuivTheLazyGeek yes the blind has cloth loops at the bottom to stake it to the ground just like a regular tent as well as strings attached further up for the same purpose. I use large ground nails (almost the size of railroad spikes) to take mine to the ground with carabiners for quickly putting it up and down. I also have a ground screw like you would tie a dog to and a rachet strap holding the tripod to the ground. I don't like people tying dogs to those things but it works great for a telescope
same for me, keep my scope on the roof most of the year, with a TG365, but also had all the silver lining start to disintegrate and flake off everywhere. I'm in Phoenix, AZ and assumed the heat did this after 3 years....company said to just trimmed out the silver on the lower part, and it will still do the job. It does as far as water protection...maybe the Waterproof blanket idea from Amazon is a cheaper idea next time.
Yep, it does seem pretty common indeed. I'm wondering what I'll do next!
I live in the SW United States, its pretty dry most of the time. But wind is significant.
I bring my OTA inside when not in use, but the mount is outside most of the year with a good quality BBQ cover. I would not trust a BBQ cover for my optical system, but I have had no concerns with it for the mount only.
So for me set up just means putting the tube on the mount, connecting a USB (I have a hub velcro'd to my tube, so one USB, and One power).
After that I'm good to go.
I had the exact same cover, didn't last two summers in Phoenix Arizona. The temperature here completely denigrated the silver lining. I now just bring my equipment inside from MAY-SEP.
I live just west of Tucson, Arizona. Have had one in constant use for at least 4 years. Silver liner is just starting to degrade.
Me too, I live in Phoenix...keep my scope on the roof most of the year My silver lining disintegrated after 2-3 years, and I called the company. they said it still works, just cut out the silver lining...which i did since it was getting little pieces everywhere. maybe the BBQ would work just as well, just not cut to size.
Super interesting feedback all around, thank you! Interesting the company was saying it still works without the silver lining, since I'm the left wondering whether this is a point to it!
Instead of desicant one can use cat litter aswell. It's far cheaper and it's only point is to soak up moisture. It can be rejuvenated aswell.
Bought my 365, 5 months ago. Only leave it out occasionally. Almost every imaging session ends with dew on the equipment. How do othes contend with this? I'm concerned about trapping that dew under the cover. Usually wait for the sun to dry it. Then cover if no chance of rain. Theft is a concern, but my yard is fenced in. The Telegizmo covers price is cheep compared to equipment. It's made for it. I'll try towel, and desiccant.
I've been using mine for about 2 years and it's worked great so far. There's a little bit of wear due to wind buffeting the cover around the refractor dust cap (WO FLT120 has some knurling to remove integrated bahtinov mask cover) and there is some minor rust pitting on my EQ6-R chrome plating (counter weight rod, screws etc) even though I use some dessicant bags. I live a mile or two from the coast so this is could be more related to salt than dew. But so far no rain has penetrated the cover and it's saved so much time in setting up / stripping down each night.
I tried a cheaper bike cover I already had, but the inside would just condense like mad. It was either a dew magnet or it does not have a high hydrostatic head which would eventually allow water to seep through. I suspect the Telegizmos has a far higher hydrostatic head and thus better waterproof ability.
Cuiv, I really like your videos. I've seen most of them. You really helped me to learn NINA, which I'm quite comfortable with now. I use the 365 covers as well but inside my observatory 😁. They keep lizards, frogs and the occasional bugs off my rig. I think they're worth the money. If you have to replace them every 4 or 5 years, I won't have to, so be it. It's a worth while investment in thousands of dollars of equipment. Keep the videos coming!
Completely agree, and your equipment is really getting 5 star luxury treatment :D
I have used one for almost ten years. It is the C11 GEM size and also fits my 10” SN and 8” MN. The bottom is getting a bit tattered, mostly from snagging on something when putting on or off. I leave my equipment set up year round except the cameras. If hail is forecast I cover up with a large garbage can or take the equipment down. I will get another. As Cuiv said himself is your gear worth it?
Very interested in the desiccant bags. I have just built a role off roof observatory and people are telling me I should put a dehumidifier in there. It would cost me a fortune in electric LOL. May try these bags instead as it’s well ventilated.
I had forgotten about those little red/silver flakes! I was finding them all over the place for weeks.
Ooh so your covers had degraded as well, and really quickly too!
Hi Cuiv! Just received mine today! How do your tripod legs suffer from bring exposed all year long?
I used two Telegizmos-365 covers on my EM-200T2Jr and tripod (one for tripod, one for mount/scope), kept on my balcony in Singapore for about 18 months. This was a mistake. I am generally careful with my equipment and they were like new at the start. The covers are good, but you need to think of the whole environment. I put a Raspberry Pi in to measure temperature and humidity. Both got very high (see: Singapore). Now I have have rust. People who build observatories often put in heaters to keep the scope above the dew-level to prevent this. I don't think there's a way to do this effectively with covers. For a few days use, these covers are great, but not for long term.
Your argument about reducing the equipment overall lifespan in order to get more actual use is the exact same argument I used when I bought mine. Now I've moved away from Singapore I'm tempted to try out these covers again, but I'm now in a position where I should be building an observatory.
Wow, Singapore is indeed a difficult place to image from AND cover your equipment like that... I wonder if fan + electric dehumidifier would have worked...
I've had a Telegizmo 365 for probably 4 years now and it too is showing some wear and tear. Mostly at the bottom where the rain can splash up inside it a bit. I think wind has a bit to do with it as well. But for being 4 years old, it's held up remarkably well. I bought it for my GT102 refractor, but am using with my 8" Edge HD now. It's a little big inside, but it does the job well enough. I'm in Northern Colorado around 5000 ft and I leave my gear out 24/7. I only bring it in if it gets REALLY WINDY. ;o)
I have two of these and they do work great. Also 100% recommend using desiccant if your rig will be covered outside for more than a few days. I had mine outside for two weeks in the summer and discovered the humidity had condensed inside the tube of my EdgeHD. That's how I learned my lesson to use desiccant.
Eek that's a tough way to learn the lesson, I hope your EdgeHD was fine!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek I was pretty upset when it happened, but I brought it inside, laid it on its side and had a fan blow on it for a day. Dried up and no harm done.
I live in a house with no fence. Having a cover such as yours around my rig and leaving it outside would just give thieves a handy carrying bag.
Get a dog
It's sad that theft has to be such a concern... Here in Japan I've left my rig on its own for hours at a public park at night while I was back at my apartment! It's just different...
I've been using mine for around 2 years on my Celestron C9.25+EQ6r+Cooled camera/OAG, etc and before that a bike/car cover - that went mouldy quite quickly! I live by the east coast of Scotland, so it's humid most of the time (90%+ around 80%+ of the year!) but also very windy a lot of the time. For that reason I never just rely on the draw cord at the bottom- I ordered a few spare ones from telegizmos (via FLO) and I use them to wrap and cinch the cover quite tightly around everything. I've only noticed internal degradation where it has snagged on sharp parts like finder scope screws. I am also a bit obsessive about dehumidifying; I wrap some parts like the camera and the mount in bright pink absorbent sheets that my wife gives me free from her work. They are used in packaging to keep medical stuff dry and are considered disposable. I also have car desiccant sacks that are recharchable in a microwave or on a radiator so no ongoing expense there.
My only real worry- and I have not seen it mentioned anywhere else, so it may just be me being a worrier, is the sheer weight of the Telegizmos 365 covers. Admittedly I use a much bigger one than I need- I think the one I have is for a large 10 or 12inch Dob! I worry that it is pressing against the clutch mechanism of the EQ6 and indeed the axis are sometimes forced to move by the wind. I just wonder if over time, all this weight on a tightened clutch will damage the worm drive, etc. Indeed my EQ6 now takes a long time to stop settle on one axis after a slew sometimes and I do wonder if it's due to the weight of the cover. I have experimented with leaving the clutches off and just tying the tube to the mount so it doesn't move in the wind under the cover, but that's time consuming and starts to add to setup time. Any comments on my worries here appreciated!
I also use Geoptik covers sometimes. They are a lot lighter, but they are extremely noisy (think a big giant crisp/chip packet) which is not ideal when covering during the night. They also need a lot more lashing down than the weightier Telegizmos. Swings and roundabouts !
I've never had condensation inside the covers, but this may be due to all the desiccants and pads I use and the fact that the oversized cover goes most of the way to the ground and I tie it tight at the bottom.
Interesting on the EQ6 - the EQ6R could slip in RA, but not sure about the EQ6!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek sorry it's the EQ6rPro I have. I'm just lazy in my writing. Wasn't even aware there was a non r-pro version!
Cuiv, I always feel it right to ‘go with what has worked’ for you. The cost difference between a TG cover and barbecue or bike cover, is trivial compared to the cost of the equipment underneath AND, in terms of the peace of mind that you mentioned.There are always going to be product variations that impact performance. Perhaps the TG folks made modifications in materials, stitching, coatings, etc, between your two covers. What ever the reason, these covers are improving your quality of life without introducing additional anxieties and risk to your equipment. Gary.
Exactly - small cost for peace of mind!
Great advice, I do the same, it’s a game changer because it’s always ready.
Absolutely!
How does it behave in the wind. We often have winds of 30-50 mph and I worry it would act like a sail and tip my tripod over.
I have mine on my mount and pier, just take the scope in, cover the mount with x2 towels and then apply the cover. After x2 months the plate bolts have a little rust so need to figure what to do with that - any advice ? Thanks !
I bought a like-new 365 cover to cover my old asgt mount on your recommendation. It's been good for about 3 months so far, having been slightly stained by leaves falling and resting on it... Even though it's pretty dry here in Colorado I haven't tried leaving a scope on it yet, but it cuts out that set up and polar alignment step. You're braver than I... All your setup needs is to get Jeremy Fielding (UA-camr) to build you a robotic arm to remove and replace the cover for you! (unfortunately, this will enable you to be even more lazy... 😉)
I think the older degraded one is too bad, but still... 4 years without failing is a long time to be out in the elements! I'd say it's insurance well worth it considering how many thousands of dollars you have sitting out there! Just buy a new one to replace it and be good with spending an additional $50 or so per year. 👍
Now that robotic arm would be amazing 😂
Your High Point link shows the covers “reversed” with the reflective side on the outside. 😅
Thank you!! I had made a mistake and updated the link now!
Thanks for sharing your experiences. I would have difficulty leaving financially irreplaceable equipment out 365 in all elements but the main concern would be theft. It comes down to personal circumstances and I'm sure many would find such a cover ok for their needs.
Yep, fully agreed!
The temperatures and conditions are too extreme in Montana. The wind alone would toss my gear around, especially with a sail, er, a cover 😂. I have to bring everything inside after every session.
I've had my equipment be tossed around in a typhoon once, I know the feeling!
I've been using BBQ covers on my outdoor pier for about 7 yrs now. It's outside all the time and even during storms. check polar alignment 2x a year and left fully setup and I'm right on the coast. I use 3 cheap Amazon BBQ covers, as long as you get the 600D Oxford fabric ones they are brilliant and only cost about £15 each. I tend to renew one layer once a yearish, putting the newest one on the bottom and the oldest one exposed, as soon as I see too much sun damage I throw it away and get a new bottom layer.
That's a super cool strategy! Being able to simply replace the layers that are failing makes a lot of sense!
Haircut weekend!!!! do you let the scope dry after a nights shooting or cover when the scope is damp from the nights moisture?
Yes, something I should have mentioned is I never put back the cover if there's still dew on the scope, unless there's rain in the forecast!
+1 for this exact cover. Was a game changer for me.
I will leave my scope out for 4 or 5 days at a time if the weather looks good. I use a cheap BBQ cover from Amazon. Works for me.
Witch model do you suggest for an Askar Fra 400 and a 8” newton? I use an am5 like your. Thank you
I use a bbq-cover with a heatwire for a terrarium. But only for the mount. The rest is inside.
J'utilise ma Telegizmo 365 depuis presque 2 ans déjà.
Aucun problème, je demeure au Québec et nous avons des températures l'hiver qui sont sous les -20° ... J'aimais eu de problèmes avec cette toile.😉
Has anyone done any actual experiments of humidity and dew point with different telescope covers over time? I am in the early process of doing that but was wondering if anyone else has?
Thanks Cuiv
Been using the Geoptik cover for 5 months now, all good! Let's see how they will be in a couple of years :)
I had no idea they made such covers!
you could make a desicant Bean-Bag. with a breath able layer on the underside, and waterproof on top. find some-one Who Can Sew. sew a circular pocket at the top for the dessicant.
Hello, thank you for your videos!
I am very afraid that there has been a drop in the manufacturing quality of these Telegismo covers between 2019 and 2020!
Really?? How so?
Hi Cuiv What do you use to power your setup ?
what about extreme high
temperatures. about 50 degrees celcius a few days a year
use a cheap tarp ontop to protect the good cover from u-v and other elements, don't trust one tarp use 2-3 layers . you can buy thick plastic tarps used for greenhouses,cheap and water tight .
Love this, but a bit big for my dwarf2
Here in California every plastic but one degrades with 1 year. Guaranteed. The only exception is Sunbrella.
Ha, good to know!
Not convinced this is much better than my £1 aldi carrier bag ;)
Amzn picnic Waterproof blanket! 😂 👍
Now that's a solution!
Nice cut
ill tell you what, i live in canada and my $13k setup sits under a garbage bag and tarp 24/7 out in my backyard. I use it way more than I would if it needed 30min setup every night. just my 2 cents
Hahaha now if it works, don't fix it! Super cool cheap way of getting things done!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek but the garbage bag and tarp gets regular inspections!! 😅
Maybe I’m a fool… but I’ve been using a simple tarp with emergency safety blankets taped on the inside for 6 months and is been through rain, hail, and snow with no problems
My dehumidifier bags can be reactivated with only 4 minutes on each side in the microwave.
That's really good! I need to look into those
Woopwoop
au japon cuiv doit sortir couvert !
Tout à fait!