Drybox settings? What's just right?

[michaelang]

I bought an electronic drybox to put in my newly acquired Nexstar5.

But I am thinking what is the right humidity I should set? Is it medium? What humidity should I aim for?

I am putting my camera lens in that too. Should it be the same?
It currently reads around 45%

Many thanks.

Michael

[VinSnr]

I bought an electronic drybox to put in my newly acquired Nexstar5.

But I am thinking what is the right humidity I should set? Is it medium? What humidity should I aim for?

I am putting my camera lens in that too. Should it be the same?
It currently reads around 45%

Many thanks.

Michael

35-45% is good.

[weixing]

Hi,
Base on Carl Zeiss recommendation on fungus prevention, RH of lower than 60% is safe.

Anyway, don't set lower than 30%, it might dry up the lubrication in the lens/telescope focusing mechanism.

Also don't put the lens cap or the telescope caps on... if you do, it might trap some moisture and fungus can still grow.

Have a nice day.

[michaelang]

Hi,
Base on Carl Zeiss recommendation on fungus prevention, RH of lower than 60% is safe.

Anyway, don't set lower than 30%, it might dry up the lubrication in the lens/telescope focusing mechanism.

Also don't put the lens cap or the telescope caps on... if you do, it might trap some moisture and fungus can still grow.

Have a nice day.

Hi guys,
thanks.

oh i didn't know that the lens cap can still cause fungus, all my camera lens have been capped all these years...

as for the SE, u mean the big front cap or the rear diagonal mirror cap?

[VinSnr]

Hi,
Base on Carl Zeiss recommendation on fungus prevention, RH of lower than 60% is safe.

Anyway, don't set lower than 30%, it might dry up the lubrication in the lens/telescope focusing mechanism.

Also don't put the lens cap or the telescope caps on... if you do, it might trap some moisture and fungus can still grow.

Have a nice day.

Hi guys,
thanks.

oh i didn't know that the lens cap can still cause fungus, all my camera lens have been capped all these years...

as for the SE, u mean the big front cap or the rear diagonal mirror cap?

Ok...let me help to explain what WeiXing means.

Most people use dryboxes. Say you have a camera which you intend to put inside that dry box. When you cap the camera, you normally cap it OUTSIDE the dry box where the RH could be say 70% (depending on your room). So although you put the camera into the drybox later, the air of 70% RH is still trap in between the lens and cap. hence, it is better not to cap your camera.

But let's say you on your air-con 24 hours and the RH of your entire house is already 35-45%. Then when you cap your camera, the air trap is only 35-45% RH...so no issue on capping in this case.

If you intend to put the 5SE into a dry box, I would suggest not to cap the main corrector lens. Let the scope face down (original position). As for the back, you should cover it because you wouldn't want dust to go inside the OTA. What you can do is to make a dessicant plug. if you have budget, you can buy those from PWT. If you don't, you can make your own using those film canisters (they are also 1.25"), poke a few needle holes and drop a few packet of silica gel into it.

[Tachyon]

I don't think the lens cap is air tight? Even if the humidity is high, it should dry up once you put it in the dry box, no? Unless, of course, there is physical water present, like, e.g. after a night of heavy dew.

[VinSnr]

I don't think the lens cap is air tight? Even if the humidity is high, it should dry up once you put it in the dry box, no? Unless, of course, there is physical water present, like, e.g. after a night of heavy dew.

I think some lens cap can be quite airtight although not 100%. Especially those that "screw-on".