This project tries to
install fans in a 14 inch Meade SCT to eliminate tube currents, mirror
currents and the boundery layer.
Ingredients needed:
1 x 14 inch meade OTA
Where? Your local
telescope discount :-)
8 x PVC caps for
PVC-draining pipes, 40 mm.
Where? Your local hardware
store
- Remove 'bottoms' with saw
- Paint "meade-blue", 3 times
- Glue fly-stuff into
hole to prevent bugs from starting a family in the tube.
3 x super silent computer
fans
Where to buy? Internet or
your local computer-store
Ultra Silent 8025 system fan SAF-S84-E1-GP
- Size: 80 x 80 x 25 mm
- Voltage: 12 VDC
- Current: 0.05 A
- Input Power: 0.60 W
- Speed: 1400 RPM
- Air flow: 15.75 CFM
- Air pressure: 1.00 mm H2O
- Noise: 13 dB-A
- Weight: 80 g
- Life: 50.000 hours (5.7 years)
- Bearing type: Sleeve
- Speed sensor: yes
- Price: 6 euro each
Some tools
Make 8 holes for the
outlets with
above tool - Oh yeah: First remove optics and baffle :-)
Make 3 holes for fans
Make sure to use good
sharp tools, the bottom part is 1 cm thick alluminium !
This is how the inside
looks like, after cleaning. I used extra bolds to strenghten the
connection between lower part and tube.
- Install fans
- Glue wires to tube with kit. Very thight ! We don't want to get
inside for a loose wire !!!!
Install outlets and glue
them with kit from the inside: use latex gloves and your fingers to
deploy the kit. Kit used: Fix-All from local hardwarestore
- Paint all kit black
- Clean mirror now you have the change
- Paint inside of tube black (it's blacker if you do it yourself)
- re-install baffletube and optics
FINISHED:
One side...
The fans are 'taped' with insulation foam-tape onto 2 layers of
insulation foam.
Other side
The fans do not touch the
metal tube ! The only way to know the fans are turning, is by looking
!!!! The sound is absolutely ZERO.
Vibrations are absolutely
non-existent.
If you put your ear near
the holes, the only thing you can hear is the moving air !!!!