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Monday: The Xmas red LED lights arrived and proved to have a fault. Tipping the control box, with solar panel, makes the lights come on or go off. Grr. I whipped the back off and had a peek but there is nothing obviously wrong or loose. I'm wondering whether I can bypass the unwanted gubbins but there must be more to it than that.Update: I have just discovered the LED's control box has a night/day sensor but does not mention it. Simply covering the solar panel switches the lights off even when the battery is charged.
I could return them for a replacement but it's so boring for a £20 set of Xmas lights! They worked exactly as desired for low light intensity and perfect length of the string.[Wire.] Lots of flashing modes add that certain something, if you like that sort of thing. Though the Santa's Grotto effect is probably best avoided IMO if you want to be taken seriously in this hobby.
Today I slid the OTA upwards through the rings enough for the dewshield to just clear the dome. This gave me about 3" more clearance from the octagon's top ring when the OTA is almost horizontal. Still far too little room without a star diagonal and even then a struggle at times.
As it was dry but cold and windy outside I spent some time working on the main doors. Still not sure what kind of lock I want. Galvanized stable latch and a matching padlock? Or posh, lever handles and a real key? Or none of the above. I could always sit at my bedroom window monitoring for burglars with a machine gun on my lap. "Are you feeling lucky, punk?" That sort of thing. It could be a long wait. This isn't Gravely Blighted, after all. Anyone hoping to find any valuable instruments, cameras or upmarket accessories in my observatory will be sorely disappointed.
What about a grenade with a bit of string tied to the door handle? Nah. I might forget it's there and spoil my whole day. You know what I'm like. Same goes for boiling tar vats at the top of the stepladder. Just think of the expense in quarterly fuel bills?
I think I'll settle for a deafening alarm and flashing lights inside the building. With a self-closing, self-locking door once they are safely inside. What's that, Mate? I can't hear you! Can you speak up, please? 🙉 I thought I might add a Doberman, or two to the disco mix, but won't risk damaging the innocent creature's ears.
Went over after dark to properly check the red LED lights. They now seem to be working normally but provide very little useful light. Precise location of the dome perimeter is about it. Rather than adding any extra light to the observatory. It was impossible to see the telescope parked horizontally just above me.
I could face all the lights inwards or upwards if I used cable clips. At the moment about half are facing outwards or upwards. It might be possible to use a proper stapler instead of cable clips. Probably best done in daylight. It's pitch black, blowing a gale and raining right now.
I also bought a couple of small, red, 1W, LED bulbs with standard, mains, light bulb fittings. Then discovered I had no spare light sockets to try them out in the observatory. I thought I could hang one bulb in the "dog kennel" inside the top of the hollow pier. That would gently light the stairs and wash over the closed trapdoor for confirmation that it really is closed. I couldn't relax in the dark with the risk of the trapdoor still being open. I'm a martyr to short term memory loss. I'm a martyr to short term memory loss.
I think I'll settle for a deafening alarm and flashing lights inside the building. With a self-closing, self-locking door once they are safely inside. What's that, Mate? I can't hear you! Can you speak up, please? 🙉 I thought I might add a Doberman, or two to the disco mix, but won't risk damaging the innocent creature's ears.
Went over after dark to properly check the red LED lights. They now seem to be working normally but provide very little useful light. Precise location of the dome perimeter is about it. Rather than adding any extra light to the observatory. It was impossible to see the telescope parked horizontally just above me.
I could face all the lights inwards or upwards if I used cable clips. At the moment about half are facing outwards or upwards. It might be possible to use a proper stapler instead of cable clips. Probably best done in daylight. It's pitch black, blowing a gale and raining right now.I also bought a couple of small, red, 1W, LED bulbs with standard, mains, light bulb fittings. Then discovered I had no spare light sockets to try them out in the observatory. I thought I could hang one bulb in the "dog kennel" inside the top of the hollow pier. That would gently light the stairs and wash over the closed trapdoor for confirmation that it really is closed. I couldn't relax in the dark with the risk of the trapdoor still being open. I'm a martyr to short term memory loss. I'm a martyr to short term memory loss.
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