Thermostatically Controlled Meteor Camera

  • Thread starter Thread starter AJohn
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Camera Meteor
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around building a housing for a Watec PAL camera intended for meteor observation. Participants explore options for protecting the camera from environmental factors such as rain, snow, and temperature extremes, while seeking cost-effective heating and cooling solutions suitable for nighttime use.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks suggestions for a homemade housing that can maintain a controlled temperature for a meteor camera, particularly in extreme weather conditions.
  • Another participant comments on the affordability of a $200 dome housing with heating/cooling features and inquires about the maximum and minimum temperatures the camera can tolerate.
  • A participant suggests an acceptable operating temperature range of 55 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and expresses interest in third-party systems for temperature control.
  • One suggestion includes using a bimetal thermostat in conjunction with a 100W resistor for heating.
  • Another participant proposes that if the camera is only used at night and the maximum temperature is 85°F, cooling may not be necessary, suggesting a simple incandescent bulb and household thermostat as potential solutions.
  • Concerns are raised about the practicality of using a light bulb for heating, given the need to capture faint meteor images without interference from light.
  • A suggestion is made to explore reptile heating systems, including thermostats and ceramic heating bulbs, as alternatives for temperature control.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various viewpoints on the necessity of cooling and the effectiveness of different heating methods. There is no consensus on the best approach, and multiple competing ideas remain regarding the optimal setup for the camera housing.

Contextual Notes

Participants have not fully resolved the specifics of temperature regulation, the effectiveness of proposed heating methods, or the suitability of commercial products versus homemade solutions.

AJohn
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Hi all,

This is my first post.

I am hoping to build an inexpensive housing for a Watec PAL camera that I have with the intended use as a meteor camera. The camera needs to be protected from the environment, rain, snow, fog and ideally in a controlled temperature situation while it runs all night looking for meteors flashing across the heavens.

I understand that good outdoor surveillance camera housings that are heated and cooled can be had with a nice poly dome for perhaps $ 200 or less. However is there a ready made electronic device or setup I can buy and install in my own homemade housing?

Any suggestions? I live in the Northeast where temps can fall into the subzero digits and in the summer hit more than 100 degrees F on occasion. I do understand some of the rectangular outdoor camera housings do have the features of heat/cooling for a reasonable price but I really need a domed version due to extreme wide angle lens I would like to use.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
I think $200 for a dome with heating/cooling is pretty cheap. I'll be interested to hear if I PF can suggest cheaper alternatives.

What max/min temperature can you tolerate?
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: davenn
I think $200 for a dome with heating/cooling is pretty cheap. I'll be interested to hear if PF can suggest cheaper alternatives.

What max/min temperature can you tolerate?
 
I'd imagine that 55 to 85 degrees F would be an acceptable opperating range or so.

Just wondering what might be out there as a third party system.
 
AJohn said:
Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
A bimetal thermostat in series with a 100W resistor ?

Have a look here: ( I don't know if it is accurate enough ? ).

http://www.senasys.com/shop/product/12-thermostat-switch-430-301a092-f/

PS: Of course you should choose a model that opens at temperature rise.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Well then, if you live in the Northeast and use the camera only at night, and if your max temperature is 85 F, then you don't need cooling at all. That will make it much less expensive.

A simple incandescent light bulb can be the source of heat and a household thermostat with a mercury switch, plus a little insulation might be all you need.

Do you need the temperature closely regulated and stable, or merely min temp 55 F?
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: davenn
anorlunda said:
Well then, if you live in the Northeast and use the camera only at night, and if your max temperature is 85 F, then you don't need cooling at all. That will make it much less expensive.

A simple incandescent light bulb can be the source of heat and a household thermostat with a mercury switch, plus a little insulation might be all you need.

Do you need the temperature closely regulated and stable, or merely min temp 55 F?
Yes I have already thought of this but was wondering what kind of setups exist for the commercial security cameras. Surely a light bulb on within a housing is not a good idea when trying to run a camera at night trying to capture images of faint meteors! It maybe possible to baffle the housing to shield the light created by the bulb but I rather not go in this direction.
 

Similar threads

Graduate Infrared and NIR Camera Sensitivity
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
4K