I tried this method today on three different SCT's: a 5" Meade, a 10" Meade and a 9.25" Celestron. My soapy water mixture was made up of 8oz (250ml) distilled water and only a couple of drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid. I used the Pec Pads and Eclipse methanol that was recommended (purchased from Amazon along with the ACM economy wash bottle for the soapy water solution). The results were quite frankly incredible. The 9.25 corrector plate actually required cleaning on both sides, necessitating its removal. I am overjoyed at the end result, as the corrector plates on these SCT's now look virtually new. Having fretted forever over how I was ever going to get these things back to their proper condition, I can honestly say that this procedure was quite simple. If you'll maintain a clean work environment and be fastidious about proper handling (I used latex gloves for the plate that I had to remove) you will be rewarded with excellent results.
@@mdearcos It certainly is safe to remove the corrector plate. I have seen several people at TH-cam, meticulously explaining and showing how they did it and how we can do it too. Just plan your work and prepare a clean workstation. Never ever panic. Take your time and remain calm. Investigate as to how you can detach the fixation of the correction plate, or the Maksutov lens, depending on the make of the scope. I am contemplating to remove the Mak lens of my SkyWatcher 190/1000 Mak-Newt, as I have seen some spots on the inside surface. For now, I tolerate them, but I want to be prepared for the moment in the future when I will decide that it is time. Make sure that you mark the rotational position of the plate with a pair of tape strips before you remove it from the tube. Perhaps it does not make much difference, but better safe than sorry.
Thanks for sharing this. I just purchased a used 10" LX200 with a lot of mold on the corrector plate from living in a tropical location. This method brought it back to new. I didn't have an air duster so I used my compressor at 60psi.
Thank you SO much ... last week upon taking my brand new C11 back indoors after its very first use I noticed a spot about 2cm radius on my corrector plate ... I have NO IDEA what substance it was, you can imagine how that felt. :( I followed your exact procedure with the exact products you show in this video. For the soapy part, I prepared a 100ml mixture of 70% isopropyl alcohol, 30% distilled water and a MINUSCULE amount of dish washing soap, then I followed up with the Eclypse methanol. That cleared it up spotlessy with absolutely no scratching or marks of any sort... I'm happy again ! :D
I thought that my new Evo 8 scopes corrector plate was spotless. That is until I discovered that ALL imperfections and spots, dust, etc., show up very well when you shine a light at an angle and very close to the glass in a dark room, or outside in the dark of night. Now I’ve ordered the pec wipes and the methanol solution to clean it up.
Well I purchased both items and it worked great. I did not have to clean the whole 925hd corrector plate, just a small area that was dirty and I must say cleaned up nicely!! The only thing I would add is if you must use canned air, which I didn't, I used a rocket puffer to get the large pieces of dust off and then a very soft brush to softly remove any fine dust from the area. make sure you aim the canned air at an angle, NOT head on !! Point your scope downwards and clean off the the ledges. I also used rubber gloves so I would not deposit oil on the pecpads and the corrector if I came in contact by mistake. Also don't try any cleaning when humidity is above 60%, you won't like the results.. Past experience. :) !!
just to save some money and make it easier, Celestron in its owners manual for the C8 says plain old Kleenex (white and unscented) is the recommended wipe. Also, per Al Nagler (THE optics guru, founder of Tele-Vue), regular Windex is the recommended cleaner. Not that you cant use Pec Wipes or methanol and other soap mixes, but Kleenex and Windex are things most people have lying around and these are endorsed by the giants of the industry.
Agreed, I also use simple paper tissues for this purpose. They are sufficiently soft and do not scratch the optics. Mostly I use my breath to moisturise the surface and then wipe gently with a tissue, ensuring not to overdo it with pressure and to use a clean spot on the tissue after each wipe. Tissues are so cheap that you do not have to be frugal with them when cleaning expensive optics.
Can you provide the soap recipe you use? Is this distilled water with 2 drops of soap or is this more substantial? Seeing the liquid was blue, it seems to be a lot more soap than I have seen recommended.
I'm guessing it's what Celestron recommends: "Use a cleaning solution to gently lift off any remaining dirt or smudges. The recommended solvent is alcohol. You can make a mix from pure alcohol and distilled water or buy off-the-shelf dilutions from your local drugstore. Dilutions of 50 to 70 percent alcohol work best. Higher percentages evaporate too fast and have a greater chance of dissolving optical cements, non-metallic parts and lacquers on mechanical parts if the solution accidentally gets into the wrong parts of the optics or telescope. Lower percentage dilutions won’t evaporate readily but may still cause problems if the solution accidentally gets into the wrong parts of the optics or telescope. The alcohol can be used straight or you can add one or two drops of clear liquid dish-type soap (non-waxy) per quart to help lift off dirt and finger oils. (Adding too much soap will leave visible residues on your optics.)" OR... "Celestron recommends a solution of 60% isopropyl alcohol and 40% distilled water, to which a couple of drops of liquid dish soap per quart of liquid may be added. Meade’s recommendation is similar: 1/3 isopropyl alcohol (90% or better) and 2/3 distilled water with one drop of biodegradable liquid dishwashing soap per pint of solution."
I have had a C8 since May 14th 1988 and it rules! I used to live in Seattle where an outfit called Captain's Nautical cleaned my corrector plate for free! That's right free, as a public courtesy for celestial buffs that know where the Orion Nebula (M42) is :) Nyuk Nyuk. But now I have to attempt it myself and have been scarred to death to touch anything! LMAO :P Thank you for these instructions Steve! :) Are you related to Koenig on Space 1999?
+rulzulbulzul Or Walter Koenig (Chekov) ;) How is the cleaning going? I just got a Nexstar 127SLT and I got a fingerprint on the front ... lens already! Is it called a corrector plate on a Maksutov too? I am obsessed with cleaning it.. I have heard of a special cloth and solution from Eyepiece company Baader, is interesting..
I tried to clean the front lens by using normal water + alcohol and became opaque a little bit foggy :( .... help me please !. Can I use soapy water to get it clear ?. Appreciated all your help !!!.
Unfortunately, this wasn't too helpful since the 'soap & water' mix wasn't provided. How much soap? How much water? Distilled water? What kind of soap?
Just spit on the corrector plate and wipe with a sanitary napkin. That's what they did at Yerkes Observatory during its glory years. Well yes I understand the forty inch telescope is a refractor.
Ok, I have to ask this question,because what you did, is against every article or manual on telescopes I've ever seen or read on cleaning your scope. They ALL warn against cleaning in a circle like you did. They say up and down never circular??
What happens if it catches fire while cleaning? But seriously i tried cleaning mine with soapy water and i cannot get rid of streaks ,even after rinsing in fresh water.
jah0524 I was always taught never to use Kleenex since it’s paper and thus pulp based. It’s highly likely to scratch any optics. My opticians told me this for the past 30 years. Today you can get decent micro fiber cloths for glasses cleaning at any Dollar Store. Also you can buy bulk Zeis Optical cleaning cloths. They come individually wrapped and are pre wet with an alcohol type substance. Very affordable at Sam’s, Costco, and I’m sure Amazon.
I tried this method today on three different SCT's: a 5" Meade, a 10" Meade and a 9.25" Celestron. My soapy water mixture was made up of 8oz (250ml) distilled water and only a couple of drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid. I used the Pec Pads and Eclipse methanol that was recommended (purchased from Amazon along with the ACM economy wash bottle for the soapy water solution). The results were quite frankly incredible. The 9.25 corrector plate actually required cleaning on both sides, necessitating its removal. I am overjoyed at the end result, as the corrector plates on these SCT's now look virtually new. Having fretted forever over how I was ever going to get these things back to their proper condition, I can honestly say that this procedure was quite simple. If you'll maintain a clean work environment and be fastidious about proper handling (I used latex gloves for the plate that I had to remove) you will be rewarded with excellent results.
Is it safe to remove the plate to clean it from the inner side? I just bought an old Tasco 13T and I noticed it has dirt inside.
@@mdearcos It certainly is safe to remove the corrector plate. I have seen several people at TH-cam, meticulously explaining and showing how they did it and how we can do it too. Just plan your work and prepare a clean workstation. Never ever panic. Take your time and remain calm. Investigate as to how you can detach the fixation of the correction plate, or the Maksutov lens, depending on the make of the scope.
I am contemplating to remove the Mak lens of my SkyWatcher 190/1000 Mak-Newt, as I have seen some spots on the inside surface. For now, I tolerate them, but I want to be prepared for the moment in the future when I will decide that it is time.
Make sure that you mark the rotational position of the plate with a pair of tape strips before you remove it from the tube. Perhaps it does not make much difference, but better safe than sorry.
Cannot believe the improved results. To test I disassembled and cleaned the inside optics of a 30 year old celestron c90. Wow. Than you.
I have a meade 2080 I bought in 91. This made a huge difference on my plate. All ready to go again. Thanks
Thanks for sharing this. I just purchased a used 10" LX200 with a lot of mold on the corrector plate from living in a tropical location. This method brought it back to new. I didn't have an air duster so I used my compressor at 60psi.
Jedda73 you managed to get mold off with this? Might try! Spotted a small speck on my corrector today and it’s bugging me...
Thank you SO much ... last week upon taking my brand new C11 back indoors after its very first use I noticed a spot about 2cm radius on my corrector plate ... I have NO IDEA what substance it was, you can imagine how that felt. :( I followed your exact procedure with the exact products you show in this video. For the soapy part, I prepared a 100ml mixture of 70% isopropyl alcohol, 30% distilled water and a MINUSCULE amount of dish washing soap, then I followed up with the Eclypse methanol. That cleared it up spotlessy with absolutely no scratching or marks of any sort... I'm happy again ! :D
I thought that my new Evo 8 scopes corrector plate was spotless. That is until I discovered that ALL imperfections and spots, dust, etc., show up very well when you shine a light at an angle and very close to the glass in a dark room, or outside in the dark of night. Now I’ve ordered the pec wipes and the methanol solution to clean it up.
Wow, that worked really well with the soapy distilled water and the Eclipse fluid.
Well I purchased both items and it worked great. I did not have to clean the whole 925hd corrector plate, just a small area that was dirty and I must say cleaned up nicely!! The only thing I would add is if you must use canned air, which I didn't, I used a rocket puffer to get the large pieces of dust off and then a very soft brush to softly remove any fine dust from the area. make sure you aim the canned air at an angle, NOT head on !! Point your scope downwards and clean off the the ledges. I also used rubber gloves so I would not deposit oil on the pecpads and the corrector if I came in contact by mistake. Also don't try any cleaning when humidity is above 60%, you won't like the results.. Past experience. :) !!
Thank you for this very informative vid. This instruction is exactly what I needed to get my telescope back in action.
Thank you Steve. Plenty of helpful hints
just to save some money and make it easier, Celestron in its owners manual for the C8 says plain old Kleenex (white and unscented) is the recommended wipe. Also, per Al Nagler (THE optics guru, founder of Tele-Vue), regular Windex is the recommended cleaner. Not that you cant use Pec Wipes or methanol and other soap mixes, but Kleenex and Windex are things most people have lying around and these are endorsed by the giants of the industry.
Agreed, I also use simple paper tissues for this purpose. They are sufficiently soft and do not scratch the optics. Mostly I use my breath to moisturise the surface and then wipe gently with a tissue, ensuring not to overdo it with pressure and to use a clean spot on the tissue after each wipe. Tissues are so cheap that you do not have to be frugal with them when cleaning expensive optics.
I have the same question as Mr Wells about the concentrate of the soap solution? Thank you for the video it's a wonderful help.
Can you provide the soap recipe you use? Is this distilled water with 2 drops of soap or is this more substantial? Seeing the liquid was blue, it seems to be a lot more soap than I have seen recommended.
I used this method with good results. Much better than it was.
I was using something called Collodion in the 1960s. It is cellulosenitrate.
Spectacle wipes work great!
I'm guessing it's what Celestron recommends:
"Use a cleaning solution to gently lift off any remaining dirt or smudges. The recommended solvent is alcohol. You can make a mix from pure alcohol and distilled water or buy off-the-shelf dilutions from your local drugstore. Dilutions of 50 to 70 percent alcohol work best. Higher percentages evaporate too fast and have a greater chance of dissolving optical cements, non-metallic parts and lacquers on mechanical parts if the solution accidentally gets into the wrong parts of the optics or telescope. Lower percentage dilutions won’t evaporate readily but may still cause problems if the solution accidentally gets into the wrong parts of the optics or telescope. The alcohol can be used straight or you can add one or two drops of clear liquid dish-type soap (non-waxy) per quart to help lift off dirt and finger oils. (Adding too much soap will leave visible residues on your optics.)"
OR...
"Celestron recommends a solution of 60% isopropyl alcohol and 40% distilled water, to which a couple of drops of liquid dish soap per quart of liquid may be added. Meade’s recommendation is similar: 1/3 isopropyl alcohol (90% or better) and 2/3 distilled water with one drop of biodegradable liquid dishwashing soap per pint of solution."
Is this method applicable to refractor scopes?
I have had a C8 since May 14th 1988 and it rules! I used to live in Seattle where an outfit called Captain's Nautical cleaned my corrector plate for free! That's right free, as a public courtesy for celestial buffs that know where the Orion Nebula (M42) is :) Nyuk Nyuk.
But now I have to attempt it myself and have been scarred to death to touch anything! LMAO :P
Thank you for these instructions Steve! :) Are you related to Koenig on Space 1999?
+rulzulbulzul Or Walter Koenig (Chekov) ;) How is the cleaning going? I just got a Nexstar 127SLT and I got a fingerprint on the front ... lens already! Is it called a corrector plate on a Maksutov too? I am obsessed with cleaning it.. I have heard of a special cloth and solution from Eyepiece company Baader, is interesting..
I am too scared to touch it so far! lol
Where do you get the methanol your using? Also a general Idea of what solution your using to clean the sct would be great?
I tried to clean the front lens by using normal water + alcohol and became opaque a little bit foggy :( .... help me please !. Can I use soapy water to get it clear ?. Appreciated all your help !!!.
Unfortunately, this wasn't too helpful since the 'soap & water' mix wasn't provided. How much soap? How much water? Distilled water? What kind of soap?
It is most likely Dawn dish soap and distilled water.
Can I use IPA as a substitute for the methanol?
Just spit on the corrector plate and wipe with a sanitary napkin. That's what they did at Yerkes Observatory during its glory years. Well yes I understand the forty inch telescope is a refractor.
Hi Steve. Like a number of people in this thread, I too would like to know the concentration and make-up of your 'soap solution'. Many thanks.
Can you use same products on your Maksutov objective? Same style also?
Yes absolutely!
Ok, I have to ask this question,because what you did, is against every article or manual on telescopes I've ever seen or read on cleaning your scope.
They ALL warn against cleaning in a circle like you did. They say up and down never circular??
Yes, that's what I was thinking. Probably OK so long as you aren't dragging particles that leave ruts, that's why he used the canned air first.
What happens if it catches fire while cleaning? But seriously i tried cleaning mine with soapy water and i cannot get rid of streaks ,even after rinsing in fresh water.
use distilled (or deionized if you can't get distilled) water, not tap water. if that doesn't help try windex or isopropyl alcohol.
First canned air, then Windex and white Kleenex is the best. Follow with more canned air. Pure, distilled methanol left a film on my plate.
jah0524 I was always taught never to use Kleenex since it’s paper and thus pulp based. It’s highly likely to scratch any optics. My opticians told me this for the past 30 years. Today you can get decent micro fiber cloths for glasses cleaning at any Dollar Store. Also you can buy bulk Zeis Optical cleaning cloths. They come individually wrapped and are pre wet with an alcohol type substance. Very affordable at Sam’s, Costco, and I’m sure Amazon.
A1 thanks
Loose the music.....sounds like something i would play at a 4 yo bday party.