Camera Problem? - Forums

Topic starter

Mar 30, 2024

Has anyone seen this before?

C8, ZWO ASI294MC Pro, Starizona Corrector, Optolong L-Pro, NINA Software

C8 Optics are exceptional clean, imaging train has been disassembled and each glass surface absolutely clean. I see nothing on the camera sensor. This just started showing up. Sensor gone bad?

Single 120 second sub

5 subs stacked and no darks or flats

Mike

Tim Ray

Mar 30, 2024

Hi Mike,

I have seen this before with many of my cameras. How long do you take to cool down your camera? I take 30min to reach -10C. I think you might have some frost buildup on the sensor or the front window of the camera. Let the camera warm up and try again without cooling to see if the "patch" returns…

CS Tim

Helpful Concise Supportive

Claudio Tenreiro

Mar 30, 2024

Yes, mine did the same, so I did change the desecant pills and the problem was solved. The problem did started after almost two years of use.

Mike H - Sky View Observatory

Topic starter

Mar 30, 2024 · Edited: Mar 30, 2024

I didn't know about the desiccant inside the camera. I will try an image or two without the cooler. Wow if that's all it is will I be so very happy 😄

Mike H

Oscar

Mar 30, 2024 · Edited: Mar 30, 2024

(deleted)

Brian Puhl

IOTD Staff

Mar 30, 2024

If the dew returns, just move up a couple degrees. I fought it alot last summer and found it always went away if I moved up by 5C.

Let that not detract from the fact I should have been running a dessicant. Lol

Sean Mc

Mar 30, 2024

I think zwo sells a dew heater for the cam don’t they?

Mike H - Sky View Observatory

Topic starter

Mar 30, 2024

I ordered the desiccant pellets from High Point last night. I've not had this problem for two years and I live in Southwest Florida. Humidity so high in the summer it's ridiculous. So, I'm thinking if I replace them, that should hopefully take care of it. Until they come I may up the cooled temperature 5 or 10 degrees as suggested above. You guys are awesome! Thanks for.all the help 👍🏻😄

Tim Ray

Mar 30, 2024

Yes, They sell an circular heater (thin film) that goes on the front of the camera. The newer cameras have that built into the enclosure. I don't know if the 294 has it or not. I purchased one a while back for a 1600mmPro and it worked great…

CS Tim

Tim Ray

Mar 30, 2024

Mike, I live in Missouri and share the awesome humidity and summer "haze" to add spice to the imaging soup… In extreme humidity I have seen some imagers use a 2" eyepiece dew heater strip wrapped around the extension tubes directly in front of the camera in the imaging train. Effective but extreme… I might even try that this summer as the humidity rises. Last year I did have some frost creep into some of my sequence runs. I am starting a 2nd and 3rd season on several of the Pro cameras. I should probably change my cameras moisture tablets also.

Does anyone know if they can be recharged? (heated at a low temp in an oven to dry them out)

CS Tim

Helpful Respectful Engaging

Mike H - Sky View Observatory

Topic starter

Mar 30, 2024

There are instructions concerning the desiccant tablets in the camera on ZWOs website. Four pellets on each corner. I'm guessing since I've had no problem up to this point, they're saturated. They'll be in next week. I'll report back with hopefully my success. ZWO claimed extra ones are sent with the cameras but I looked in the box and nope.

Mike

andrea tasselli

Frequent contributor

Mar 30, 2024

ZWO is taking the mick as far as I am concerned. This desiccant thing is a kind of a scam. I had them replaced and I had the same exact issue in summer. Dried them off in the microwave, no joy either. The only way is to run the cooler at higher temperature and in summer's humid days that means running at 0 degC (and at times even higher). Remember, higher air temperatures mean higher relative humidity.

Observatório Astrográfico do Boqueirão

Mar 30, 2024

Hello Mike,

I actually have one question.. How far away from the Moon you were? And you’re using a dew shield also?

Cheers,

Cesar

Mike H - Sky View Observatory

Topic starter

Mar 30, 2024

Took 10 300 second subs, darks and flats despite the moisture problem just to see the potential of the old Orange tube and the Starizona Corrector/Reducer. This is just a little processing. I know this is off topic but I'm excited about the potential when I get some real integration time and a clear camera.

Mike H - Sky View Observatory

Topic starter

Mar 30, 2024 · Edited: Mar 30, 2024

Hello Cesar, moon had not risen yet and yes a good quality aluminum dewshield. Dew heater on the outside of the tube right below the corrector. It's automatically controlled by a Pegasus unit.

If I get a clear night this week I'll try the camera without the cooler on to see if the spot is there. My bet is it will not be.

Mike

Mike H - Sky View Observatory

Topic starter

Mar 31, 2024

Andrea, I've been using the camera year round for two years and never a problem. I always cool the camera to the lowest possible temperature. Something has changed and the desiccant situation makes sense. I'll find out this week for sure when the new desiccant arrives and is installed. Then, the guess work will be over. I'll be sure to report back here asap

Mike

Observatório Astrográfico do Boqueirão

Mar 31, 2024

Mike H - Sky View Observatory:
Hello Cesar, moon had not risen yet and yes a good quality aluminum dewshield. Dew heater on the outside of the tube right below the corrector. It's automatically controlled by a Pegasus unit.

If I get a clear night this week I'll try the camera without the cooler on to see if the spot is there. My bet is it will not be.

Mike

Oh Mike it's you!!
I didn't recognize you at first until you brought the orange tube into the conversation. Then I connected the dots.. xD
First of all my sincere congratulations. I'm seeing that you solve the problem with backfocus, but mainly the tilt. Very happy for you. I hope that sugestion that I made payed off

Honest

My concern probably will be Dew.. if you don't have any direct light source. Mine did that sometime ago, but I solved that with flats. And the other situation that I have that and could solve it, was with my small refractor and the Moon was the problem. Too much close to the field of view.
Could be also a neighbor light souce. But I would start with some dew bands.. Not just the dew shield. For an optic that large, a dew shield in my opinion is not enough.

Cheers,

Cesar

Engaging Supportive

Mike H - Sky View Observatory

Topic starter

Mar 31, 2024 · Edited: Mar 31, 2024

Good to hear from you Cesar. The tilt is now 4%

Although, due to the distance the Starizona unit is away from the scope, I have almost no infocus. Infact, about a quarter turn until it stops. The Baader piece allowed tilt but the Starizona piece fit inside therefore it was closer to the scopes back and allowed more infocus.

I have a dew band on the scope. Dew has never formed on the corrector. If the desiccant thing doesn't work out, I'll raise the temperature and/or put a dew heater on the camera. This did not happen last year this time and has never happened with my 81mm refractor. I have high hopes it's the desiccant. The first two answers that came after I posted recognized the problem as they had the same situation, condensation inside the camera. Makes perfect sense to me.

Mike

Mike H - Sky View Observatory

Topic starter

Apr 6, 2024

Replaced the desiccant pellets but still had to reduce the cooling temp from - 10 C to - 5 C. Dew is gone now. Used to cool it to -10 C for two years. Don't know what changed 🤔

Mike

andrea tasselli

Frequent contributor

Apr 6, 2024

Age. They all do the same, mine included.

Alejandro Navarro

Apr 6, 2024 · Edited: Apr 6, 2024

As all said it, replace the desiccant pellet.
and don't cool your camera too fast. Even with new pellets.
What I do is to set it at 0 first.
Wait 10 minutes, and then go to -10
Wait another 5 it 10 minutes, and then I go to -15

You can do this, while you're doing your pa or while you're preparing your session.

Best regards