Hello, I have been using the ASIAIR Mini coupled with the ASI2600MC camera. My current set-up has been working flawlessly for a long while. Last night I had a little initial trouble with the start-up, the camera advised an exposure failure while I was trying to polar Align. I reset the cables and everything worked normally. I set the camera to shoot 120×180s exposure and to cut to the Darks and Bias. Again, it worked well till image 116 when it failed again. I checked the system, and it appeared to be fine. I cancelled the remaining lights and started the Darks; it appeared to work, so I left the scope to do its thing. It failed again after 1 dark. I swapped the USB port on the ASIAIR, It failed. I changed the USB cable, It failed. I changed the power output on the ASIAIR, It failed. I changed the power cable from the ASIAIR to the camera, it failed. I changed the Power Supply. That seemed to work for a few shots, but then it failed. I am now scratching my head. I can try a second ASIAIR a I have a Plus as well. I have checked the power on the ASIAIR dashboard, and it is consistently at about 2.3-2.8amps, which should be enough to power everything. Does anyone have any suggestions?
ASIAIR Mini and ASI2600MC exposure failures despite troubleshooting attempts
I vaguely remember seeing something about this elsewhere, and if I recall it was some sort of memory/transfer speed issue. The ASI2600MC generates big files. I’d suggest giving it a try with your ASIAIR plus. You could also double check by swapping out the 2600MC for your guide camera and see if you have the same problems.
Try using a usb 2 cable plugged into the port on the camera. I had trouble with my 2600mm duo, and that worked. OTOH, I had a 2600mm that did as your camera, and it turned out to be a failed board, but I’d try the cable trick first.
SO I have swapped the ASIAIR from the Mini to the Plus. I also changed to a new Power Supply I purchased for the EQ6 mount set up. I updated the firmware on the Plus and then attempted a shot. The camera failed. By process of elimination, I think I have concluded that it’s the camera. Unless the brain trust has any other suggestions.
It's always the cable.
Andrew Murrell · Oct 11, 2025, 11:56 AM
SO I have swapped the ASIAIR from the Mini to the Plus. I also changed to a new Power Supply I purchased for the EQ6 mount set up. I updated the firmware on the Plus and then attempted a shot. The camera failed. By process of elimination, I think I have concluded that it’s the camera. Unless the brain trust has any other suggestions.
As one last ditch effort, hook the camera up to a PC running the ASI_Studio.
I also have the same problem with the new Asi 2600 MC pro when connected to the asi air plus. Sometimes, when the countdown for the sub finishes, it doesn’t start again and a new image is not created in the memory. Last night, for example, I was shooting 60s subs and once in a while there’s a 2-3 min gap between files. I changed two usb 3.0 cable and the power is in the correct range but it did not change anything. The only thing that seemed to improve the situation was increasing the delay between shooting from 1 sec to 2 sec: in the next session I’ll increase the delay to 3 sec hoping to solve completely the problem.
Robert Žibreg · Oct 11, 2025, 01:23 PM
It's always the cable.
I know it normally is, but in this instance, I have changed the USB 3 cable twice, disconnected the filter wheel and the focuser, changed the Power cable, switched the camera to its own power supply and changed the USB port the camera plugs into, as well as changed from the Mini to the Plus. Every time the exposure has failed.
John Tucker · Oct 11, 2025, 11:21 AM
I vaguely remember seeing something about this elsewhere, and if I recall it was some sort of memory/transfer speed issue. The ASI2600MC generates big files. I’d suggest giving it a try with your ASIAIR plus. You could also double check by swapping out the 2600MC for your guide camera and see if you have the same problems.
I followed your suggestion of changing the guide and main camera around. The guide camera worked perfectly when turned into the main camera. The guide camera, after a few minutes, gave a message of a loop failure. It is looking increasingly like it is the main camera failure.
Andrew Murrell · Oct 11, 2025 at 07:07 PM
John Tucker · Oct 11, 2025, 11:21 AM
I vaguely remember seeing something about this elsewhere, and if I recall it was some sort of memory/transfer speed issue. The ASI2600MC generates big files. I’d suggest giving it a try with your ASIAIR plus. You could also double check by swapping out the 2600MC for your guide camera and see if you have the same problems.
I followed your suggestion of changing the guide and main camera around. The guide camera worked perfectly when turned into the main camera. The guide camera, after a few minutes, gave a message of a loop failure. It is looking increasingly like it is the main camera failure.
I posted a thread a few months back about a problem I was having with a 2600MM. I was having similar issues and I tried all the suggestions, but it turned out to be a board problem. I suggest trying the USB2 cable, and if it fails, then a motherboard issue is likely the culprit.
Thank you, everyone, for your assistance. It is now looking increasingly like it’s the camera that’s the issue. I have changed the power supply three times. I powered the camera directly. I have changed the USB 3 cable twice and tried the USB 2 cable as suggested by Scottf. I changed the USB port on the ASIAIR mini twice, and I changed to my ASIAIR Plus. I swapped the camera in the setup between the guide and the main. I disconnected the EAF and the EFW as I ran them through the camera. Every time the camera has now failed.
It’s typical that this would happen with the lead up to New Moon and during a period of good weather. I can swap to my Mirrorless Z6 until my replacement camera comes as I purchased the new version of the ASI2600MC from ZWO.
Thank you again for all of your help and if there is anything else you think I may have missed, please let me know.
I will advise what happens with the ZWO service regarding the camera.
Good luck. I found ZWO to be very responsive and quick to provide an RMA, and the repair turnaround was also swift.
AdAstraAnimadverto · Oct 11, 2025, 05:35 PM
I also have the same problem with the new Asi 2600 MC pro when connected to the asi air plus. Sometimes, when the countdown for the sub finishes, it doesn’t start again and a new image is not created in the memory. Last night, for example, I was shooting 60s subs and once in a while there’s a 2-3 min gap between files. I changed two usb 3.0 cable and the power is in the correct range but it did not change anything. The only thing that seemed to improve the situation was increasing the delay between shooting from 1 sec to 2 sec: in the next session I’ll increase the delay to 3 sec hoping to solve completely the problem.
I hope I don’t get that with the new one I just ordered. The original camera does appear to be the fault, and I will send that back for repair.
ScottF · Oct 11, 2025, 07:23 PM
Good luck. I found ZWO to be very responsive and quick to provide an RMA, and the repair turnaround was also swift.
Thanks, it’s good to hear they have good after-sales service.
Which ASI 2600 do you have? I understand that there are at least 3 models with changes that could impact image readout failures:
Older ones with 256 MB DDR3 buffer
More recent ones with 512 MB buffer
The 2025 version out for a few weeks with 512 MB buffer and faster 14.3 full frames per sec reeadout