For some reason I can’t seem to get the ASI 294mc pro to cool below -1.6 in SGP, even though I have set it for -20. The cooler never goes beyond 35%.
However if I control the camera in SharpCap 3.1, it easily cools to -20 and I see the cooling effort increase.
I have no problems cooling a 1600mm in SGP. What am I a missing?
Thanks
Randy
I’ll be watching this thread because my 249MC Pro seems to have the same issue in SGP! I tested it with APT and it cools to the desired temperature with no issue.
I guess we are the only ones to have this issue?
Usually there are more people on during the weekend. Hopefully we will get more feedback then.
Thanks,
Charles
I had something similar with my ASI 294, but it might have been associated with the sequence going into recovery mode. I don’t normally have a problem with cooling. In this case I aborted and started the sequence again again and it cooled to my usual -10C.
Ed
Are you using cool down? Maybe try just setting the temp? SGP doesn’t actually control power. We only set a temperature and it’s up to the camera to get there. Are you using the ASCOM driver in both or the native drivers?
Thanks,
Jared
Am using ASCOM drivers. Last night I gave up on the profile and copied the 1600 profile over to the 294mc profile and the unit cooled down to -20 like it should. Weird that when I first made the 294 profile I filled in everything basically like I had for the 1600. So something about that I missed or it just did not like in that profile. So far with the copied settings, it is cooling. I’ll have a little more time to test again over the weekend.
Thanks
Randy
I would look at the Camera Control Panel in SGP for the “Cool down to X in Y minutes” settings. Seems like it may be set to something fairly high?
Thanks,
Jared
I had this a while back. I didn’t think to try another program. (thinking the program only tells it where to go to). but maybe it was SGP. I sold the camera as it was a year old and replaced it with same but newer PRO model.
temps are much cooler now outside so I’ve not seen it since new camera arrived last fall.
It continues to be an issue in SGP. It cooled below -15 two times out of the dozens I’ve tried and my settings remained the same. It’s like the cooler just refuses to go beyond a certain point. I don’t see this in SharpCap or Asicap. This was after 15 minutes.
Regards,
Randy
From that screenshot it appears that the 10 minute cool down is running and has been running for about 6-7 minutes (based on the progress bar for the cooler). What happens if you abort the cool down, set -20 in the Set temperature to box and click Set?
Thanks,
Jared
Yes in this case the progress bar just stopped at that point like the program had frozen. I left it for several more minutes and it appeared stalled. I have tried the abort option in the past and set a new temperature but usually get a “not responding” error once I start trying to make changes midstream. I will try it again today.
Thanks
Randy
Definitely an issue cooling 294MC Pro in SGP. Tried everything in equipment manager. It stops at different points. %50 percent of the time when I disconnect I get “not responding”. Seems to cool to -20 with no issues using ZWO software and Sharpcap.
Regards,
Randy
If you can attach a log I can see if there is anything there. I don’t have a 294MC but everything seems fine with my 1600CC, which should be using the same drivers (as far as SGP is concerned at least).
Thanks,
Jared
This is the part that happens to me often. However, when it does this part and I get the “not responding” then SGP has locked up totally and I have to close and restart the whole program to get anything to work again. I thought it was just my laptop or something because it happens to me occasionally while doing frame and focus also. The frame will get stuck on downloading image forever and I can’t do anything. If I try anything else it says not responding at the top.
Thanks,
Charles
Exactly the same symptoms here cthomp97. Unfortunately I am down for a bit due to scope issues. Looks like it may be going back to Explore Scientific for cleaning and collimation before I can test again. Noticed some pretty bad smudging inside when I was attempting to take flats. Figures, new camera and its either clouds or the scope is down.
Regards,
Randy
I’m up and should have some clear sky time Saturday night if I’m lucky. I’ll let you know how it goes. I can’t decide on a target!
Thanks,
Charles
I’ve reached out to ZWO to see if we can borrow a camera to track down the issue. As I can’t replicate this with my 1600 I don’t think I’ll get very far just guessing for a fix.
In the mean time if someone can upload a SGP log I can take a look.
Thanks,
Jared
I finally had a clear night last night. I don’t know if it was a coincidence or not but I downloaded the new SGP release before starting and my camera stayed at- 20 for the whole evening (7 hours). I doubt it has anything to do with the release but that was the only thing I changed. It was slightly warmer last night in the 40sF. The past 4 sessions where it was having problems the temps were in the high to mid 30s. However, I have images in the past without issues below freezing. Hope that helps.
PS in the last image of the night my Auto focus had kicked off and SGP locked up on one of the image downloads and I didn’t feel like restarting everything so that is why I didn’t image longer. Probably good for my marriage though 
Thanks,
Charles
I noticed a similar thing this week when I was getting darks at -10C. The ASI294 got stuck at -1.6 and wouldn’t go colder. I ended up disconnecting the camera from sgp and then unplugging/replugging the camera into the PC’s USB port and then it cooled fine.
I had been running at 0C in the warmer weather but moved down to -10 now that the cold weather has arrived so this was my first chance to see it happen. This really smells like a camera or driver issue more than an sgp problem to me.
