I have a QHY168C. In the EZCP Online Users Manual under the section Advanced Camera Settings/ Tec protection, states the following “If you are using the battery, sometimes the input voltage will be up to 13.8v. The output voltage at 100% power is harmful for the TEC and reduce the life of TEC”.
I am using Sequence Generator Pro software for camera control. I have the following options in the Equipment Profile Manager for the camera:
Cool down to XX C in XX Min.
Warm up to XX C in XX Min.
I can check any of the following:
Cool down on camera connect
Cool down on sequence start
Warm up on sequence complete
What are your recommendations for these settings to prevent damage to the TEC in the camera.
I’ve been using my QHY168C for over a year and have managed not to break it yet. I don’t recall coming across any specific advice on the safe limits to warming or cooling these cameras but I have mine set to cool down on camera connect and to cool to -5C within 4 minutes. That’s a drop of typically 35 or 40C from ambient (I live in Thailand, the evenings are hot…). Since I typically run at least 1 sequence in a session, I control the warm up manually and allow it 3 minutes to rise to 18C and then turn the cooler off before closing SGP for the night. If you live in a more temperate climate than me then you will be cooling the camera to much lower temps and I guess that could require a more cautious approach and longer cool down/warm up times.
What this means is not to set your camera temperature to a setting that makes the TEC (thermoelectric coupler) run at 100%.
So…if the ambient temp is 25°C and you set the temp you want your camera to cool to as -20°C and the TEC is running at 100%, this may damage your cooler.
If the ambient temp is 12°C and you set -20°C and the cooler runs at 65% that is fine.
Most QHY stuff will easily run 40-50° below ambient so most of the time you should be OK.
I set mine to cool to -20°C in 5 mins when camera connected and then I set it to warm to 0°C when I am finished before I disconnect. This then gives me time to walk to the obs and pull the roof closed, disconnect the camera and shut down my PC. Some things I still like to do manually.
Another alternative is to install a buck/boost dc-dc voltage regulator in the power supply line for the camera. Set it for 13.2v and you’ll avoid the high voltage 100% cooling issue.
