QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

GregL
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Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2017 6:19 pm

Re: QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

#21

Post by GregL »

OK, Robin. Here are the logs from this. My normal approach is to bin2, high gain, short exposure for focusing (temp ok).
Then change settings in order, top to bottom. Bin1, longer exposure, reduce gain. Somewhere in here the TEC has an issue -- the setpoint field goes to -100 but the temperature rises. Change that value and toggle it off and on a few times until it goes. Hope this helps.

greg
Attachments
Log_2019-07-26T22_21_14-376.log
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Log_2019-07-26T22_22_10-6972.log
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Re: QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

#22

Post by admin »

Hi Greg,

Thanks for those logs. I can see in the second one that after you change back to one by one binning, SharpCap asks the camera for the current values of various properties and the camera responds with the cooler power being zero and the target temperature being -100, both of which are rubbish. I think the conclusion is is that I need to stop trusting the camera to tell me the truth about the values of those two properties it least under some circumstances (working out the right circumstances might be the interesting part).

Cheers, Robin
GregL
Posts: 68
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2017 6:19 pm

Re: QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

#23

Post by GregL »

Thanks, Robin.

I assume you will inform QHY of this little feature. Sounds like a bug in their camera firmware.

greg
GregL
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Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2017 6:19 pm

Re: QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

#24

Post by GregL »

Installed new version, looked promising and then got a response while focusing my 183m -- temp -5010.3C. And the program hung... sigh.

greg

Am attaching the logs from the session. Abended the program doing an exposure calc -- shifted to 100 second exposure and nothing happened after that .
Attachments
Log_2019-08-30T21_09_58-10656.log
First notice of reported temperature anomaly.
(84.13 KiB) Downloaded 120 times
Log_2019-08-30T20_57_58-11576.log
Different bad value, exposure calc hung
(47.78 KiB) Downloaded 129 times
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Re: QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

#25

Post by admin »

Hi Greg,

Sadly the log files that you attach to your last post don't seem to have the extra diagnostic information in them (that option must of been switched off in the settings or via the pop-up that occurs when you start the program with it switched on) meaning that I can't really tell a great deal from those log files. The fact that you are getting bad values for the camera temperature strongly indicates that there is a problem in communication between the camera hardware and the SDK or alternatively a bug in the SDK. SharpCap simply shows the value that it receives when it asks the SDK for the current temperature.

Cheers, Robin
GregL
Posts: 68
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2017 6:19 pm

Re: QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

#26

Post by GregL »

Sorry about that. I should probably just run with the extra diagnostics enabled until all this settles out. Clouding up and rain in the forecast -- again.

greg
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