Faultfinding on 1100D

[Gina]

I suspect that there will probably be an eeprom of some kind on the camera, some NAND flash and some ram of some description. The ram obviously loses everything once it hasn't got power, the nand should last a few years without needing a charge, longer for the eeprom. Oh and of course there will be an RTC of some kind to attempt to keep track of time, that's probably what the battery is for, just like the one in the BIOS on a PC.

Yes, that makes sense

[Gina]

Not usre if this has been mentioned, but if the door of the battery compartment is not fully closed and you havent got the case on properly fully grounded it will not power up. Well this is what I found on my 1000D when it was in pieces.

I know about the battery door and did wonder if there was an earth connection causing the problem. Interesting you should mention it and about the case not being on securely. Thank you

I have a similar problem, my 1000D works perfect, just no screen display and I can't work out why, no damge to cables anywhere.

That's strange, isn't it?

[Gina]

Horrible foggy evening so spent the time on my non-working 1100D. Cleaned the ribbon cables with cotton buds and sensor cleaning fluid (containing Methanol) and connected them all up except for the ones to the back part (screen and switches). So I think that's the best I can do there.

I have been giving the various possible causes of the camera not working some considerable thought based on my own experience and suggestions here.

Apart from dirty ribbon connections, the other likely cause of it not working is/was an earth pad on the ribbon in the top of the case which I think may well go to the mode/on/off switch. This connects to the screening on the battery box and was held in contact by the top which in turn was held by one of the screws next to the neck strap loops. Now this was a screw where I had destroyed the slot trying to get it out. So at this stage I didn't remove the camera top section as per the instructions and managed to complete the filter removal mod and reassembly without undoing this screw. The camera was working at this point and I used it to capture some images as shown in the filter removal thread.

Now to investigate cooling the image sensor I needed to remove the top so drilled the top of the screw off to get the camera top section off. This probably meant that with the top back on but not screwed down firmly (only held together by hand) that this earthing connection was not working.

I have now removed the remaining piece of screw and replaced it with another screw of the same size. I reassembled the rest of the camera and put a battery on charge ready to test tomorrow. I do have a ready charged battery out in my obsy but thought I'd leave testing until tomorrow. (I'd only be tempted to strip it down again if it didn't work and really I've had enough for one day! ).

[Flying Eye]

I'll keep them crossed for you then, it's the best I can do; I can't think of a single thing to suggest sadly, as this is way beyond anything I would ever attempt. Good luck with it all.

[DIYASTRO]

Gina,

Now there is the logic that I was speaking of! It may not work... Hope it does...but trial / error is the only way forward. Believe me .. I do understand how awfull you must feel, BUT...it will all be a distant memory soon, bit like bad dream, a conclusion is just there, patience / virtue and all that.

I am so eager to see your post to say that some simple thing that you may have forgoten has been remembered and all is working.

Keep us all posted!

Kind regards

Boyd

[Gina]

Thank you Ian and Boyd I'll be testing shortly. I have a good feeling about it

[Gina]

I regret tto report... Still not working Fetching screwdriver and sticky screw sheet...

[Gina]

Changed my mind... Decided to see if I can sort out my software problems instead.

Probably be back to it later. ATM I'm having a good thinking session about what to do next. Not much point in dismantling it again without some sort of plan.

[ponytale]

Hi Gina, i have been following your threads with interest, i have been thinking about your issues , 1: have you tried an earth jumper ( a short piece of wire with clips to bypass the system chassis/ ground with) .

2: using a sd card from camera 2 with different battery you know is good,

3: removing all batteries for a hard reset .

4 reflashing firmware using copy from your camera 2

5: is the inbuilt battery holding a charge ?

6: continuity test with ohmeter on ribbon cables to rule out hairline cracks ?

i would love to see you beat this problem !! hang in there and best of luck !!!

[Gina]

Hi Gina, i have been following your threads with interest, i have been thinking about your issues , 1: have you tried an earth jumper ( a short piece of wire with clips to bypass the system chassis/ ground with) .

Not as yet but will do.

2: using a sd card from camera 2 with different battery you know is good,

These cameras will work without an SD card so haven't had one in - I'll try that though. I've been testing today with the new battery from the no.2 camera.

3: removing all batteries for a hard reset .

Yes, I could remove the little lithium battery but that will remove the time setting and without the LCD display working I can't set the time up again. I'm not sure but I don't think the camera will work without the date/time set. Now that's another thought - has the date/time setting got lost?

4 reflashing firmware using copy from your camera 2

A possibility I guess, something I've not thought of.

5: is the inbuilt battery holding a charge ?

I could check with digital MM.

6: continuity test with ohmeter on ribbon cables to rule out hairline cracks ?

Yes, I thought of that. Come back next month and I might have finished There's a lot of tracks.

i would love to see you beat this problem !! hang in there and best of luck !!!

Thank you

[Gina]

Connected jumper wire from top earth point to chassis - no joy.

[Gina]

Difficult to know what to do next. I can check the lithium battery voltage but doubt this is the trouble. The camera is only a few months old. Reflashing the firmware would not be possible with no USB working AFAIK. I guess there's little to be lost by removing the lithium battery as the camera doesn't work.

ATM nothing works. I guess even without LCD display or USB working, the flash release button should work - it did before without an SD card in. I had the user settings set to allow exposure without card in . If this setting is still present, I guess the shutter release should work. Normally when the camera is switched on you get a display in the viewfinder - this is absent too.

I have dismantled the top camera part to examine the ribbon and it looks OK though admittedly a micro-break may not show.

[obscura]

Hi Gina. Commiserations.

I have followed this thread with 'interest' and 'despair'. I have had the same nagging thought throughout - beyond redemption. Static damage? Hairline cracks? Bad connectors? Sorry to be negative. I think, if it were me, the time has come to cut and run. What would I do?

Forget 1100D/1. Send 1100D/2 to Astronomiser for mod. This returns you to as you were in comfort zone and minimises heart ache. After all, we are here to image the elusive DSOs.

I thought of Peltier cooling on my 350D but rejected it thinking - I'll go CCD if I want and need Peltier. Don't need the hassle.

What would I do? (reprise.) I have already done it. My self modded 350D worked for several months. One cold dark night, I inadvertently pulled a camera usb with a foot!! What has been hurt, I still don't know but I bit the bullet and replaced it with an Astonomiser modded 550D. One day, I may get back inside the 350D for a probe, but its not going to be my life's story.

Expense? We come this way just once.

Again, sorry to be negative.

However, if you get it rolling again - I'll send you my 350D (LOL).

[Gina]

Hi Gina. Commiserations.

Thank you

I have followed this thread with 'interest' and 'despair'. I have had the same nagging thought throughout - beyond redemption. Static damage? Hairline cracks? Bad connectors? Sorry to be negative. I think, if it were me, the time has come to cut and run.

Well, static damage is possible, of course. I'm not giving up just yet though. I have at least one more test I can do.

What would I do?

Forget 1100D/1. Send 1100D/2 to Astronomiser for mod. This returns you to as you were in comfort zone and minimises heart ache. After all, we are here to image the elusive DSOs.

It would cost half a camera to do it though. And it would have to be next month - not enough funds available this month. I need a new focuser too - out of focus DSOs are no good.

I thought of Peltier cooling on my 350D but rejected it thinking - I'll go CCD if I want and need Peltier. Don't need the hassle.

There's only one way to avoid hassle - give up AP! My pension simply won't stretch to buying an expensive astro camera, I'm afraid. At least not without saving up for a long long time.

What would I do? (reprise.) I have already done it. My self modded 350D worked for several months. One cold dark night, I inadvertently pulled a camera usb with a foot!! What has been hurt, I still don't know but I bit the bullet and replaced it with an Astonomiser modded 550D. One day, I may get back inside the 350D for a probe, but its not going to be my life's story.

Did everything come tumbling down? Or did you just damage the USB connection?

Expense? We come this way just once.

My philosophy too but it won't stretch my pension unfortunately, so I have to resort to DIY.

Again, sorry to be negative.

However, if you get it rolling again - I'll send you my 350D (LOL).

I might just get the opportunity to take you up on that LOL.

[obscura]

Hi Gina. I trust and hope you didn't take exception to my blog - no offence intended.

As my name implies, I am well into pension years and finance needs a careful eye. At the same time, will I have another 1 or 5 or 10 or 20 years? Who knows, so I get what I can asap.

Hassle? Let the act of imaging alone be the hassle.

No, it didn't come tumbling down but it was quite a tug as you may imagine. I cannot be sure if it is the camera or my home made serial usb cable. The camera shoots fine on the 30sec max on Canons utility. Running the camera via astro s/w for longer exposures causes hangs ups etc. All s/w was de-installed and re-installed to no effect.

When this happened, the thought of stripping the 350D down again just didn't appeal so I took a look around for its replacement for some weeks looking for a 450D upwards. I am never lucky but this time a 550D came up, modified from new by Astronomiser, less than a year old with a few other bits and bobs. All for £350. Yet to have full field trials.

I sincerely hope that you can get 1100D/1 roaring back into life again your efforts deserve that. Ignore me and my mumblings. I am just the oldegit.

[Gina]

Don't worry, I didn't take any offence

That was an excellent deal you got for the 550D

[Gina]

Put SD card in but still absolutely nothing happens. I put it all back together (except for the ribbon cables to the back). It's just as if the on/off switch isn't working. I'd have thought that if the power circuits were working some parts would show some life. Of course, I can't tell if the LCD screen was working and maybe showing an error message because it isn't connected. But that doesn't affect the viewfinder display and that isn't working. The flash release isn't working either and that was working before starting the cooling investigation. In fact it was working part way through the dismantling - I had forgotten to take the battery out

I don't know if the camera has lost it's date/time setting or if this would stop everything working. I do remember that when I got my second camera body, it wouldn't take a photo until I set the date/time and it gave a warning message on the LCD display. I'm just wondering if I have a "catch 22" situation without the LCD display.

I'll check the lithium cell voltage and maybe have another poke around. I'll do some more checking but without knowing which part is the cause of the problem I feel reluctant to get any spare part. I'm 99% sure the problem is in the power circuitry but that includes the battery part PCB and the ribbon cables from there to the main board and the flex circuit" in the camera top section.

A common method of fault finding electronic equipment is to swap parts between a working system and the faulty on to find which part is faulty. I have often done this with computers and similar equipment. I'm now debating with myself whether to do this with the cameras. One thing I could do is swap the backs over, I know the camera will work for AP without the back.

Anyway, I have other things to sort out so this can wait. I'll come back to this thread and post any further developments or thoughts I might have.

[RogerTheDodger]

If it was me, I'd see how much it would be to replace that torn cable and see if anything is shown on the lcd. I wouldn't swap between cameras, you could end up with two broken ones, and you can be sure that we would have a run of clear nights then.

[Gina]

If it was me, I'd see how much it would be to replace that torn cable and see if anything is shown on the lcd. I wouldn't swap between cameras, you could end up with two broken ones, and you can be sure that we would have a run of clear nights then.

Sounds a reasonable idea Definitely an option.

[Gina]

I've found a source of cables (I believe) and ordered a replacement :- FPC Assembly, Back Cover for Canon EOS 1100D DSLR Camera

Includes some other bits as well but at the price it's OK

Be nice if I can get this camera working - would have two then

[2stroke]

You could just pop the back of camera 2 for a quick check lol but 19 pound isnt bad Like i said with mine cable H was the problem and iv'e got perfect vision and didn't pick this up on first reassembly. Maybe some of the ribon cable conntectors are a bit dodgy mine was H, what i mean by that is it takes a bit to fully insert them. They may also have play so when the are inserted fully they maybe out of line so the contacts are touching due to side play. Also with longer ribbon inserts if they are the smallest angle they could be sorting across connections. Focus on the ribbon cables unless you have removed other ground straps and work from there. After that I would be looking at if any stay material has got lodged into the ribbon connectors and is preventing contact with the ribbon cables. These connectors are mass built and you have to remember that there not all perfect, lol even 1 in a 1000 condoms is faulty hahaha. :/

Anyhow hope you get it going and waiting to see how your dslr cooling mod is going. I'am working at mine atm and are trying to solve the misting issue with LP, so far i'am planing to test heating LP with a demister repair kit I'am also following you by water cooling the TEC and should have parts in 2 weeks time W00t. I'am also looking into potting part of the camera to prevent condensation issues, though I still have alot of homework to do first before jumping in the boat

[George]

I've found a source of cables (I believe) and ordered a replacement :- FPC Assembly, Back Cover for Canon EOS 1100D DSLR Camera

Includes some other bits as well but at the price it's OK

Be nice if I can get this camera working - would have two then

Had to laugh when I saw this CCD CMOS Sensor Unit Assembely for Canon EOS 1000D

I only paid £220 for the camera new

[Gina]

WOW!!!

[Gina]

The replacement ribbon cable has arrived Just the ribbon, nothing else, so that's alright - I only want the ribbon Now I can put the camera back together and see if the display shows anything when I put the battery in and switch on... Fingers crossed

[ponytale]

waiting for an update good luck!!!

Tony:)