Mount Power Fuse Box

[Tinker1947]

This spray has been recommended and i tried it on my Obby PC, ssprayed all the USB connectors and lead ends, been working fine no dropouts ect....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B006ZP7S5E?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00

[Gina]

Thank you   I've ordered a can   I'm getting desperate - I'll try anything

[Horwig]

This is what you need to protect pcbs from damp. 

http://cpc.farnell.com/conformal-coatings

Huw

[Gina]

Been checking out the 10 port Trust USB 2 powered hub.  I had a thought and checked the power supply.  5.05v on no load dropping to 5.03v with hub connected and with all devices connected to it.  Checked the current and it was only 220mA which dropped to 60mA when I unplugged the LodeStar guide camera and down to 20mA when I unplugged the Arduino as well.  Those are the only devices that are USB powered other than the chip in the USB to serial adapter. 

I'm still getting intermittent operation of the hub and it seems to make no difference it I disconnect the external power.  With a load of only 220mA I guess that makes sense - the laptop should supply that through the USB port easily.  I was rather surprised that the load currents were so small and wonder if they should be.  Is it because the hub isn't working properly?

Back onto the real topic of this thread...  The EQ8 mount is behaving itself as long as it's got its connection to the laptop.  As long as I park it to the home position before switching it off, it slews to the various special park positions perfectly.  It also slews to targets chosen in CdC correctly.

[Gina]

I've got a problem with the laptop now   Wouldn't restart, wouldn't shut down from Windows - had to hold the on/off button down.  Then it wouldn't start up.  Unplugged the power and the battery to reset things and tried again.  Got a message saying there was a problem and the computer wouldn't start.  Now I have it trying a restart repair.  Message said this might take several minutes - been going about ten of those minutes now

Now finished unsuccessfully - now trying various repair options...

A bit later - ran memory test OK now trying System Restore...

Later still... System Restore to 14/03/2015 successful - Windows 7 running again   Tried remote restart via TeamViewer and that was successful so I think the software repair has been successful   Now to take it back out to the observatory and see what's what

[Gina]

I have the 4 port powered hub set up and working fine.  I used the Arduino focuser to set up focus without any problem.  Seeing not very good and at best focus I got FWHM of 1.5 to 2 binning 2x2 in Ha.  Then I slewed to M1 and got AT to put it in the centre of view.  Stargazing Live on TV which I wanted to watch so had to do everything remotely.  With just 4 ports I had the guide camera disconnected so tried imaging unguided.  Not having set up PA the maximum exposure without oblong stars was 30s at 1000mm FL.  I now have a few dozen 30s subs of M1 in Ha, binned 2x2.

Going to process the data but just noticed I didn't switch the cooling on on the 460EX   With all those hot pixels I don't think DSS stands a chance of lining up the actual stars   DRAT!!!

[Gina]

Just popped out and disconnected Arduino and connected LodeStar guide camera instead.  Now guiding fine though not as good as sometimes.  This shows a 5m sub.  Now set the exposure to 10m.

This is the 5m sub image unprocessed other than cropping in Ps.

[Horwig]

If this pastime was easy, what would be the joy.

Spent the evening re calibrating my widefield rig, camera came back from SX after adjusting the gain, now the focus is off by 90 click of the stepper, that's 225 microns, nearly a whole quarter of a mil.

But at least I can now expose binned without blooming.

As to USB hubs, I can commiserate. I've killed a few in my time. I'm using Startech 12v hubs in both the Obs and portable rig, good steel cases, and tidy connectors for power. BTW, you were trying to download images from the Lodestar without powering the hub, my setup will not correctly download Lodestar images without power to the hub, even though the Lodestar is recognised without the local power.

H

[Gina]

M1 single sub 10m Ha binned 2x2 processed with curves only and cropped in Ps.

[Gina]

Imaging M1 again tonight.  Ha, OIII and SII 10m subs binned 2x2 getting FWHM of around 1.3 to 1.5 - a lot better than last night.  Still haze/pollution tonight though.  Here are the first 3 subs toinight - one of each - just curves and cropping used in Ps and saved as JPG.  Cloud is forecast for later but I'm hoping to collect a decent few subs.

[Gina]

Ultra quick process of 5 sets of subs in Hubble palette (SHO) highly cropped.

[mapstar]

Looking lovely Gina

[Gina]

Thank you   Must say it's a relief to be imaging again   I now have the 7 port hub and will be checking that out so that I have enough ports without having to swap devices

[Tinker1947]

You could with the next PC upgrade get a motherboard with enough usb ports on the back plate, does mean individual leads but mine works fine since its had a spray with the stuff you have on order....

[Gina]

I have a few old desktops that have a number of USB ports on the back - I'll check.  They'll be XP though, those that have a Windows OS - some have LInux.  OTOH I could upgrade my main desktop - that's got 6 USB ports on the back and 3 on the front and it runs Win 7.  I could do with something with more memory I think, this one's very sluggish with all the stuff I run on it.  I would need to buy some more long USB cables though.

But would it be worth it?  Would I gain anything?

[Tinker1947]

Your only gain would be the USB's are running from the mother board hub, no multi hubs just the one....

[Gina]

Yes, that's what I thought.

[Gina]

Now have the D-Link 7 port USB hub connected and working   Running fine on USB power only - no mains power.

[Gina]

5 USB devices running fine from the 7 port hub without external power.  I've changed to RGB filters on M1 for a change and used the VB focussing app to refocus for the different make of filter.

Here's a screenshot from TeamViewer.