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PC at pier issues....

LightBucket

By LightBucket
in DIY Astronomer

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LightBucket

LightBucket

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Hi All.

I bought a quad core mini PC a while back to have at my pier, controlled vis teamviewer...so that I would not need the long USB cables which had caused me issues in past.

I have now got an EQ6 mount which I am still learning to use, and as of yet not used in anger, just for testing purposes. When all connected up and ready to go, i turn all on, and start to slew and after a few seconds the computer turns off, also this happens when the PC and mount are plugged into the same 15 amp power supply...but even when I put the PC on its own power supply the PC still just switches off for no apparent reason other than being used, ie, camera connected or EQMOD connected either via BT or EQMOD cable, so there seems no apparent pattern to this....any ideas...?? 

I have even just had the mount connected via BT module (so no wires) mount and PC on different power supply’s, and still after a few mins the PC will just switch off for no reason, and sometimes won’t turn back on until the power supply jack plug is removed and left for a minute or so, then plugged back in and then it will switch back on.....is it maybe overheating..??

It also will switch off every time I either plug, or unplug USB cables from the PC, especially the EQMOD cable..

or is there an allternative to a PC at the pier and long USB cables..??

Thanks in advance for any help.. :)


 

 
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daz

daz

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That sounds (and excuse the technical parlance) broke! Does it do it with nothing connected to it?

I use long (5m) cables but connected to an industrial 12-24v powered hub. Since changing to that, I've had no issues at all with USB dropping out

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LightBucket

LightBucket

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No, if the computer is turned on with nothing connected, and just left on it will stay on as long as it is powered up, but as soon as I start to use any hardware with it, within 10 mins it will shut off.. even something as small as a Bluetooth dongle plugged in and using my mount with that wirelessly, I get the same issue..

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PhotoGav

PhotoGav

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1 hour ago, daz said:

That sounds (and excuse the technical parlance) broke! Does it do it with nothing connected to it?

I use long (5m) cables but connected to an industrial 12-24v powered hub. Since changing to that, I've had no issues at all with USB dropping out

Daz - what is the powered hub that you are using - I have always found USB connectivity to be the weak link in my whole system.

Light Bucket - I concur with Daz, your PC sounds broke, unless you have some power saving setting on and set to ten minutes?

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LightBucket

LightBucket

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2 minutes ago, PhotoGav said:

Daz - what is the powered hub that you are using - I have always found USB connectivity to be the weak link in my whole system.

Light Bucket - I concur with Daz, your PC sounds broke, unless you have some power saving setting on and set to ten minutes?

No it’s not exactly 10mins, they was just an example...it can be anything from 1min to an hour but ir will turn off at some point in use

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LightBucket

LightBucket

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I have seen quite a few people on here using these, and say how good they are...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/StarTech-com-Port-2-0-Over-Cat5-Extender-Cost-effective/dp/B00T9RTT2U/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_147_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0WNYMCHW0WB2CV2B693G

well just bagged a brand new one for £80 off the fleabay... :)

Always sell on if no good...

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LightBucket

LightBucket

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4 hours ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

It may be shutting down due to  thermal overload, i.e. the more the PC is doing, the hotter the processor runs. Make sure that there is sufficient air-flow around the device & is needed add some fans.

It’s a mini PC so adding fans is not possible, but thanks for advice I wondered about this being the issue..

7 hours ago, michael8554 said:

If it's a Windows PC you can look in the Event Viewer for the cause of the shutdown .

 

Thanks, will check that out..

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iapa

iapa

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22 hours ago, LightBucket said:

Hi All.

I bought a quad core mini PC a while back to have at my pier, controlled vis teamviewer...so that I would not need the long USB cables which had caused me issues in past.

I have now got an EQ6 mount which I am still learning to use, and as of yet not used in anger, just for testing purposes. When all connected up and ready to go, i turn all on, and start to slew and after a few seconds the computer turns off, also this happens when the PC and mount are plugged into the same 15 amp power supply...but even when I put the PC on its own power supply the PC still just switches off for no apparent reason other than being used, ie, camera connected or EQMOD connected either via BT or EQMOD cable, so there seems no apparent pattern to this....any ideas...?? 

I have even just had the mount connected via BT module (so no wires) mount and PC on different power supply’s, and still after a few mins the PC will just switch off for no reason, and sometimes won’t turn back on until the power supply jack plug is removed and left for a minute or so, then plugged back in and then it will switch back on.....is it maybe overheating..??

It also will switch off every time I either plug, or unplug USB cables from the PC, especially the EQMOD cable..

or is there an allternative to a PC at the pier and long USB cables..??

Thanks in advance for any help.. :)


 

 
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+1 for checking the system event logs.

 

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Shibby

Shibby

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It's most likely overheating - the mini PCs use laptop hardware, which can often trigger a shutdown if the temperature rises too high. If it's happening all the time, even in colder weather, then possibly the CPU fan (if it has one) isn't working properly or the temperature sensor is faulty.

You could try putting it in a power saving mode, which will limit the clock speeds and help keep the temperature down.

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LightBucket

LightBucket

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14 minutes ago, kirkster501 said:

Does the PC work on it's own?  Just as a computer without all the astro gear hooked up?

Yes, it seems to work as long as I need it to, with nothing plugged into it at all....but as soon as I plug even a BT dongle, or EQMOD cable, or even my Philips webcam, and open EQMOD or Sharpcap it will go off after a few mins of use...

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RayD

RayD

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Just out of interest, have you checked supply voltage?  Make sure it is a 12VDC unit, and that you have 12VDC (or a bit more) to it.  Some struggle with anything at all under 12V, and actually prefer a bit over, like the SW mounts do, as the increased voltage drops the current draw a tad.

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LightBucket

LightBucket

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1 minute ago, RayD said:

That is of course assuming it is a 12V mini PC :thumbright:

It’s actually a 19v one, but I have tried a few different power supply and makes no difference, although when powered from my power Astro hub, which I have a 12v to 19v booster board fitted, it is worse that when used with its own mains power supply, but it still turns off at some point...

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RayD

RayD

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Ah ok.

Is it fanless? Sometimes, depending on make, in BIOS you need to make sure the settings are correct and that temperature monitoring (for controlling fan speed) is disabled, or at least set pretty high as they are designed to run pretty hot.  If your power supply voltage is dropping a touch, which it can when you start plugging things in, this can increase the current, and heat, and can cause a thermal shut down.

Just a thought on something to eliminate.

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LightBucket

LightBucket

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1 minute ago, RayD said:

Ah ok.

Is it fanless? Sometimes, depending on make, in BIOS you need to make sure the settings are correct and that temperature monitoring (for controlling fan speed) is disabled, or at least set pretty high as they are designed to run pretty hot.  If your power supply voltage is dropping a touch, which it can when you start plugging things in, this can increase the current, and heat, and can cause a thermal shut down.

Just a thought on something to eliminate.

No it’s not fanless, it has fan and intake and exhaust grill on it...but I will check settings in the BIOS, and thanks for your much needed help... :)

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RayD

RayD

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Just now, LightBucket said:

No it’s not fanless, it has fan and intake and exhaust grill on it...but I will check settings in the BIOS, and thanks for your much needed help... :)

Make sure the fan is running, and of course the right way round (yes I have seen that before).

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LightBucket

LightBucket

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Well, an update..

powered all the kit up today and EQMOD and with BT connected and a webcam and ran happily for three hours with no issues, I was even switching things on and off and unplugging and plugging in USB leases, all fine on its own mains power supply...which I might add did not work before..

BUT as soon as I moved to powering the PC from my Astro power hub, the issues came back, as soon as I unplugged a USB lead or turned on the EQ6 after the PC it shut down....

So why does having its own mains powered supply make so much difference, when the mount power hub I use is powered my a 15 amp supply, when I turn on the PC it draws about 1.5 amps, switch on the mount and it goes up by about .5 of an amp, but knocks the PC off....it seem such a small increase, in the grand scheme of things....is it due to a sudden surge or something...??

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