Laptop shut down while imaging!!

[Adam1234]

Not sure it's the most appropriate section for this post, so admins feel free to most to the most appropriate section...

Decided to take advantage of clear skies tonight, first in months for me. Was going well imaging M33, until I checked my laptop just now and it had shut down!!! 🤬🤬🤬 

It's plugged in so it didn't lose charge, but I wonder if it was the cold that caused this? When I turned it back on there was a message about battery issue but seems to be working OK now (will check again shortly).

Has anyone else had this while imaging? If it was caused by the cold what's the best way to stop this happening in future? I did have a small towel draped over the top, and have now placed a towel underneath as well to try keep the bottom warmer.

Hopefully the laptop shutting down didn't damage my camera (asi1600) in any way...

[smashing]

I have mine placed in a small plastic container to try and keep it a little bit protected from the elements...the fan kind of keeps it warm(ish) although I do get paranoid and will put a towel over the box if it gets much colder

[fozzybear]

2 minutes ago, Adam1234 said:

Not sure it's the most appropriate section for this post, so admins feel free to most to the most appropriate section...

Decided to take advantage of clear skies tonight, first in months for me. Was going well imaging M33, until I checked my laptop just now and it had shut down!!! 🤬🤬🤬 

It's plugged in so it didn't lose charge, but I wonder if it was the cold that caused this? When I turned it back on there was a message about battery issue but seems to be working OK now (will check again shortly).

Has anyone else had this while imaging? If it was caused by the cold what's the best way to stop this happening in future? I did have a small towel draped over the top, and have now placed a towel underneath as well to try keep the bottom warmer.

Hopefully the laptop shutting down didn't damage my camera (asi1600) in any way...

maybe some more info on the make of the laptop and if you can remember what the message was. you could go into eventvwr if a windows laptop and look at the errors

[Adam1234]

2 minutes ago, smashing said:

I have mine placed in a small plastic container to try and keep it a little bit protected from the elements...the fan kind of keeps it warm(ish) although I do get paranoid and will put a towel over the box if it gets much colder

Plastic container sounds like a good option, I shall try and get hold of one

[Adam1234]

2 minutes ago, fozzybear said:

maybe some more info on the make of the laptop and if you can remember what the message was. you could go into eventvwr if a windows laptop and look at the errors

It's a HP pavilion, I should have had a good look at the error message or taken a picture, completely forgot exactly what it said now... 

I'll have a look in eventvwr as you suggest later and have a look what it says

[fozzybear]

Normally laptops like a temp of between 10 and 35 degrees C unless the toughbook versions i.e outdoor throw it around type Mil spec etc..

Edited January 6, 2021 by fozzybear

[Alien 13]

14 minutes ago, fozzybear said:

Normally laptops like a temp of between 10 and 35 degrees C unless the toughbook versions i.e outdoor throw it around type Mil spec etc..

So true, laptops are realy indoor devices... I do like the toughbooks though had to buy 20 for a military project I was managing and  got to play with install software on, was so sad to let them go.

Alan

Edited January 6, 2021 by Alien 13

[fozzybear]

As per @smashing put the laptop inside a storage box on it's side to retain some heat 

[Adam1234]

Just now, fozzybear said:

As per @smashing put the laptop inside a storage box on it's side to retain some heat 

I'll be definitely trying that!!! 

[fozzybear]

Can't beat Panasonic actually drove over mine back in the day just to test it out when in the computer industry

[fozzybear]

just googled their prices and blown away ouch.....

[Adam1234]

3 minutes ago, fozzybear said:

Can't beat Panasonic actually drove over mine back in the day just to test it out when in the computer industry

Wonder if it might be worth me getting a cheap laptop at some point to use purely for imaging 

[fozzybear]

Just now, Adam1234 said:

Wonder if it might be worth me getting a cheap laptop at some point to use purely for imaging 

not on the panasonic range  nearly had a heart attack at the prices. Have you looked at the stellarmate/astroberry route with the  Raspberrypi4 

[Alien 13]

5 minutes ago, fozzybear said:

not on the panasonic range  nearly had a heart attack at the prices. Have you looked at the stellarmate/astroberry route with the  Raspberrypi4 

I agree on the panasonics but worth every penny if thats what you need...I too would look at your suggestions as well as one of those fan-less mini PCs.

Alan

[Adam1234]

16 minutes ago, fozzybear said:

not on the panasonic range  nearly had a heart attack at the prices. Have you looked at the stellarmate/astroberry route with the  Raspberrypi4 

I'll give it a look 👍

[TakMan]

I had this issue when I moved my planetarium/scope control and guiding over to an old DELL i3 laptop running W7.

I never had the issue with the even older MacBook Pro. I am currently using both and it is pretty nippy tonight! I still use the Mac for camera and Robofocus control.

I think the Mac has slowed, not quite sluggish, but it is just on the table outside next to the DELL...

Anyway, I couldn’t work out why the DELL would shut down (at different times so it wasn’t due to ‘updates’. Having only ever used Macs (graphics) I was at a loss, but decided to put the PC into my solar pop up light box/shroud (just silvered fabric - Amazon), but made a base and back for it from silver backed foam from Mountain Warehouse (camping foam mattress). Touch wood, it’s been fine since I’ve used the DELL in it’s little shelter!

Edited January 6, 2021 by TakMan

[RT65CB-SWL]

To get a Panasonic ToughBook CF-19 with a good spec. and running Windows 10, you are looking at least a minimum £1000 for refurbished. As the CF-19's do not include a built-in optical drive, you may need to consider buying an external one as well, unless you already have access to one. 

I have a CF-19 Mkll running Windows Vista (Business) and two Linux distro's on the HDD, though I am planning on getting a larger capacity HDD and RAM in the next few weeks/months.

Mine has survived a one metre drop onto a solid surface a few years ago. It is still working OK, including the LCD screen and HDD.

<--- Panasonic ToughBook CF-19

[smashing]

36 minutes ago, Adam1234 said:

Wonder if it might be worth me getting a cheap laptop at some point to use purely for imaging 

Yep that's what I did, cheap refurbished one off eBay is much better than my gaming laptop outside!!!

[Alien 13]

2 minutes ago, Philip R said:

To get a Panasonic ToughBook CF-19 with a good spec. and running Windows 10, you are looking at least a minimum £1000 for refurbished. As the CF-19's do not include a built-in optical drive, you may need to consider buying an external one as well, unless you already have access to one. 

I have a CF-19 Mkll running Windows Vista (Business) and two Linux distro's on the HDD, though I am planning on getting a larger capacity HDD and RAM in the next few weeks/months.

Mine has survived a one metre drop onto a solid surface a few years ago. It is still working OK, including the LCD screen and HDD.

<--- Panasonic ToughBook CF-19

Nice, never found a lack of optical drives on a laptop an issue, one less thing to go wrong and more space inside for important stuff like extra HDD/SSD drives.

Alan

[Alien 13]

The laptop in a box can work well and if its going to be realy cold try one of those heated pet cushion thingies..

Alan

Edited January 6, 2021 by Alien 13

[Budgie1]

Like @smashing I got a refurbished laptop off Ebay for astro imaging only. I got a Lenovo Thinkpad with Intel i7 processor as I know these are good & hard wearing and it came with Window 10 pre-installed. I think I paid about £200 for it and it was in really good condition. 

To protect it from the dew and other weather I had some old plastic packaging in the shed and found a design on DewBuster to make a dew shield. My version doesn't fold down as I added a base to it for insulation.

It worked great but I've now moved the laptop inside.

Edited January 6, 2021 by Budgie1
Added detail.

[m.tweedy]

Trevor Jones from Astrobackyard uses a box on its side and he's in Canada. I personally use an old briefcase with a 12volt pet blanket in the base. Ignore the mains power it can be connected to a battery with the right connections.

I also have blackened polycarbonate to form a little 3 sided cover as the back of the briefcase is the back. This is roughly what mine looks like

However the easiest way would be to buy a laptop tent.

If it gets REALLY cold at Kielder something draped over the top will help isolate it from the damp and keep the light disturbing others.