Switching off a cooled ASI2600 safely

[Ouroboros]

I've just got myself a new ASI2600 OSC camera. 😀

Is it OK just to switch it off when cooled?  The manual says nothing about this whatsoever.  Some forums suggest cooled cameras should be gradually brought back up to ambient temperature.  How gradually is gradually? 

Thanks. 

[DaveS]

Does your software have a "Warm Up" button?

[Ouroboros]

I'm running it connected to an ASIair Pro.  I'll have a look and see if it does. 

[DaveS]

I use Maxim DL as my capture software which has a Warm Up button as well as the Cooler On and Cooler OFF.

[Ouroboros]

So far I have not found a warm up setting in the ASIair app.  

[Ouroboros]

5 minutes ago, DaveS said:

I use Maxim DL as my capture software which has a Warm Up button as well as the Cooler On and Cooler OFF.

Do you know how long typically the warm up takes? I could use that as a guide if I were to do it manually. 

[Adreneline]

6 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

I'm running it connected to an ASIair Pro.

I run my cameras at -20. When I finish an imaging session I set the camera temperature to 0 degress and bring the camera temperature up steadily before switching off the ASIair.

[DaveS]

I think it depends on how far below ambient you are. With my G3 16200 which goes up to -45 deg it can take 15 min or so, gradually reducing the cooler power.

[Ouroboros]

1 minute ago, Adreneline said:

I run my cameras at -20. When I finish an imaging session I set the camera temperature to 0 degress and bring the camera temperature up steadily before switching off the ASIair.

OK. Thank you.  

Also ... do you have a procedure for switching off the ASIair?  The manual says close the app and then 5 to 10 seconds later power down the ASIair.  

[Davey-T]

15 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

Also ... do you have a procedure for switching off the ASIair?  The manual says close the app and then 5 to 10 seconds later power down the ASIair.  

That's what I do, close the app take the iPad indoors come out and switch off Asiair, remember to park the mount first 

Dave

[Ouroboros]

4 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

That's what I do, close the app take the iPad indoors come out and switch off Asiair, remember to park the mount first 

Dave

Great. Thanks. I must say I'm pretty impressed by this little ASIair gizmo.  Been playing with it today.     

[Davey-T]

3 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

I must say I'm pretty impressed by this little ASIair gizmo.

Me too 👍

Dave

[Adreneline]

26 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

do you have a procedure for switching off the ASIair?

No, not really. I warm the camera and park the mount. Once the camera is at 0 degrees I disconnect from SkySafari and then shut down SKySafari and the ASIair app on my iPad, walk outside and switch off the mount and then the ASIair. Not sure I consciously wait for 20 seconds though.

Adrian

[Mike73]

Glad I've seen this as I didn't know you had to warm it up before switching off.

In Autorun, there's a slider to shutdown asiair and return to home after imaging run, I used it a couple times and thought it was great but surely that's not going through a warm up procedure? Or is it? Ive never been awake at that point to see for myself.

 

[estwing]

8 hours ago, Mike73 said:

Glad I've seen this as I didn't know you had to warm it up before switching off.

In Autorun, there's a slider to shutdown asiair and return to home after imaging run, I used it a couple times and thought it was great but surely that's not going through a warm up procedure? Or is it? Ive never been awake at that point to see for myself.

 

Nice to hear from you...hope you're well mate 

[Ouroboros]

8 hours ago, Mike73 said:

Glad I've seen this as I didn't know you had to warm it up before switching off.

In Autorun, there's a slider to shutdown asiair and return to home after imaging run, I used it a couple times and thought it was great but surely that's not going through a warm up procedure? Or is it? Ive never been awake at that point to see for myself.

 

Well, I’m unclear how necessary it is. As far as I can see ZWO don’t mention it in their manual. You can even set the ASIair controller to home the mount and simply switch off at the end of the session -  allowing the camera to quickly come up to temperature naturally.  The thinking amongst those concerned about this is that slowly bringing the camera sensor up to temperature avoids thermal shock. 

[Lee_P]

Congrats on the new camera! I use one too, along with an ASIAIR PRO. For what it's worth, I've never worried about thermal shock or anything like that. I just take the most direct route to get to whatever temperature I want. So, before starting an imaging run I'll just tell it to go to -10 deg C. And once the imaging run has finished, the 'scope will return to the home position and then everything turns off automatically. Easy, no hassle, and no issues (so far 😂)

[Ouroboros]

Ta. I can’t wait to get out under clear skies to try out the camera and ASIair.