NINA and camera cooling

[fwm891]

I’m using NINA and entering my equipment profile, confirm the camera temperature needed and switch on the cooling. Connect all other equipment and proceed to select a target, slew to it and start a sequence.

It’s only at this point that camera cooling kicks in. Is there a way to start cooling earlier so by the time the scope has found, plate solved, centred, focused… the object the sensor is at or near temperature and ready to go?

 I’m only going down to minus 10 C so not taking a great deal of time but if I push the camera down to -25C it will take a considerable time.

[Nigella Bryant]

I use an AA26c cooling starts straight away in Nina. I connect camera, set temperature and click the cooling on. 

[Veej]

usually the cooling starts for me pretty much as soon as i turn it on via the equipment/camera section ( QHY268m and ZWO 533mc Pro ). there can be a difference between brands in terms of the power increase curve.

Silly thought - is the camera connected via something like a pegasus astro connection box - maybe that needs to be active in NINA before the cam can communicate? ( mine cams are and it does need to be on first )

[fwm891]

@Nigella Bryant @Veej

The camera is connected directly to the lappy. It's an ASI 2600MC Duo.

I'm doing everything you're saying connecting via the camera selection box, setting the required sensor temp, and starting cooling...

But nothing happens until after I've finished framing, slew/center, calibrate guiding, go to the sequence screen and set-up exposures etc, press the start arrow which then triggers my delay and AF, then the cooling starts showing: cooling 0% which increases to 100%...

Which like this morning going  out at 4 it was 4.35 before the first sub started (clouds rolled in 10 mins later) so loosing all that time waiting for the sensor to cool just got a bit frustrating today.

Edited February 24 by fwm891

[Ratlet]

How are you powering the camera?  Direct or via something else?

Other idea is it possible that you guide software has control of the cooling of the camera since it is duo?  Just thinking maybe phd2 (or similar) is in control of it and overriding Nina.  Could check the guiding software or try cooling the camera without guiding.

Edit:  just seen you've said the cooling doesn't kick in even though you set cooling before connecting everything else, possibly not guiding related.

Edited February 24 by Ratlet

[fwm891]

Solved folks

Just updated ASCOM and plugged the camera in, fired up NINA and it's now cooled down from the camera selection box.

It also seems theres a new driver from ASI cameras from the ZWO site as well. I'll install that later.

Many thanks for your input all.

Francis

[Ratlet]

Hope you get some clear skies now it is firing on all cylinders