ATIK 383L+mono uncontrollable cooler

[vferi]

Hi!
Did anyone meet a problem, the cooling tempereture cannot be regulated?
As I connect the camera to the computer, it starts cooling down - as I realised, always to level, so the difference of the ambient temperature, and the CCD temperature was near the max cooling range of te camera (~38-40°C). Yesterday outside the air was ~+10°C, the CCD went down to -28°C. And did not move more.
Today in the room is 23, and the CCD went down to -17°C.
And keep it, anything I do: changing the set point up, or down, even when I switch the cooler off, it keeps the temperature.
So it seems always sets itself to the max, and I can do nothing.

The result the same in the Artemis Capture, in the MaximDL, and in the CCDSoft.
Any idea?

thanks

Ferenc

[NickK]

Hi Ferenc,

The 383L's temperature will cool to -40 degC below ambient (ie delta not -40degC absolute). So if the temperature was ~+10 degC ambient, then it should get down to ~-30degC maximum which would explain the ~28 degC.

So in summer (20degC ambient) it was happy todo -20degC absolute (ie -40degC below ambient).

Personally I target -20degC as I can do this at any time in the year here in the UK so I can use the same dark frame stack throughout the year.

[vferi]

Hi NickK!

I know, understood that the range for 383 is around 40°C, but I expected from the papers, that it is controlable, means not necesseary to exploit all the capability (40°C), but I can set within this 40 how much below the ambient I want to go. You touched the core of the problem, making darks it is much easier with adjustable °Cs.
Another issue, one of my e-mail fiend has the same model, and he does can control! So at least one of 383 owner has the control capability.....He does everything for control, as it set in menus in the Artimes/MaximDL and CCDSoft.

regards
ferenc

[NickK]

Ahh - interesting, I can confirm that the 383L supports set point temperatures.

I can set the temperature and the camera will cool down to that temperature set and stay there - in Artemis Capture on the PC and my own drivers on Apple mac.

Although the camera will control it's set temperature, it will only accept new set point temperatures between images (ie if it's downloading an image then it will have to wait).

[vferi]

Yes, exactly that is my problem, I can not control, I can set any setpoints, but the camera does he wants...
Of course the more cool, the less noise, but once again those time consumpting darks....

[vferi]

The story ended, the camera was sent back to ATIK (UK).
The problem was hardware failure of the cooling regulation on the circuit board.
Absolutelly perfect, polite and quick service, matched into a cloudy and full-moon one and half week, the camera is mission-ready.
Wish you the same attitude from ATIK!

Ferenc

[niteman1946]

Good to hear Ferenc.  Glad you got it sorted out.

Yes, Atik is a good company to deal with.  They have treated me well.

Mark

[MikeM]

Nice to see your issue resolved. Now lets see some images!!

[vferi]

Hello Mike,

However, the weather is not really supporting now in Hungary, I put on a picture, one of my favorite Rosette, taken with the ATIK383 (before the service).  As I told I am a beginner, and it takes time, to recognise week parts of the pictures. Anyway, I like learning from anybody. I see there is some problem with guiding, I guess because of the guider tube axis was out of the main axis for ~ 2-5°. Searchning for guide star I seem move awax the guider too much. I think. And there was windy, I made notice.
The picture is a 15' 2x2 single shoot taken with a WO 120 Megrez and a Baader Ha narrowband filter. The CCD temperature -36,9°C.....(the uncontrollable era).
Looking forward the cold front...

Ferenc

[NickK]

Now where's the like button - that image is really nice!

[MikeM]

Very nice image Ferenc! The weather here on the eastern US has not been cooperating much either.

[vferi]

Thanks for viewing! The next 2-3 days looks suitable. And the Rosette shows itself for all night. I'll try to shot a run Ha SII and OIII. It is high time to learn, how to process the pictures...
I have just noticed, someting crossed my picture in the upper-left corner.

Clear skies!

ferenc