Resolved Filter Wheel Error 100

Hi,

I have a problem I can't get past.

Here's the summary:
I have an ST7-XME camera and a CFW-8A 5-position filter wheel. Under certain operations the filter wheel will fail (error 100) which cascades into a camera error where the exposure won't start. And that kills an observing run.

Here are the steps that lead to this 100% reproducible error. This is using MaxIm only to control the camera.
- Power on the camera
- Start MaxIm application
- Connect MaxIm to the camera
- In Camera Control/Expose tab, select/move the filter wheel to various positions.

The one condition that throws the error is after first connecting the camera, when the filter wheel starts at position 4 (fifth filter), then selecting a filter that moves the filter wheel to position 0 (first filter). Any other filter wheel moves, 0 to 4, 4 to 3, 0 to 3, etc. (any combination), works fine; Only 4 to 0 causes the error and then only after the camera has been first initially connected. After that error there's no issue. In the real world, though, a filter wheel error kills an imaging operation. I've attached an annotated MaxIm log file.

Can you give me your opinion about what's going on and how to fix this, please?

Thanks,
Dick

 

Colin, hi...

It’s a relatively new problem (a few weeks) but you may remember I talked to you at NEAIC a bit about the filter wheel seeming to misbehave. The result of that was exposures not starting and Scheduler collapsing. You thought maybe the “home” sensor was dirty, so I opened it up and blew whatever dust there may have been away. I’m not really sure that helped. The problem seems to persist. The rubber O-ring around the filter wheel looked good to me, and it seemed to be positioned against its driving wheel okay. Could be an electronic problem or a mechanical problem. I think I can work around this by making sure I don’t send the filter wheel from “4” to “0” at startup. But that’s cumbersome.

One thing I haven’t done is to go stand next to the camera where I can hear the filter wheel moving, and to see if something doesn’t sound right when I jog the filter selector in the MaxIm app - like not moving at all, or not homing, or stopping too soon.

I actually have one last issue to report, but I’ll do that in another thread after this one is settled.

Thanks.
Dick

 

Hi, Bill,

Thanks for chiming in.

I don't use CCDOps at all - never have. It's always been MaxIm. But I downloaded a copy and installed it, and ran the CFW Exerciser a couple of times. The filter wheel seemed to work fine, but I had no understanding how to set up the same exact test -- start with filter wheel at position 5 (CCDOps numbering), connect the camera, and move to position 1, so I'm not sure this was a valuable test. I'm just apologizing for not taking the time (hours?) to read the CCDOps help file...

I've attached a couple of files that record the filter events. In the text file at the end, I've included another MaxIm test that produces the error.

Thanks for your help.
Dick

 

Bill, I'd like the camera and filter wheel to be functional, clearly, to avoid another trip to the repair depot (your place!). I did do the random+continuous thing (I thought that was the text file I sent). I didn't know about the Ctrl-x commands. I will do some more testing to see if I can isolate a specific set of circumstances that will create the error in CCDOps (which I haven't seen). Maybe I'm chasing wild geese...

Doug, what do you suggest? Using MaxIm I can produce the Filter Error (100) repeatably. Per Bill's response, I'm still not sure the camera or filter wheel is working reliably. Otherwise, where does this error arise?

I do not know if it matters, but recently (after installing MaxIm 6.20 on April 9, and after I began to see this trouble) I used the Windows 10 installer to remove MaxIm v5 and MaxIm v6.12. Those 6.12 files were installed in a folder called MaxIm DL V6. Version 5 had it's own separate folder, too. I figured v6.20 was a complete install and didn't need anything from those other installs but the configuration variables, which were retained for v6.20.

Let me ask - is the filter wheel homed when the camera/filter wheel hardware is powered up, or when the camera/filter wheel is "connected?"

 

Hi Bill and Doug,

I just discovered (attached image) that the Filter Model in the "Setup Filter" panel is set for "standard." It should be "CFW8," yes? Would this generate the kind of problems I'm having? I haven't had a chance to get out to the observatory to make the change and run another test or two (CCDOps and MaxIm).

Also, does the filter wheel moving only always in one direction, or does it shuttle backwards or forwards depending on the distance the filter wheel has to turn? I suspect the former.

Also, yes, I can hear the filter wheel home when I turn on the power, but I'm also pretty sure I hear the filter wheel home again when I make the software connect from MaxIm.

 

Hi Staff

i have the same problem on my STL11000M.
Camera works fine guide Cam works fine. and on startup FW is rotating.
So technically it looks okidoki.
But when try to rotate FW (Ctrl 1 Ctrl 2 ) i get the Error "The CFW reported that it is busy" it drives me crazy
hope you can help me.

edit: i use the FW5-STL

Regards Simon

 

Bill, (Doug, Colin),

I'm still thinking about this, and it's been such icky weather I haven't had a chance to do more testing. But I did do some poking around at the message archives, and I wonder if this problem - http://forum.diffractionlimited.com/posts/26045/ - could in some way be related.

Dick

 

Hi Colin

I use Windows 10 pro 64 Bit, and the program CCDOPs Maxim DL and SGP
Yes i have set all the power managment settings in good order.

i had downloaded the latest drivers from the website. (not from the ftp) are they newer? i wil give that a try
thanks for the sugestions.

 

Bill, Doug, Colin,

I reported under another thread on the forum in "MaxIm DL" that I think I have solved this problem. Not hardware, not really software either, but in fact I (moi?) had set the wrong COM port in the Filter Wheel setup. That probably happened about April 5th or 6th, but I have no recollection now of why it could have changed or why I would have changed it. I'm sure it was inadvertent.

I've run some tests and don't get a filter wheel error. Needs more "testing" in a real observing session. I'm hoping changing the COM port to the correct on will solve all the issues I've been having with the camera.

 

Hi Colin,

i am using Maxim DL 5.07 Annd CCDOPS 5.53