STXL 11002 - Frost Issue

Discussion in 'STX and STXL Series Cameras' started by Richard Asarisi, Jul 3, 2018.

  1. Richard Asarisi

    Richard Asarisi Cyanogen Customer

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2016
    Messages:
    56
    So I notice something with my 11002, if the weather is nice, hot or cold doesn't matter the images off the ccd are fine. However if its humid out and the dewpoint is high no matter what, I have frost on my ccd and all images show it. I can pre cool the camera down to -16 for 2 hours or 4 hours, doesn't matter still have frost on the ccd.
    How do I solve this issue?

    Thanks
    Rich
     
  2. Doug

    Doug Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2014
    Messages:
    9,932
    Camera serial number?

    What cooler temperature are you setting it to?

    Did you bake the desiccant per the instruction manual?
     
  3. Richard Asarisi

    Richard Asarisi Cyanogen Customer

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2016
    Messages:
    56
    Serial # is X16010011 - In The Sky X I am setting it to -16 or -20 usually. Yes I baked it late last summer not yet this year, but even after baking it last summer, I still got frost on humid nights.
     
  4. Doug

    Doug Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2014
    Messages:
    9,932
    I would recommend baking desiccant at least once a year.

    By "frost" do you mean you're seeing frost on the CCD window itself? Or are you seeing condensation on the front of the chamber window? This seems much more likely since it is happening when the outside air is humid. If there was an actual chamber leak it would frost up solid 100% of the time.

    There is a heater you can turn on that might help.
     
  5. Richard Asarisi

    Richard Asarisi Cyanogen Customer

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2016
    Messages:
    56
    Like this, I assume this is frost?
    Heater? I'll have to look for that in The Sky settings, I don't recall seeing it.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. Doug

    Doug Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2014
    Messages:
    9,932
    That isn't a typical frost appearance. Usually the frost will start from the outer edges. As it gets worse it will look like frost crystals. That looks wet.
     
  7. Mike Hambrick

    Mike Hambrick Cyanogen Customer

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2016
    Messages:
    419
    Location:
    Orange, Texas
    For whatever it's worth I had to send my ST2000 in for repairs once, and while Bill Lynch was fixing it he found an air leak that he also sealed.
     
  8. Richard Asarisi

    Richard Asarisi Cyanogen Customer

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2016
    Messages:
    56
    So moisture as in condensation or dew? So is that residual from the camera itself or did it form inside on the chip? Either way the question is how do I get rid of it? Is the recommendation to bake the desiccant?
     
  9. Doug

    Doug Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2014
    Messages:
    9,932
    First find out if it's on the chip or the front window. Shine a light in the front with the cooler on and look.
     
  10. Richard Asarisi

    Richard Asarisi Cyanogen Customer

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2016
    Messages:
    56
    Thanks Doug - I'll put it on my list of things to do next clear night.
     
  11. Doug

    Doug Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2014
    Messages:
    9,932
    No reason to wait for clear weather, unless your camera is in a remote location.
     
  12. Richard Asarisi

    Richard Asarisi Cyanogen Customer

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2016
    Messages:
    56
    Huh your right, let me fire it up for an hour or so then I'll check it.
     
  13. Richard Asarisi

    Richard Asarisi Cyanogen Customer

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2016
    Messages:
    56
    Doug
    I let the camera cool down for about an hour, temp in the observatory is 29C humidity 52% dewpoint 18C. I opened the shutter with the luminance filter and check the filter and the sensor on a little bit of frost was visible or looked like fog on the extreme left edge, other than that, nothing else that I could see.
     
  14. Doug

    Doug Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2014
    Messages:
    9,932
    Okay. Recharge the desiccant, wait 24 hours, and test again.

    That said, your previous image wasn’t showing frost in the corner.
     
  15. Richard Asarisi

    Richard Asarisi Cyanogen Customer

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2016
    Messages:
    56
    I'll give it a go and report back
     

Share This Page