Resolved Selecting Wrong Filter

Discussion in 'STX and STXL Series Cameras' started by Mark de Regt, Aug 12, 2020.

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  1. Bob Denny

    Bob Denny Cyanogen Customer

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    Hi guys, I am on "Alert" for this thread. Given my personal field experiences, and that we have almost certainly eliminated software as the problem, I would have the remote observatory staff verify the power supply on the computer and the camera/FW not only under load for DC but for noise (like with an o-scope). And if this place has a dome that is slaving, I've seen the power glitches from the periodic dome slaving to cause intermittent stuff.
     
    Bob Denny, Nov 11, 2020
    #61
  2. Mark de Regt

    Mark de Regt Cyanogen Customer

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    Thanks, Bob. The equipment is in a huge roll-off observatory.

    How best to convey to the guys on the ground at SRO what it is that you are suggesting?
     
    Mark de Regt, Nov 11, 2020
    #62
  3. Bob Denny

    Bob Denny Cyanogen Customer

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    I would contact your support person there. I haven't talked to anyone there since the change of personnel, so I am out of the loop, sorry. If they need info feel free to have them contact either me or (I assume) Colin. We do need to eliminate the power supplies as a cause in any case.

    But Colin is a really good detective so do take him up on his live help offer!!
     
    Bob Denny, Nov 11, 2020
    #63
  4. Mark de Regt

    Mark de Regt Cyanogen Customer

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    Ok; I'll let Colin do his thing, and then talk to the guys at SRO.
     
    Mark de Regt, Nov 11, 2020
    #64
  5. Colin Haig

    Colin Haig Staff Member

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    BTW I've worked with the SRO guys from time to time - great people. We'll involve them if needed.
     
    Colin Haig, Nov 11, 2020
    #65
  6. Colin Haig

    Colin Haig Staff Member

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    Colin Haig, Nov 11, 2020
    #66
  7. Colin Haig

    Colin Haig Staff Member

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    There should be a Dell BIOS setting to automatically power on the computer when AC is restored. This will make life easier for remote installs.
    I found an article (at one of our other customers) on a utility to do this remotely.
    https://onesearch.library.utoronto.ca/ic-faq/42147
    However, having the techs go into the BIOS and change may be more reliable.
     
    Colin Haig, Nov 11, 2020
    #67
  8. Bob Denny

    Bob Denny Cyanogen Customer

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    I still haave an open ticket on this, so if I can do anything let me know, or if this is solved, same thing so I can close the ticket.
     
    Bob Denny, Nov 18, 2020
    #68
  9. Colin Haig

    Colin Haig Staff Member

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    Not solved yet Bob. We have a hardware related suspect and a game plan to resolve (replacement part shipment in process).

    ACP and MaxIm are indeed sending commands to the filter wheel correctly as best as we can tell. No action needed at this point; but keep the ticket open if you wouldn't mind as it will be a couple days before we know.

    Filter wheel 100% passed bench tests when sent in a month ago.
    We suspect a component that is in a failure mode in real world due to duty cycle and temperature. We saw an outright failure on another wheel in same manufacturing batch, and are taking the precaution of replacing the PCB to see if it cures it in the real world.
     
    Colin Haig, Nov 18, 2020
    #69
  10. Bob Denny

    Bob Denny Cyanogen Customer

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    Ah, this is excellent Colin!! Thanks for the update.
     
    Bob Denny, Nov 18, 2020
    #70
  11. Colin Haig

    Colin Haig Staff Member

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    Mark reports successful continued operation.
    For those of you reading this thread, there was a hard-to-detect intermittent fault which was repaired with a replacement circuit board.
     
    Colin Haig, Dec 3, 2020
    #71
  12. Bob Denny

    Bob Denny Cyanogen Customer

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    Awesome!!! Thanks to you at Diffraction for sticking with it and finding the problem. Intermittent ones are the worst.
     
    Bob Denny, Dec 4, 2020
    #72
  13. Colin Haig

    Colin Haig Staff Member

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    Mark sent a note this morning suspecting a problem.
    We're looking at the images. I wish I could just sit there and watch the darn thing.
     
    Colin Haig, Dec 4, 2020
    #73
  14. Mark de Regt

    Mark de Regt Cyanogen Customer

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    Colin--Feel free! It's not predictable when it misbehaves, but it's doing it quite often again. Sometimes it's very difficult to tell if it's an R, G or B filter that's wrong, but it's very easy to tell when it's an NB filter that's wrong.
     
    Mark de Regt, Dec 7, 2020
    #74
  15. Colin Haig

    Colin Haig Staff Member

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    Thanks. PM discussion underway.
     
    Colin Haig, Dec 7, 2020
    #75
  16. Adam Robichaud

    Adam Robichaud Lead Developer Staff Member

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    Hi Mark,

    Can I log in remotely via TeamViewer so I can collect a baseline of information?

    -A
     
    Adam Robichaud, Feb 12, 2021
    #76
  17. Colin Haig

    Colin Haig Staff Member

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    Resolution was:
    An incorrect, undersized cable was being used, not one supplied with Diffraction Limited SBIG equipment. The correct cable had been lost. A new, correct replacement cable from Diffraction was installed, curing the problem.
    Low voltage and communication problems can result if an incorrect cable used with Filter Wheels / AO-X devices, and this can cause erratic operation.
     
    Colin Haig, May 3, 2021
    #77
  18. Bob Denny

    Bob Denny Cyanogen Customer

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    This is surprisingly often the problem — low voltage under load or noisy power under load. Those cheap USB cables you get at the gas station are such c**p.
     
    Bob Denny, May 3, 2021
    #78
  19. Colin Haig

    Colin Haig Staff Member

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    This was a 9-pin cable in the AUX I2C bus chain between camera/filter wheel/AO-X.
    There was an earlier electronics issue suspected - we replaced circuit boards in the filter wheel; however the cable was the real issue.
    An AO-X tweak to the sleeves was done to ensure full deflection of the optical window in all 4 directions.
    Team effort between Diffraction, SRO, Mark and DC3 Dreams.
     
    Colin Haig, May 3, 2021
    #79
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