Leakage inside ASI 2600MC

junluo168

Hi, I have a ASI2600MC Pro that is 11 months old. It had been working fine until a couple of nights again when I noticed some odd pattern in the FITS images. Upon inspection, it looks like some kind of leakage inside the camera on the sensor. Please see attached image.

I bought this camera new from Agena Astro in the US. Please let me know how I can have this camera served to fix this issue.

Thanks,

Jun

Tech@ZWO

hello jun

please refer to this https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/manuals/How_to_clean_ASI_camera_and_redry_the_desiccant.pdf

junluo168

@tech@zwo#41423 Thanks for your reply. Sent an email with the same picture to support@zwoptical.com. Reached out to Agena Astro and they gave me that email as first contact.

junluo168

I had gotten some responses from ZWO. However asking me to clean the sensor for something happened on the sensor surface inside the protective window while the camera is still under warranty seems too risky. What if my cleaning made things worse? Will that still be covered by the warranty? Does ZWO want to find out what may have caused such smudge/leak to happen? I'm a fairly experienced user of digital and astro cameras. This is not a typical mote, dirt or dew spot.

junluo168

Just an update on my case...looks like I'll have to either send my ASI2600MC to Agena Astro to get the sensor cleaned or I'll need to do it my self. It could be a quick fix especially if I clean it myself. However, just read today in ZWO Camera Facebook group that someone else(and several others with ASI2600MC/ASI1600MM) all had similar issues. Cleaning the sensor seems simple enough but it does not address the root cause. It's very difficult for end users to speculate what might have caused this ugly oily smudge on the sensor. (Shooting flats is not the answer. The one example shown in the Facebook post covered large portion of the sensor.)

Users are guessing if it was the storage temperature, the position of the camera, the anti-dew heater, solder flux....what if the issue happens again after sensor is cleaned? We all love ZWO products and ASI2600MC had been my favorite OSC since I pre-ordered it when it came out. We truly hope ZWO can take this issue seriously and come up with a permanent fix or improved design to address this issue.

a1k3m1

Just trying to search for an answer to my issue which is exactly the same as yours, with a 2600MC-Pro camera. So i guess im not the only one, Have you got any updates to how you went either fixing it? or claiming it via the warranty?

Sonixx

Is this mark on the sensor or on the heated Window? It could be that dew is forming on the window if the heater is not turned on. but leaving such marks from dew alone seems a bit strange… I also have a 2600 and had also some marks on the window after first usage. But these marks were on the outside of the window and easy to clean. Cleaned it and it did not came back. However, ist was not that signifikant as on the pictures shown here.

Stephan

mrlovt

I just discovered the same on my ASI2600MC, not quite a year old bought from High Point Scientific... Streaks appear to be inside on the sensor itself:

JeanDenis

I have the same issue since last Wednesday, after using the camera without any problem for one year. I bought it in September 2020.

The grease came all the way from the thermal pad to the window on the other side of the sensor?? If I open the chamber and clean everything myself, following ZWO's instructions here, will the warranty still hold if something else happens?
Thank you

Tech@ZWO

JeanDenis will the warranty still hold if something else happens?

The warranty will still hold unless somthing like accident fall which cause damage during the process.

alda.cz

I have the same problem on my MONO ASI2600MM Pro. I read the instructions, but there is a problem. If I must to clean both sides od thermal pad and if I unscrew the chip, may be I miss the collimation of the chip. Especially if there are 4 soft pads, just tighten the screws a little different force than they were and the chip will be miss-collimated.
I do not think, that this is easy procedure to users.

Maritime

Geez, I can’t get those rar files open. Anyone have zip files?

Maritime

@tech@zwo#51481

thanks, but I can’t access that repository.

Tech@ZWO

Maritime
Sorry, please refer to this one:
https://www.yuque.com/docs/share/aab8e8dd-36a6-47b3-8c82-2d83c915f90f?# 《How To Clean the excess grease on the thermal pad》

w7ay

@tech@zwo#51481 https://www.yuque.com/zwopkb/hardware/qml5e0

You know that you require a password to access that file, don't you?

Either (1) remove password requirement for that file, (2) place the file on a server that does not require a password, or (3) publish the username and password that ZWO uses.

Please confirm that files which you link to are actually accessible to the public before posting them, or you will just be posting more nonsense.

Of the original RAR files that you earlier posted in your post #10; one of them is corrupt (with a wrong checksum) but can be forced read, but the second RAR file is corrupted beyond retrieval. Again, a minute of your time would have saved hundreds of customers their time.

Chen

Maritime

The front of the pad is obvious but the back is unclear. Please illustrate.

Lain402

The newbie’s camera that requires pro skills to stay clean ! 🧽

“clear skies ! “

maudette

I'm soooo disappointed with this camera. I love it on spec. I've had them all but this one has some serious issue and IT IS not the thermal pad. Mine actually had NO silicon at all (thermal paste actually). This is the third time in a month. I clean it, dry it, pucks are nice and white. very next day. here you go again... not impressed.! !

maudette

not a drop of thermal goo on it. Yet I get these nice runs everynight I use it.

Swizerlan

maudette Is there grease in that o-ring seal?

arrowspace90

I now have the same problem with my ASI2600MC. I noticed the problem as I began to take flats at a dark sky session. Streaks! Then I looked at the camera sensor and there are the leaks.
Obviously, this is a very significant failure for ZWO. These cameras "should" all be recalled and replaced at no charge! I suppose, since China is on the other side of the world, I will attempt the cleaning and see if I can do it. But this is not the kind of procedure I envisioned from this expensive camera! How does this leak occur?? I will put a message on the forum but I am very, very displeased, and I also own the 2600MM! No doubt, it's next