The ZWO EAF will not move below 0. Assuming that you are using the ASIAIR to do auto focusing, you will need to forcibly set the current step size to some positive non-zero number. Set it (not by moving the EAF, but by editing the current value field) to perhaps 10000 when you
When I go into EAF settings, I can enter 10000 and then I click on "Confirm" and it accepts the entry. When I then go back to the main dashboard and open the focus buttons, it does show 10000, but as soon as I click on the up or down arrows, it jumps back to 0. If I set it to 10000, and don't click the up or down arrows and then try and autofocus, I still get the error message, "Device Abnormal - Ensure current position is away from 0 and Max Step Limit so the EAF is movable.)
Since you mentioned updating the firmware, there is a bug in the firmware updater where after the update, that zeroing can happen. However, if you did nothing to change the "current value," and it had turned to zero all by itself, then you may have a defective unit.
I don't think I did anything but can't be sure. All I remember is that the night before, I found focus at 42078, and the next day it was at 0. This was right after updating the firmware. If there is an issue with the firmware, why is it still available on the website?
In addition to that, the "fast" and "slow" fields can also not be zero. Try starting with fast at 400 and slow at 100, just so you can see it move.
Fast is already set to 30 and slow to 10. If I change these to 400 and 100 and go back to the fast and slow buttons, I still get the error message.
Make sure to hit carriage return on the keyboard after changing that field. Be sure to clear that field before typing in a new value.
There is no carriage return. There is only confirm.
In addition to the current step field, the drawtube can also not be near to bottomed (or maxed) out at the start of the auto focus process. If you hear a double beep sound, it has maxed out, or the mechanical focuser is stuck (for example, the focuser lock is mistakenly engaged).
Max step limit is also showing 0. If I change the max step limit to say 5, then click on the up or down arrows, I still get the error beeps, but the reading is now 5 and still nothing works. What should the max step limit be? What was the default value? I then changed Max Step Limit to 500, and use the fast/ slow buttons, I do hear it move. I can go up to 500 and then I get the error beeps. If I try auto focus, it seems to start the process and I don't get the error message above but I can't go above 500.
You can try to remove the EAF from your mechanical focuser to make sure nothing is binding. (Or completely disengage the flexible coupler so that the shaft is free to move, instead of removing the EAF completely.)
I will try that if nothing else works
Did the EAF also fail to move when you key in a number for it to move to?
It seemed to move when I entered 500 as the Max Step Limit. At least I could hear noise coming from it.
When you updated the EAF firmware, did you update it to 3.3.5? An earlier 3.3.3 firmware had problems moving the EAF properly. You can check the version number by launching the EAF updater while connected to the device. The updater will report the firmware version that the device currently has.
I updated using the one listed on the website - v3.3.5
By the way, the ASIAIR ignores the "fast" and "slow" step sizes when it is auto focusing -- check the auto focus step size field to make sure it is not zero. Try a small number like 10 to start with (you ideally want that step size to be about half to twice the size of your critical focus zone -- but you can revisit that once the EAF can move).
I think it might have something to do with the Max Step Limit. As I said, it was showing 0. I did not change this to 0 by the way. As I wrote above, when I changed it to 500, something seemed to be happening. What should this number be by default? Also, you said above, the slow and fast step sizes should be about half to twice the size of your critical focus zone. Can you let me know what you mean. I had read elsewhere, they should be about 10 for slow and 30-35 for fast which is what mine show?
Lastly, I changed the Max Step Limit to 60000 which is what it says in the EAF manual. It does allow the focuser to move up to 42078, but as it is going up in step sizes, I noticed that some of the numbers that go by are white and some are red. What does this mean?
