AstroLaptop All is fine providing I only want exposures of 1/2 a second or less. If I try exposures of 1 second or longer it says exposure failed.
This typically happen to their cameras with a separate 12V input, when the 12V input does not come up to 12V. But your camera is bus powered (powered through the USB cable by your laptop).
Do you have a "USB Tester" like this one?
https://www.amazon.com/Eversame-Multimeter-Chargers-Capacity-Banks-Black/dp/B01D9Y6ZFW
(Amazon has plenty of different ones, just search for "USB Tester".)
Plug the tested into your laptop, then plug the camera into the tester. Take a look at the voltage and current readings when you are taking a long exposure. If the voltage is below the range of 4.9 to 5 volts, or drops significantly from the time it was not taking an exposure, the laptop does not have enough current capacity to power the camera.
If the voltage is low, check the current consumption. Many USB ports will supply a standard 1.1A of current, but not all of them will. Check the specs of your laptop's USB port and compare with the current draw.
A powered USB data hub is usually capable of supplying 1.1 A (some up to 2.4 A).
If the current draw of the camera is near to 1A, check with your dealer what the number should be. I don't see the specs at ZWO's web site. Your dealer may also have an open box camera that they can measure. If your camera is drawing excessive power compared to theirs, return it for an exchange.
Chen
