Psy1280 My guess is that by re-plugging everything one-at-a-time I was able to reset things
Two possibilities come to mind: (1) USB ports in ASIAIR underpowered, (2) simultaneous boot up of ASIAIR and other devies (like mount) strained the 12V power.
(1) USB ports might be underpowered. Next time it happens, get a powered USB hub. Connect it to the ASIAIR using a very short cable no more than 0.3 m long; shorter if possible (the ASIAIR USB data lines have poor design margins). Then plug everything else into that hub. Let the powered hub be the only thing connected to the ASIAIR.
(2) check the quality of the power cables. Make sure it is at least 18 AWG and copper from the power source. 16 AWG would be more suitable, if the power cable is more than 5m long. Use as short a power cable as you can get by with. Do not use anything that is too long. If you have more than one power supply, connect the negative (black, ground return) wires together as neat the telescope as possible. The ASIAIR will not boot if the voltage droops to below about 11 volts when it tries to boot up. A large cable impedance (too small a wire gauge for the length of the wire) will cause the I*R drop.
Be sure to measure either the diameter of the wire, or the resistance of the wire yourslef. Most Chinese sourced wires at Amazon are not copper, and when they claim 18 AWG, they are more like 20 AWG. SO a double whammy. I did find a good source of cables, and with silicone insulation too (does not stiffen in freezing weather); but you might not like the price.
18 AWG copper should be 6.4 milliohms per foot. A 12V power cable would have twice the IxR drop because you need to also take into account the ground return. So, a good 18 AWG pair will already drop 12.8 x I millivolts per foot. 30 feet and 4A, and the drop becomes a whopping 1.5 volts -- start with 12V, and the ASIAIR will not boot if the total inrush current is over 4A. It depends on the inrush current.
That is why I never daisy chain power to my mount and to the ASIAIR -- each one traces back to their power supplies -- one does not take power from the other. The ASIAIR uses peak current during boot time, and your mount might too; so if you daisy chain the power, you have to make sure both don't try to boot at the same time. But then, I am just a retired EE, what do I know.
Chen
