ASIAIR USB Disconnects

b6k5zv4d

I have been having issues with my USB devices disconnecting from my ASIAIR over the past two nights of imaging. I thought this had to do with the new FW/app updates (v2.3.3) to the ASIAIR or my 12V power supply (based on lots of discussions online). But I setup some tests today and it looks to be caused by very high pixel values coming from the guide camera? I ran some tests today to see if I could reproduce the USB disconnects and they try a new 12V 10A power supply. So I turned on everything with my existing ZWO 12V 5A supply indoors today and started 5 second exposures. I had the mount on and tracking, dew heater on (powered by ASIAIR), guide camera looping, and cooling on the camera set to 0°C. The ASIAIR reports between 20W and 40W with this all running. During my test the lights inside my house were on, the telescope is pointed down towards the ground with the cover of the telescope on. I didn't have any problems for over an hour so I went to look at my telescope. I was wondering if the issue didn't happen because I was getting just dark frames. So I took off the cover of the telescope and immediately everything disconnected. Everything continuously disconnected until I put the cover back on the scope. I did a bunch of tests and the disconnects happen as soon as the very high values come out of the guide camera. My gain on the asi174mm mini was set to 300. With my OAG and SCT sometimes I have to turn the gain up this high to get a suitable guide star, even with bin2. This was the case yesterday around M92 from my Bortle 7 backyard. I did tests changing the guide camera gain and exposure length. If I reduce the gain or reduce the exposure the disconnects don't happen. If I don't have the guide camera loop on, the disconnects don't happen. Over the past two nights there has been a lot of skyglow due to the smoke from the wildfires, I am thinking this contributed to this issue with the high guide camera gain I had configured. I have also seen multiple times in the past that everything has disconnected when I check my setup in the morning after running all night. I didn't know why before, but I think now it is from the guide camera operating after sunrise.

Tests with 0.5 second exposures

No disconnects with these gains: 50, 100, 150, 200, 250
USB disconnects immediately with these gains: 300 and higher

Tests with 1 second exposures

No disconnects with these gains: 50, 100, 150, 200
USB disconnects immediately with these gains: 250 and higher

Tests with 2 second exposures

No disconnects with these gains: 50, 100
USB disconnects immediately with these gains: 150 and higher

Tests with 4 second exposures

No disconnects with these gains: 50, 100
USB disconnects immediately with these gains: 150 and higher

Note that during this test the guide screen is almost completely white when the gain and exposure combination causes the USB disconnects. I don't know if smaller bright area in the guide FOV cause the same issue.

My setup is:
ASIAIR mini
Imaging Camera: ASI2600MC Pro
Guide Camera: ASI174mm mini
Auto-focuser: EAF
Mount: CPC800
OAG: Askar 54mm

Connections:

USB: ASIAIR ports directly connected to USB to Serial for Mount, and ASI2600MC Pro. ASI2600MC Pro connects to ASI174mm mini and EAF.
12V: ASIAIR 12V output connects to Dew Heater, Mount, and ASI2600MC Pro

I have never updated the FW on my cameras my connecting them to a PC. The ASIAIR app doesn't show the versions of the cameras so I don't know if it updates them.

Corsair

b6k5zv4d

Has this exact equipment setup and configuration worked for you in the past and did you only start experiencing this issue after the firmware update?
Test what happens if you power the mount using its own power supply - not from the power output of the ASIAIR Mini.
If it still happens at step 2 - also test what happens if you power the Main Camera (2600MC Pro) from its own power supply as well. i.e. so both mount and main camera are NOT being powered from the ASIAIR Mini
If things work at step 3 - test what happens if you now try to power the Main Camera from the ASIAIR Mini. i.e. Powering Main Camera and Dew heater from the ASIAIR Mini. Mount NOT being powered from the ASIAIR Mini.
If things don't work at step 4 but did work at step 3 then you need to make sure you do NOT power your Mount and Camera from the ASIAIR Mini. If things work at Step 4 - then you need to make sure you do NOT power you Mount from the ASIAIR Mini.

b6k5zv4d

Corsair Did you read my post? I can make this USB disconnect happen at will by doing the steps above, i.e. set those specific guide exposure lengths and gain on the asi174mm mini and start guide looping - instantly all USB disconnect and will not reconnect while the guide camera is getting light in a bright room. The disconnects from doing that sequence are the same as what I saw during my actual imaging sessions (Mount disconnects, EAF disconnects, both cameras disconnect).

But to answer your questions.

Yes, I have had this setup for over a year and have done ₆₀ imaging sessions
I have tested with the mount powered by a separate supply and had the same issue
I haven't tried this yet, in general it seemed like putting the dew heater and camera on a separate supply could be helpful, I don't think that will directly address what I have been seeing.
Yea, understood.