ASI2600MC Air desiccant drying/replacement

Ceejay

Please see this discussion on CloudyNights. Hopefully someone from ZWO can answer some of the questions.

The ASI2600MC Air has a hole with screw on the side that leads to the camera chamber where the desiccant tablets are. A (3 year old) ZWO forum post implies that this hole does not have a function anymore, can you confirm this? If it still has a function, what is it?
According to that same post, after removing that screw, I need to replace/dry the tablets (which I was planning anyway because of artifacts, see start of CloudyNights post). Does your guidance for opening the camera still apply for the ASI2600MC Air?
Perhaps I cooled the camera to a too low temperature. What lowest temperature would you advice to prevent getting artifacts caused by freezing?
Thank you

Luxo

Unfortunately ZWO has never answered a direct question here with a straight answer.

What you need to know is in my posts in the Cloudynight thread. Im fairly certain the camera side of your 2600MC Air is much the same as mine.

FWIW In winter here the 2600MC DUO will cool down to -25C but if I do that the camera will still dew/frost over on the front of the cover glass because the heater element cannot warm the glass sufficiently to keep it above 0C - glass is a very poor conductor of heat !

With some trial and error I found -10C is safe to not see dew/frost form.

Ceejay

OK thanks Luxo, I kind of knew that but I thought I gave it a try anyway. I will follow up by email.
It is strange to still have this hole in the side of the camera for an application that has been withdrawn, in a new camera like the Air, and on top of that not describe this anywhere, knowing that opening it can have negative consequences.
Yes your CloudyNights post about the internal setup of the 2600 is really useful, thanks. Not keen on an Argon solution, and if the sensor is isolated from the main chamber as you describe then what's the point. I'll see what -10degC as camera temp brings in terms of artifacts.