Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some advice regarding a connection issue. Tonight, I finally had the chance to test my new ASIAIR (using the ASI585MC Pro) with my old EQ6 mount. The mount is connected via an "Ertl Electronics EQDir USB Adapter for Skywatcher EQ6."
Initially, everything worked perfectly: GoTo via plate solving, guiding calibration, and the guiding itself showed great results. I was amazed at how fast the Live Stacking works—it's a real game-changer! The overall complexity of software, cabling, and OAG has been significantly reduced.
I even proudly showed my family how the Ring Nebula was appearing live on my phone screen.
However, after about five minutes, I experienced the first connection loss to the mount. Thinking it might be a faulty USB cable, I replaced the cable between the EQDir adapter and the camera. Everything seemed fine again; M31 appeared on the screen and looked better with every frame. But then, after another five minutes, the connection to the mount dropped again. All other functions (camera, etc.) continued to work fine.
I have since tested a third USB cable and tried a different USB port on the camera. I also used contact cleaner on the DB9 plug of the mount to rule out corrosion. Despite these efforts, every attempt starts perfectly but ends with a disconnect after about five minutes.
My Settings:
Mount Selection: EQMod
Baud Rate: 9600 (the lowest setting)
Context:
The mount and the EQDir adapter haven't been used for about five years (they were stored covered on a balcony). It’s possible that either the Ertl-Box or the internal board of the SynScan GoTo Upgrade Kit has developed a fault.
Power Supply: The camera and the mount are connected to separate power supplies that provide stable and sufficient amperage. Power issues are likely not the cause.
Important Note: The ASI585MC Pro is brand new and running the latest firmware. Therefore, I haven't been able to test the setup with an older firmware version.
My Question: How would you analytically approach this problem to find the root cause?
Best regards, Martin
