ZWO Cool Mod

[04Stefan07]

I have been reading about the cool mod that people have made for their ZWO cameras.

Wanted to get some feedback on here if anyone has done the same thing for theirs and if its worth it?

[JA]

Hello Stefan,

You didn't mention which ZWO camera, but I read a thread (elsewhere*) on a ZWO 120 camera which showed a large reduction in noise following the addition of custom cooling. See the before (LHS) and after (RHS) image from that thread attached below and the thread link here....

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/189137-peltier-cooled-zwo-asi-120-mc/

Best
JA

[04Stefan07]

Zwo asi224mc

[JA]

Ok then .... If you have the camera and are willing to experiment, you could do an experiment by taking some dark images at room temperature and then compare these with some taken as the camera cools (freezer for a few(?) minutes). The longer the better to achieve thermal equilibrium - if you're game to try.

Best
JA

[glend]

Sounds like a good way to ruin that camera. Condensation and signal noise are two big issues when trying to use bolt on cooling. Typically PWMs are used to regulate Peltiers and this can cause signal injection into the case which can show up as banding or noise in your image. Careful earthing of the ground side of the Peltier is needed to avoid the problem. Condensation is harder to avoid, and those uncooled cameras have no provision, or room, for dessicants in the case. As your cooling the external case the cable connectors will also be cooled and likely to get condensation on the connections. Just my two cents based on my old dslr cooling work.

[JA]

Certainly anyone that does not know what they are doing or has concerns ,should refrain from such,I said as much, but like anything in applied science one can theorize all one likes, even model it with heat transfer finite element modelling, but failing that and even in spite of that ...try:D

Best
JA.

[ZeroID]

I cooled my ASI 120mc quite effectively with a peltier element, a lightweight heat sink off a server with an attached fan. Ran the fan @ 5volts and controlled the peltier with an 8 amp motor controller I bought from Deal Extreme for about $5. Crude but effective.
I dried the whole camera in a desiccant bag then sealed off the sensor cavity with the IR glass window. Even ducted (plastic tube) a wee bit of the airflow from the heat sink radiator around to the window to keep it dew\ice free. I could get it down to about 5*, 20* below ambient. I also wrapped the camera case in a neoprene sleeve for insulation. One of those beer cooler things was the right size.
See Pic
Fan underneath, that large array of fins is quite lightweight and it had a copper faceplate almost the exact size of the peltier element.

[Nikolas]

Martin Pyot on youtube shows how to do it, if you can stand him prattling on for an hour before he makes a start. Seems like an easyish mod to do.