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Old 12-02-2018, 06:37 PM
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xelasnave
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A couple of questions.

I have been having fun trying to set up my 80 mm heq5 ( will include eight inch).
I have aligned scope and polar scope so I can find CSP by aligning mount to have parts of circles of stars the CSP will be center of camera sreen ...as I seem to get pretty close just with that...
Any ways first question.
I have a 85 watt new solar panel ( stuffed the plugs on this so need a new plug system)..I did nt have any 12 volt wire so I cut 14 foot of cheap extention cord..2 pieces and joined the wires in each section so one section of cord two wires carry carries current 2 for positive and 2 for negative...I dont know the amperage of the wire to work out amps in 12 volts but I am hoping the two should manage the current between the solar panel and the battery (regulator before battery) its rating maybe 30 amps maybe 10 I cant remember...at a guess do you recon its safe enough etc.

Next...I am looking at the nikon dslr 5500 and like most now has a fold out screen..great...but where it sits at home position is a rather nice area where I am wondering is there any point a puting on a metal block to fit and a peltie device...I know you should have a finger to the sensor...but you would think it may do some good...I figure to put some silica gel maybe in the scope to keep it dry..if that would be a problem..

And set up a neat little table for the lappy.. inverter 12 volt plugs regulator for panel a d low battery cut off..even a simple little set up like this has some work in it...blue tack to rescue..used it to fix the sloppy t rings.. not ideal but it dont move .. but both rings sloppy ..the move a mill maybe more where in position..not good. Blue tack so handy short term..I have some on the focuser mask for 8 inch so it will stay in place on the 80 mm ideal but now both hands a free as Blue magic holds it in place long enough.
Mount gear dust cover does not fit and probably use more blue tack...there is a step inside that kicks the plate up..a semi gasket will fix it or some serious maching to the mount if even posible...
Alex

Last edited by xelasnave; 12-02-2018 at 06:48 PM.
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  #2  
Old 12-02-2018, 06:53 PM
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I figure the wires need to be able to handle 5 to 7 amps at 12 vlts.
I think you can use the multi meter to check resistence..I suppose I should put a fuze in that part.
Alex
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Old 12-02-2018, 07:10 PM
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doppler (Rick)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xelasnave View Post
Next...I am looking at the nikon dslr 5500 and like most now has a fold out screen..great...but where it sits at home position is a rather nice area where I am wondering is there any point a puting on a metal block to fit and a peltie device...I know you should have a finger to the sensor...but you would think it may do some good...I figure to put some silica gel maybe in the scope to keep it dry..if that would be a problem..
Alex
Not sure how good these work, but the idea is simple and non intrusive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVrTpCn1MhA
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Old 12-02-2018, 09:09 PM
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Thanks Rick.
Thats what I had in mind but no instruments, just the peltie...the mounting was a good idea.
He seems keen ... you would think it wouls improve things just a little.
Should not be hard to do I have a peltie somewhere and even a block of alluminium that probably would fit...
I could blue tac a little thermometer on the side I guess.
Thanks again.

Alex
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Old 12-02-2018, 10:17 PM
glend (Glen)
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Alex i have built two cold finger cooled DSLRs (Canons) and one peltier cold box, and in my experience only one method is worth the effort. A proper internal cold finger that cools the sensor back, with a peltier powred by a PWM circuit and a thermo sensor mounted on the cold finger near the sensor. RCheshire here on IIS has written a manual on how to do it, and there are several cold finger build threads in the archives here if you want to search for it.
Your problems are going to be, internal condensation, and cooling effectively in the right place. Peltiers mounted to cool camera bodies are next to useless. Desicants can work inside a sealed box but i have not seen one work well inside a dslr. Gas purging (with something like Argon) does work on cold finger cooled dslrs, i have one that is over three years old and it still works perfectly, cooling the sensor to below -10C with no condensation, but the camera must be sealed (in my design i use a plastic ziplock bag in which the camera is inserted and then sealed inside with the bag filled with Argon.
There are heaps of examples of cooled dslrs on the internet but 90% are junk and do not work at all. There is still one guy trying to sell external peltier kits, but the solution will eventually destroy the camera due to condensation.
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Old 12-02-2018, 11:20 PM
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Thank Glen for all that and its very welcome I cant find the peltie device I fear I may not have got it out of the old place or someone else got it ...anyways I am not that fusy with my photos I will just suffer the noise theres still plently of things to work on...who knows maybe if things work out I could go narrow band...if up North full time.
Thanks again Glen for such an informative post.
Alex
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Old 13-02-2018, 09:09 AM
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ZeroID (Brent)
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Hi Alex, I concur with Glens post. The only effective DSLR cooling method is the cold finger and that has it's issues with moisture etc as he says.
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Old 13-02-2018, 10:08 AM
AstroApprentice (Jason)
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Hi Alex,
Primaluce Lab used to offer a cooler for your D5500,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wINzDm0BzMs
I notice it's no longer advertised on their website, but they still do astro filter mods for it:
https://www.primalucelab.com/astrono...ification.html
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Old 13-02-2018, 12:50 PM
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You could try making a cooler box for it saves cutting it open and sticking a cold finger in.

I find that my Fujifilm (same sensor as your D5500) is very well restrained for 2 and 3 minute exposures (ISO1600) up to around the mid-20s ambient, at which point it throws its hands up in horror. The cooler the better though.
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Old 13-02-2018, 01:25 PM
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I dont really want to go narrow band just yet but maybe a colour cooled ZWO if there is something that is appropriate for deep sky....Any ways I am happy with what I have and really if I get a noisey photo but capture the object in any form I am happy.
Still cant find the peltie..
Up and down the stairs trying to load the car...what an effort..there is just so much stuff just for my simple set up...I hope the clouds clear and the temp drops...and my daughter is still keen to have a go at processing my captures a d down load some software...all good.
Alex
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Old 13-02-2018, 04:46 PM
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That's the spirit Alex! I wouldn't overcomplicate it just now, get stuck in when the sky is clear and see how you like the results. Ultimately, it's your hobby, you decide what you like and how you get there
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Old 13-02-2018, 06:09 PM
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The tech people just have to do better..a high noiseless iso and built in stability so you just have to point the camera take a snap and it spits out a perfect image ... one day but I guess it would not be fun if it became that easy.
Alex
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Old 13-02-2018, 06:17 PM
Imme (Jon)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xelasnave View Post
I dont really want to go narrow band just yet but maybe a colour cooled ZWO if there is something that is appropriate for deep sky....Any ways I am happy with what I have and really if I get a noisey photo but capture the object in any form I am happy.
Still cant find the peltie..
Up and down the stairs trying to load the car...what an effort..there is just so much stuff just for my simple set up...I hope the clouds clear and the temp drops...and my daughter is still keen to have a go at processing my captures a d down load some software...all good.
Alex
I looked at all the avenues to try and cool a DSLR Alex.....but then realised I could pick up a second hand qhy8 pro cooled ccd which is designed for the task for less than half what it would have cost me for a good cooled DSLR camera(which once cooled was no goog as a normal dslr anymore!).....the money I saved bought an old laptop, cheap guidescope and a base range b&w zwo camera to give me guiding ability.

But yes, more to carry if you are wanting to stay portable.

....just my 2 cents
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Old 13-02-2018, 06:33 PM
DJT (David)
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Hi Alex

Another approach is to chose brighter objects to image , ie choose your battles, and if you get guiding going, dither , which will help handle noise during integration.

My last image was taken at 30 degrees with an uncooled canon, 800 iso, dithered and with plenty of subs.

It’s also possible to manually dither between frames (nudge the mount if you aren’t guiding yet )

Cheers
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Old 13-02-2018, 10:07 PM
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Thanks for the observation Jon your two cents worth is appreciated.
Alex
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Old 13-02-2018, 10:10 PM
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Hi David.
I think I am just getting excited. I have a way of getting focused on things to improve sometimes when I should just work with what I have today.
Alex
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Old 14-02-2018, 05:53 AM
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ZeroID (Brent)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xelasnave View Post
I dont really want to go narrow band just yet but maybe a colour cooled ZWO if there is something that is appropriate for deep sky....Any ways I am happy with what I have and really if I get a noisey photo but capture the object in any form I am happy.
Still cant find the peltie..
Up and down the stairs trying to load the car...what an effort..there is just so much stuff just for my simple set up...I hope the clouds clear and the temp drops...and my daughter is still keen to have a go at processing my captures a d down load some software...all good.
Alex
Some one had an ASi1600mc-Cooled for sale in IIS list for about $800 IIRC. THAT would be the ideal OSC camera to replace a DSLR. I contemplated that instead of the mono version but it really wasn't much of an upgrade image wise on the DSLR to where I wanted to go.
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Old 14-02-2018, 06:01 PM
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Hi David.
I think I am just getting excited. I have a way of getting focused on things to improve sometimes when I should just work with what I have today.
Alex
You are right inside my head when you say this.

I have had this bookmarked on my tablet for over a year. I have all parts, except the plate metal, which is easy to source...

http://www.myastroscience.com/dslrcoolerbox

I will build it eventually. I was tempted with Glend's cold finger mod,, but the camera is not just for astro, so I need to compromise a little.
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