CCD reliability and service?

[NightCal]

I'm trying to get a feel for the reliability of different CCD cameras. If you own a CCD camera as your main imaging camera -


What make and model do you have?
How long have you had it?
Have you had reliability problems?
How many times has the camera had to be repaired?
Did the manufacturer/retailer repair the camera well and speedily?


Thanks

[Alchemy]

1. Qhy9m
2. 5? Years
3. Not lately
4. 3
5. Fortunately very speedily.

I have a qhy9m, not my first cod camera, unfortunately it turned out to be a dud, it went back several times for varying problems, in he end it got the boot and a new one was sent out as a replacement, qhy are the bargain end of the CCD market, fortunately Theo the Australian distributor is reliable and in my case has done the right thing, so much so I'd happily buy another camera from him... And this isn't he first one.

On a personal level I'm now looking to go back to a color CCD as I just don't get the time to spend multiple nights on an object, I'd rather see results sooner ...it is Melbourne here after all and the drought and multiple clear nights is over, I thought shooting Ha would give me more options for the moonlit nights but in practice I've not made the effort for some reason.

[billdan]

Hi,

I purchased a QHY12 camera in Sep 2012 and after 3 years of reliable performance I had to send it back to China with a non-responsive USB port.

It left my place on 02Aug2015 and arrived back here on the 15Sep2015, costs were $60 air express both ways, and $70 inc. labour for a replacement main board (which was corroded apparently).

Cheers
Bill

[Geoff45]

Two problems.
1. Starlight Xpress lodestar had half the view fuzzed out after several years use. Sent it back to SX and I had it back within 3 weeks. No charge except for postage both ways-- about $30 each time as I recall
2. FLI Proline 16803. After close on a year of use there was something wrong with the clocking and all stars had a long flare on them--looked like blooming (which it wasn't, being an antiblooming camera). A bit of back and forth messages and tests with FLI, but eventually sent back via Bintel who made sure it was repaired under warranty. No charge, not even postage.
It's been OK for the last 2 years or so.
Geoff

[multiweb]

QHY8 - 10 years, QHY9 mono - 6 years
Never had any issues or repairs but for the QHY9 mono that was faulty out of the box and replaced on the spot by the supplier. No questions asked. Still using both to date.

[Amaranthus]

My QHY22 has worked flawlessly for 2 years. Amazing camera.

The Orion Starshoot G3 was a funny story. First day I got it, I powered it up with my battery, and the supply was obviously a little 'variable', because within 5 seconds, to my horror, I saw a flash inside the unit, followed by the distinctive smell of ozone... :eyepop:

But it obviously had overcurrrent protection, because when I tried it again 30 min later with an AC power lead, it worked just fine, and the TEC has worked beautifully ever since. It's a low-cost camera, but well made! That was 3 years ago, and it is still giving great service.