ZWO ASI1600 stopped working

Spookyer (Brett) · #1 03-07-2024, 08:33 PM

Hello all, I have the ZWO native drivers and the ASCOM drivers on my PC. I have been using the camera successfully for some time without issues. Suddenly my 1600ProMM will not connect via the ZWO native drivers in my NINA astronomy software. I tried to use ASI Studio and I can see the camera but it won't connect and crashes the program straight away. In NINA I can connect the camera using the ASCOM driver. However if I take an image when the image completes it does not finish and does not save the image and just freezes at that point. I have my ASI174 guide camera and the EFW plugged into my 1600 camera and both units connect and work normally. In both NINA and ASI Studio I can connect to my ASI174 guide camera and take images. I have tried connecting everything to another computer and got the same results as above so I don't believe it is PC issue or a usb cable issue given these devices are connecting normally. My power supply is the same supply I have been using for some time and other devices connected to it are working normally.

I have contacted ZWO help and they say it is probably a hardware problem. It is out of warrnaty of course though it has not had a lot of use. Just thought I would ask if anyone has had a similar issue and found a solution? thanks Brett

Spookyer (Brett) · #2 06-07-2024, 12:08 PM

Update

Thinking it could be a power issue I tried swapping cables, 12 v panel and fuses. It started working. Every combination I tried was successful. Even when I plugged everything back in exactly how it was when it was not working before, it worked.

Bottom line it was some sort of power issue but not sure what exactly.

ReidG · #3 07-07-2024, 10:37 AM

All it takes is a bad connection. That can be caused by a temperature change a tiny bit of corrosion or various undermined things. Computer, and related gear, connectors are designed to be cheap not necessarily good.

I have had a stack of computers brought to me by friends to 'fix' and unplugging things cleaning contacts and replacing has fixed an amazing number of them.

Worth a try every time. I had one yesterday, computer going crazy because of lack of memory. One memory stick had bad contact. Quick easy fix to try first. Owner happy again.