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  #1  
Old 08-03-2025, 01:06 AM
Sucre
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ASI585MC DIY Cooler

Hi,


I have a question that someone can hopefully answer.
I'm planning on modifying an ASI585 with a peltier and fan. I'm wondering if it's worth it putting a heating element to the front to avoid any condensation or something on the glass.
I'm planning on running a copper wire from the hot side of the peltier to the front. If it's worth it.



Thanks.

Last edited by Sucre; 11-03-2025 at 07:02 PM.
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  #2  
Old 11-03-2025, 07:14 PM
Sucre
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Actually I'll change the original goal of this topic and include what I'm working on.

I don't have a lot of money so I bought an ASI585MC non pro, which means it's not cooled. I want to use it to photograph DSO.

I'll test stock, measure the temperature and include dark frames with various exposure times.
I'll then compare it using a home made cooler using a peltier and a computer CPU fan and heatsink.
I just opened it up and there seems to be a way to include a copper plate between the motherboard and the sensor board but it will depends on the results on using the peltier directly on the camera case, without any internal changes.

I'll include all the STL files and a list of the components I'm using in case someone wants to replicate it.

For now I'm testing the case to make sure it all fit together. I'll buy a 10mm thick insulation tape tomorrow. I already have the peltier and temperature controller.

Click image for larger version

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It looks weird for now because that's just the parts that will be 3D printed. I'll include photos once it's done printing tomorrow.
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  #3  
Old 11-03-2025, 07:48 PM
Leo.G (Leo)
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I have no experience with any of the ZWO cameras but I do have an older camera here which was given to me with a dead sensor after a Peltier experiment. The Peltier introduced a lot of condensation which in turn corroded the pins and socket on the sensor itself. It was a Meade camera a member kindly gave me for the price of postage to play with.
Soaking sensor pins and socket in contact cleaner with the aid of a new toothbrush did get a signa (recognition of a light source)l but no picture.


While I'm not familiar with a lot of Astro-cams I looked up the 585 on Testar:


Quote:
Originally Posted by Testar
The ZWO ASI 585MC is a professional colour planetary camera containing the Sony STARVIS 2 IMX585 CMOS backlit colour sensor which has a diagonal of 1/1.2" and a resolution of 8.29 MP. The 585MC can be considered a successor to the ASI 485MC, with zero amp glow, lower dark current noise and three times the full well capacity.

With the graphs shown (which I do not understand), it appears heat may not be a major issue. My experience with a DSLR (Nikon D80 CCD APS-C) being the amp glow was my only real problem, and street lights.........

Would it be worth trying out first to find out how much of an issue the heat is?

https://www.testar.com.au/products/zwo-asi585mc-colour


The 300 second exposure looks amazing with no glow, especially compared to the 485

The point of my answering (I have played with Peltier coolers for cooling of PC and other electronics equipment) I'd just be wary of the moisture point they do introduce.

Today I sent a message to a member with his Player One camera (and a larger ZWO pro) in the classifieds, it comes with a cooling fan. My interest was because I have a lesser Player One camera and would possibly be interested in a cooling fan if we ever get another summer west of the Blue Mountains and I was curious as to whether the cooling fan introduced any vibration.
Here is the listing, the included images are a great promotion for simply a cooling fan.

https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/...d.php?t=213913

There are members here with a heck of a lot more experience than I and hopefully one will answer but I thought the days of playing with Peltier coolers was long over. I wouldn't risk damaging my little Neptune colour camera, I can not afford to replace it.

I have an older Starlight Express MX5 colour CCD camera in near new condition which is a cooled camera and I have considered switching out the sensor and electronics from a much newer camera. I'd hate to destroy a good camera (or 2) just to play and I wouldn't know what would fit inside the case BUT, it has crossed my mind more than once.


YES, I'd love a PRO, cooled camera one day, and a motorbike....


Good luck!
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Old 11-03-2025, 09:31 PM
Sucre
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Thanks Leo for your input, really appreciated.



My goal is mainly to cool down the sensor to a decent temperature. For example today I was having a look at the temperature when on and it was showing 34 degrees. If I can get is down to 20 or 10 degrees, I guess condensation shouldn't be an issue ? It depends on the dew point so as long as I'm above it should be fine.
But having a fixed temperature will help with dark frames as I can just keep reusing them.


I'll give it a try with and without. If it's not that useful, I might keep it off. But just for the dark frames it would be worth it.
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  #5  
Old 11-03-2025, 10:51 PM
Leo.G (Leo)
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Perhaps just out of curiosity what if you were to take the dark frames at the start of your session when the camera electronics haven't introduced a lot of heat?
I am not trying to talk you out of playing and hopefully someone more conversant on this subject will come in with some great advice but I have heard some horror stories with older non cooled cameras people played with fitting Peltier coolers to and seen the end result (and more butchery of $1,000 plus cameras than I care to remember, some people really do have money to throw around), I don't.. Technology is improving where the cameras do perform better than in the past without cooling but I also know most professionals do go for a cooled camera and understand why.

Do you have any idea of the time frames of the subs you would like to acquire? I'm guessing placing the camera in the freezer. in a sealed bag with desiccant would be out of the question, just a stupid thought.

I'm full of pain medication and sleeping pills so I'm probably making little sense now

I like the specs on the 585, it looks like a decent sensor.
One silly question, is it the square format like the 533?
Photos should never be square unless it's taken with my old 2 1/4 square cameras (6x6 medium format old still cameras I have a collection of). Though imaging round planets it all makes sense.
I would not use them for astronomy of course, the film processing would cost a fortune and my experience when I started with a 35mm camera before information was freely available on the internet (or the internet, it was pay and play and was a costly learning curve. I have some beautiful black frames (underexposed nothingness).....

I believe certain model ZWO cameras have a desiccant filter but I wouldn't have a clue where it goes.
Keep in mind daytime temperatures will be much higher than night time temperatures especially during winter.
Though with your 3D housing keeping the two items somewhat separated condensation may not be an issue.
I have used cold fingers on certain items but haven't played with cameras for fear of damaging anything I may be able to afford which is far from high end.
Though my chat with the gentleman selling his Player One camera has me considering a fan perhaps.
I also live in Lithgow where even our summer temperatures aren't always very high (we had night temperatures down to 3C over summer, unbelievable but great sleeping weather). while our winter temps drop down quite low.

Your 8.29 mega pixel sensor has me excited, my Neptune has 6.3 mega pixels I believe.
I still remember when I thought the 640x480 from a Philips web cam was impressive.
Cloudy nights may have some information on this camera and this modification, it would be worth searching.

I'd love to see your results regardless of what transpires modification or not.


https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/4...eltier-cooler/


https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/5...90-asi224-etc/


https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/6...l-or-malarkey/



Quote:
Originally Posted by GlenD-CloudyNights
Longer term this cooling system may give you problems. The non-cooled ASI cameras do not incorporate dessicant moisture control in the sensor chamber. Condensation is likely in cooling and warming cycles. This is a common problem found in DSLR cooling hacks, which can lead to internal failure. You could try using Argon purging of the sensor area but I doubt the sealing is good enough and you would have to work out a way to inject the gas.
I have built several cold finger cooled Canon's, and the only way I found to beat condensation was to enclose the camera in an Argon filled plastic zip lock bag, but this requires a good seal around the tube extension, and a screw in filter to seal the chamber in the front. Good luck.
Longer term this cooling system may give you problems. The non-cooled ASI cameras do not incorporate dessicant moisture control in the sensor chamber. Condensation is likely in cooling and warming cycles. This is a common problem found in DSLR cooling hacks, which can lead to internal failure. You could try using Argon purging of the sensor area but I doubt the sealing is good enough and you would have to work out a way to inject the gas.
I have built several cold finger cooled Canon's, and the only way I found to beat condensation was to enclose the camera in an Argon filled plastic zip lock bag, but this requires a good seal around the tube extension, and a screw in filter to seal the chamber in the front.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Other CloudyNights post
I tried, I failed (Ice formed inside the case and temporally shorted an electronic circuit)... returned, repaired and learned my lesson....Pat Utah

It seems the solution may lay in what temperature you go down to and having good control of that temperature variance.





As I mentioned, there is information around for and against this project.

Last edited by Leo.G; 12-03-2025 at 02:13 PM.
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  #6  
Old 12-03-2025, 07:09 PM
Sucre
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Thanks for your reply and for the couple of links to similar ideas projects.


I've taken dark photos at different exposure length and will be including them at the end. The jump in thermal noise increases with longer exposure, quite significantly. But it was quite warm where I did the test. The ambient temperature was 30 degrees and the sensor was about 40 degrees. I looked at 2 different images of 120s exposure with a difference of 2 degrees and the thermal noise is visible without having to zoom in.


I'm printing my final design for the case, I'll try and mount everything tomorrow and do some test before the end of the week.


I'll put a small desiccant pack inside the camera if condensation is a risk
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Old 12-03-2025, 07:29 PM
Leo.G (Leo)
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I just found this link but I do not think it involves a Peltier cooler:


https://rouzastro.com/product/active...ooled-cameras/


As I mentioned, my concern (while wanting my own cooled camera) is what I have seen with other efforts, I received the Meade camera, fan, cooler and electronics from a member some time ago and as I mentioned he was using a cold finger, the Meade had a heat sink back on the camera body (one piece alloy seriously hacked with a Dremel) and had me questioning what it must have been like having the $1,000 initial camera purchase price to throw away and play. I tend to work with old junk. I did get the sensor producing a signal and did cut a decent piece of alloy to fit in the hacked out heatsink region but signal and no picture so I put it away and was lucky to get an affordable Player One in new condition with the 178 colour sensor. The later model Neptune has larger pixel size which are more suited to my longer focal length old telescopes but on a pension it's what I can do, when I can do it.
One day I'm going to have an amazing astronomy camera if the lotto Gods ever permit such an event, lol.
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  #8  
Old 12-03-2025, 10:22 PM
Sucre
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Here are the stock tests of the ZWO585MC


30s @ 37.8°C : Mean 0.009


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60s @ 37°C : Mean 0.010


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120s @ 37.8°C : Mean 0.017


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120s @ 39.3°C : Mean 0.019


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300s @ 40°C : Mean 0.046


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And here are the 4 different exposures side by side to be able to see the differences between them


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  #9  
Old 14-03-2025, 11:09 PM
Sucre
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Ok so I'm done, here are the final photos at different temperatures.
I don't know why the photos are so small, you really have to click on them to see anything sorry.

Uncooled, DeltaT of 31.1°C, zoom off 400% for each photos

https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/...1&d=1741953687

Cooled at 20°C

https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/...1&d=1741953687

Cooled at 15°C

https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/...1&d=1741953687

Cooled at 10°C

https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/...1&d=1741953687

Here's the case with the insulation in it

https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/...1&d=1741953687

With the 585MC and peltier cooler on top

https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/...1&d=1741953687

When it's all closed up

https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/...1&d=1741953687

I just need to tidy up the cables as I was still testing when I took the photo. There is some condensation happening on the exposed parts (black ring at the front and around the USB connector), but I opened it after about 1h of cooling and there was no sign of moisture inside. I'll check again later after having used it all night.

The components, apart from needing a 3D printer, are a 12V, 4A (48W) peltier cooler, M3 screws, M3 inserts, 5mm insulation tape and a computer CPU fan and heatsink.
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  #10  
Old 24-03-2025, 02:00 PM
TrevorW
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peltier cooling only way to go
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  #11  
Old 24-03-2025, 03:47 PM
Leo.G (Leo)
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First off HUGE improvement with the cooling and secondly, my intent in your other thread was never to try and turn you against your idea. I have played with Peltier coolers for years with other electronics and seen first hand when things don't go right.
I have Peltier cooling on a former Queensland government Elbex speed camera, an AMAZING quality CCD camera with a large sensor which I used for some astro stuff till I got sick of RS485-whatever adapters and running coaxial cable for the signal which meant capture card in a device to capture the images. Image quality however was amazing and the camera had full pan and tilt control doable with an xbox controller.




That's a heck of a difference with the cooling but as I mentioned in your other thread just be very wary of the condensation, it ruins cameras. If it gets into the contacts for the CMOS, likely a bigger problem with marking of the sensor if it gets on the front, maybe.

Your unit is still a sealed camera with internal condensation a slight possibility but not a given like the thing I have here.

I have no idea where the Desiccant goes in the pro cooled ZWO cameras that take it and I'm unaware of any desiccant pack going into my old cooled camera (I can't for the life of me remember which camera it is) but I still think of swapping out the original CCD for a later sensor and utilising the original case and cooling, I just can't bring myself to butcher anything of it's quality.
I may look into it one day if I get a camera with larger pixel size more suitable to my longer focal length telescopes.

Last edited by Leo.G; 25-03-2025 at 12:17 PM.
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  #12  
Old 27-03-2025, 07:56 PM
Leo.G (Leo)
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I did want to ask about your fan, there's obviously no vibration, your images are crisp. Does the fan have dampers to prevent the vibration?
I've had trouble in the past with other camera projects where the fan introduced vibration related artefacts.
I also know most CD/DVD drives in computers utilise nice little silicon dampers (silicon grommets) and if I'm scrapping a drive I'll remove them before tossing the thing, they've worked well in the past.
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