asi120mm-s DIY cooling

Frankenscope? Let's see it!***be advised that NOTHING in this forum has been safety tested and you are reading and using these posts at your own peril. blah, blah, blah... dont mess around with your eyesight when it comes to solar astronomy. Use appropriate filtration at all times...
Post Reply
User avatar
Martin_S
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 1839
Joined: Sat Mar 16, 2019 12:34 am
Location: Brisbane , Australia
Has thanked: 979 times
Been thanked: 2992 times

asi120mm-s DIY cooling

Post by Martin_S »

Since I've been doing solar imaging I have noticed that my sensor temperatures in my asi 120 mm-s have risen to over 50 ° C , so I made a DIY cooler.

I'm using a 12703 TEC module @ 5v 1.25 amps 6.25 watts , running it at 12v 3.0amps was not very efficient as the 50mm square heatsink. could not disperse enough heat.

Temperature control was done with a W1209 controller.

I achieved a drop in temperature around 12 ° below ambient inside my study I'm not expecting that sort of cooling out in the sun , but I'll be happy to keep my camera within the recommended operating specifications.

In all this modification took about 3 hours and cost me around $15 AUD using parts purchased on Ebay.


Martin
Attachments
8.jpg
8.jpg (171.62 KiB) Viewed 3815 times
7.jpg
7.jpg (384.13 KiB) Viewed 3815 times
6.jpg
6.jpg (125.25 KiB) Viewed 3815 times
5.jpg
5.jpg (371.13 KiB) Viewed 3815 times
4.jpg
4.jpg (408.14 KiB) Viewed 3815 times
3.jpg
3.jpg (410.59 KiB) Viewed 3815 times
2.jpg
2.jpg (397.62 KiB) Viewed 3815 times
1.jpg
1.jpg (382.48 KiB) Viewed 3815 times


H alpha : ,Skywatcher 120mm F8 open frame refractor, a tilted 2" 7nm H-alpha filter as a sub energy rejection filter, Baader TZ4 telecentric focal extender, Player One energy rejection filter, Combo Quark Chromosphere, Naked PST etalon for double stacking, ASI74mm camera
User avatar
marktownley
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 42271
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:27 pm
Location: Brierley Hills, UK
Has thanked: 20427 times
Been thanked: 10243 times
Contact:

Re: asi120mm-s DIY cooling

Post by marktownley »

That's a nice mod Martin, thanks for sharing.


Image
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
User avatar
Martin_S
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 1839
Joined: Sat Mar 16, 2019 12:34 am
Location: Brisbane , Australia
Has thanked: 979 times
Been thanked: 2992 times

Re: asi120mm-s DIY cooling

Post by Martin_S »

Thanks Mark


H alpha : ,Skywatcher 120mm F8 open frame refractor, a tilted 2" 7nm H-alpha filter as a sub energy rejection filter, Baader TZ4 telecentric focal extender, Player One energy rejection filter, Combo Quark Chromosphere, Naked PST etalon for double stacking, ASI74mm camera
User avatar
axion
The Sun?
The Sun?
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Jul 14, 2019 4:13 pm
Location: New York, USA

Re: asi120mm-s DIY cooling

Post by axion »

that is great! I was thinking about cooling my ASI174MM from the very beginning. The first idea was to use liquid cooling from computer kits... Now I would consider Martin’s idea.

Interesting how it will work under the sun, the working temp of the camera is -5C or lower, but actually without cooling it is close to 40 or higher.

Thank you for sharing!


User avatar
marktownley
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 42271
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:27 pm
Location: Brierley Hills, UK
Has thanked: 20427 times
Been thanked: 10243 times
Contact:

Re: asi120mm-s DIY cooling

Post by marktownley »

Cooling is important. I think it is for every 6-8c increase in temperature noise doubles in a camera. Normally my cameras run at around 40c - last week with our 'heatwave' they were running in excess of 60c and the noise was very apparent.

I strapped a couple of cool packs from the freezer on the camera with rubber bands, which tamed the temperature off; however this is not ideal (think condensation and camera internals).

My experience of the 174 chip is that it is the noisiest chip (camera) I have ever owned.


Image
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
User avatar
Martin_S
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 1839
Joined: Sat Mar 16, 2019 12:34 am
Location: Brisbane , Australia
Has thanked: 979 times
Been thanked: 2992 times

Re: asi120mm-s DIY cooling

Post by Martin_S »

You could try a beer can cooler, first up as this will keep the direct sun off the camera body. see my last picture, I just cut one down to fit the camera body before the tilt adaptor.


Martin


H alpha : ,Skywatcher 120mm F8 open frame refractor, a tilted 2" 7nm H-alpha filter as a sub energy rejection filter, Baader TZ4 telecentric focal extender, Player One energy rejection filter, Combo Quark Chromosphere, Naked PST etalon for double stacking, ASI74mm camera
User avatar
Bob Yoesle
Almost There...
Almost There...
Posts: 994
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:24 pm
Has thanked: 540 times
Been thanked: 807 times

Re: asi120mm-s DIY cooling

Post by Bob Yoesle »

Did this with my Chameleon a few years back:

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/3266 ... chameleon/

I would consider active cooling for about any camera employed during the day for solar imaging.


Diagonally parked in a parallel universe.

Curiosity is the father of knowledge; uncertainty is the mother of wisdom.

Dark-Sky Defenders
Goldendale Observatory
Post Reply