7 replies to this topic

[njrusty]

Ran into an issue last night for the first time since purchasing a Alnitak Flip-Flat (year agoish).  Flip system is working fine and I can open/close the Flip-Flap remotely into my observatory from my home PC.  However, when I turn on the light system (LEDs), nothing is happening.  I updated the firmware and software from the vendor website but still no luck.  After last nights episode at 3am, today I went out to the observatory and removed the flip system from my scope and tried it again.  I made sure the cover was in the 'closed' position and connected to it via the software controller; no issues.  I can 'turn on the light' via the controller and it shows it on and I can adjust the intensity BUT when looking at the white panel, no lights are on even at full intensity.  I also disconnected the Alnitak controller and tried repeating using just NINA.  Same issue, NINA shows everything connected and working correctly but still it appears the LEDs are not powering up.

 

Anyone have any suggestions??  I will try calling them tomorrow but was hoping to obtain flats today.

[njrusty]

WOW...99 views and no help!!!

[mikeyL]

As a potential purchaser of this item I am stopping in to see what (if any) suggestions have been made, but not owning one myself yet can offer no help. Good luck though, seems like a gross enough problem that perhaps there is a simple solution of some kind...

 

ML

[Ken Sturrock]

Anyone have any suggestions??  I will try calling them tomorrow but was hoping to obtain flats today.

 
No idea. It sounds like an internal wiring issue. I wouldn't think software. You didn't change the computer or USB port, did you? So odd that the motor works, but not the light.
 
Any luck with talking to Optec?
 
 

WOW...99 views and no help!!!

Although Flip-Flats aren't exotic, relatively few people on CN probably own one, or have had this problem.

 

I own the non-flipping version, the "Flatman". I also use control software written for Macintosh by Rodolphe Pineau - so that's another difference. Mine has been reliable - connect it, switch on the lights, set the brightness.

[Mert]

To me it sounds like an electronics problem, no current going to the leds.

Don't know the internals of the flipflat but what you describe is likely some

electronic component failure.

[njrusty]

Did not change anything regarding the LED functionality and the next night (after I posted) the system worked perfectly.  Was able to obtain 100 flat images.  Going to fire it up again tonight and see what happens.

[Ken Sturrock]

Bizarre. Good luck with it.

[mikeyL]

Intermittent problems SUCK. Hopefully you have this issue permanently behind you. Good luck.

 

ML