I had been getting disconnects of my camera (ZWO ASI 2600mm Pro) as well as focuser errors (NINA reports invalid response from device, or failure to move). Everything is plugged into a Pegasus Powerbox Ultimate V2. My focuser is a Moonlite Edge CHL V2. The only other device plugged into the Powerbox is a single dew heater strip for my EdgeHD 11 OTA, which is set to auto-dew control. I had spent all this time trying to figure out why I'm getting these disconnect errors. The device is used in a roll-off roof observatory. Here is what I had done so far:
1. Changed cameras. Regardless of which camera I connect to the Powerbox (I own two 2600MM Pros), I get the disconnect errors. When I use the cameras with another setup, they work fine.
2. Uninstalled and reinstalled Pegasus Unity, ZWO drivers and ASCOM. All firmware and drivers up to date. No improvement.
3. I had tried running the setup a few nights with the observatory closed to see if I could reproduce the error. Sometimes it would disconnect and other times not. However, almost every time I had the observatory roof open, I would get the disconnect error.
4. Changed USB cables from USB 3.0 to USB 2.0 leading from camera to Powerbox, and also changed USB cables going from Powerbox to PC (high quality USB 3.0, and also tried USB 2.0). Still get disconnect errors.
5. Changed power cables going from camera to Powerbox (all supplied from Pegasus). Also tried changing which power port on the Powerbox the camera was connected to. No improvement.
6. Plugged the Powerbox into a different USB port on the laptop I use. Still get disconnect errors.
7. Plugged camera USB directly into the laptop, but kept power coming from Powerbox. Still disconnects.
8. Plugged camera USB directly into the laptop, and used a ZWO power supply for the camera. This resulted in no disconnections when I ran the setup for 4 hours. The focuser remained connected to the Powerbox, and also stayed connected.
When I saw that using the ZWO power source for the camera improved things, it lead me to believe that it may be related to some sort of voltage drop when the camera's TEC is running and power is sourced from the Powerbox (though I haven't directly witnessed this since the error usually occurs in the middle of the night when I'm asleep). I contacted Pegasus, and they didn't think it was a voltage drop because my setup is so overpowered for what I have plugged into it, and the errors would have occurred as soon as the fan started spinning.
Well, I think I finally figured it out... drum roll...
I made the mistake of storing the computer under the floor of the observatory at the base of the pier. I opened the floor and saw ONE ant on the keyboard. On a hunch, I opened the laptop.
I had uninvited guests living in the motherboard of my computer, under the RAM, crawling through the USB ports, under the battery and laying eggs in the fan! I disassembled the entire laptop and evicted the little #$@#$@% using my shop vac, but for good measure I replaced the entire computer and mounted it above the floor on the pier. I set out a bunch of ant traps. Last night, for the first time in months, I had a flawless run.
