I'm just wondering if anyone has experience in disassembling a ZWO cooled camera and doing any service or repairs, and if so, what to expect.
I have an ASI1600MM Pro camera which I purchased new a little over a year ago. I used it for months with no issue, everything worked fine. However, back in October, about 8 months after purchase, I started having problems with the sensor. I was getting weird interference patterns, which got progressively worse until the camera was completely unusable. I contacted the retailer who contacted ZWO on my behalf, they asked me to ship it back to them as ZWO would have to service it.
I sent it off to them and after 4 months, I finally received my camera back. They had to replace the sensor as the old one was defective. Unfortunately, right out of the shipping box, there were major issues with the camera. The sensor was now working fine, however the camera would not cool. The light came on, the fan worked, but the cooling percentage would increase from 0% to 90% without the temperature changing, then it would shut down and disconnect itself. I tried isolating the power supply, tried different power supplies, with no difference. After troubleshooting I have concluded that it looks like ZWO completed a major service of my camera but failed to test it to confirm it was in proper working order before shipping it back in disrepair.
I have since contacted the retailer again multiple times, however have only received one response from them indicating that ZWO "would not engage" with them on the matter. The retailer has now gone silent as well. It seems at this point I'm stuck with a broken, defective camera, which ZWO is refusing to replace or repair despite the fact that it appears they caused the latest issue during their prior service.
My choice at this point is to use the camera uncooled, or attempt to try and figure out what the problem is and fix it myself. Both options are unappealing, however I would really prefer to have a camera that functions properly. I'm a relatively handy person, I have completed a full spectrum modification on DSLR camera in the past. It would be intimidating, however if it's possibly just something inside that didn't get reconnected during service, it may not be too bad.
Thoughts?
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You can purchase a new motherboard from ZWO and have it installed or install it yourself and that may fix the problem.
I have a 2600MC that has a bad power input and I get no help from ZWO other than to buy a new motherboard which will not fix
the input. I am trying to find one.
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Dan Kearl:
You can purchase a new motherboard from ZWO and have it installed or install it yourself and that may fix the problem. Cooling was working fine prior to the sensor being replaced. I don't think it's the motherboard.
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If the Peltier unit is screwed then is though to get a replacement and even if there would be one is tricky to put everything in place nowadays that everything is so tiny and the thermal paste is a mess to handle. If it is just the wiring then isn't too bad.
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I would take the camera case apart a see if the plug (if it has one) for the TEC is plugged in. I changed the fan mounts with shock mounts and reassembled the camera and forgot to plug in the fan….
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I had the cooler fail on mine after it got wet one night. I debugged the motherboard as far as possible and found a power supply that had failed, but there were no markings on a chip involved with that so I could not repair it. I ordered a new motherboard from ZWO and that resolved it. Do check that all of the internal cable connections are in place first before going down the motherboard route.
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I have a ZWO camera issue I must deal with at present. Have all these issues been resolved satisfactorily?
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ZWO and the retailer finally got back to me and asked me to send it back to them again a second time. Repairs to the cooler were completed and it was returned to me. Took a year and a couple of attempts, but in the end I got it back in original working order.
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Thank you Glen for getting back on this. While my camera still should be under warranty, with everything going on with tariffs, etc., I am very worried about mailing the camera out of the country.
Additional to that, I am very handy when it comes to astronomy cameras, so, I may just see if ZWO is willing to diagnose the problem, and then I'll try to fix it myself. It definitely depends on what parts are broken and what is needed.
Dan
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Dan Holler:
Thank you Glen for getting back on this. While my camera still should be under warranty, with everything going on with tariffs, etc., I am very worried about mailing the camera out of the country.
Additional to that, I am very handy when it comes to astronomy cameras, so, I may just see if ZWO is willing to diagnose the problem, and then I'll try to fix it myself. It definitely depends on what parts are broken and what is needed.
Dan If you're in the United States, ZWO has a service center in New Jersey that I shipped my 2600mc to in early 2024 when it had an oil leak. My camera was returned to me in working order after about two weeks.
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Thanks Drew. I have the dreaded green only channel problem and 'am praying to get an RMA to send it to New Jersey.
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