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my new DDM85 won't power up it seems


prefetch

Question

last week my DDM85 Standard arrived.

 

i unboxed it and set it up, and i plugged in the power cable to a 12 volt power supply.  i used a voltmeter to confirm that the power supply works, and that the attachment to the mount is receiving power.

 

i push the power/laser button the mount, and nothing happens.  no LED lights up.  no laser beams.  nothing.

 

also, when i start Autoslew, it says that it had a problem during the init of the motor drive.

 

any idea as to what is going on here?

Edited by prefetch
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Hi Prefetch,

 

Does the power supply is enough powerful (>10 AMps, 12V)?

Does the polarity is correct?

 

Would be a bad sign if those things are ok, then my guess would be that either the power supply cable to the mount is defect, or the electronics - which would be bad by itself in a new mount...

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good to know about the laser being activated by autoslew.  not sure why they would label the button with 'laser' if that was the case.

 

so, just to confirm, when you guys turn on the power on your mounts, what happens?  does the power button light up?  or do you have to push it first?  i'd like to understand what is supposed to happen.

 

yes, it's a 20 amp power supply, and it outputs 12 volts (measured at about 13 volts though.)

 

as far as polarity goes, i match the red w/ red and black with black - i don't want to attempt to reverse that because i would think it's possible to damage something.

 

i sent an email to ASA to see what they have to say, but i'm thinking that this mount is DOA.   :(

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Hi 

Had to go and check :)  ..anyway when I turn on the power all that happens is that the red LED comes on. And no you don't have to push anything it happens automatically. (I have the DDM60)

Your problem is quite odd because the mount should have been tested pretty thoroughly before leaving the factory. And there should be a signed certificate who has done the testing.

P.S. call ASA if you can and ask for Martin or Dietmar because that's the best way to contact them. 

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If I understood it correctly not even the red LED lightens up when you turn on the power. If that is the case it looks like the mount simply doesn't receive any power for some reason. Maybe someone with DDM85 could confirm how the cable is connected to the mount...

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sigh.  thanks for the information.

 

sounds like i've been shipped a dead DDM85.   :(

 

the power cable is securely plugged into the mount and the lock is threaded and tightened.

the 12V 20A power supply is on.  (this is the power supply.)

i used a voltmeter to confirm power output of the power supply, and that the power is actually in the powerpole connectors to the mount.

but... 

no LED lights up on the mount.

and the software can't seem to communicate with the mount (which makes sense if there is no power to it.)

 

the only thing i can think to do next is to try a different power source, like a car battery - but given that i've confirmed the power with the voltmeter, i don't see how this would make a difference.

 

i sent an email about 5 hours ago to ASA to the support email and the office email, but i haven't heard back from them.  i hope to hear from them tomorrow.

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Just to check:

Are you sure that you connected the power supply to the correct cable and the correct pins?

I have a DDM60 Pro and there are several inputs for power. One that actually powers the mount and its electronics, one that provides 12 V to the plug at the mount head and one that you can use to provide 0-48V (I think) to the mount head.

Please double check whether you connected the correct pins.

 

Good Luck,

 

Robert

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Page 7 of the ddm85 manual has a good diagram and instructions on how to connect the power.

The socket labelled 'DC IN' is the power input socket.

The red banana plug should be connected to positive, the black one to negative.

 

Before sending the mount back to ASA check with a meter if power is actually getting to the pins of the power plug that fit the DC IN socket. Maybe the lead is faulty?

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thanks everyone for trying to help out.

 

since pictures are worth 1,000 words, i thought i'd show you what's going on with images.

 

- power up 12V 20A power supply.

- test the male plug pins and read 13.91 volts

- insert the plug into the DC-IN inlet

- no LED light, seemingly no response   :(

 

i haven't heard back from ASA yet, but i'd like to open it up and see if perhaps a power lead wiggled loose in shipping - but i don't dare open it unless i get permission from ASA first.  i don't want to void the warrantee.

 

4x38fPm.jpg

 

uwqB8oj.jpg

ORzGaIH.jpg

 

zkoFVrQ.jpg

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Maybe there is a breach in the cable close to the plug, so when it is bend in the way it is when attached to the mount, it looses contact?

If you open the plug, you may see some more... I use 12V switching power supplies with a possible setting point +/- 2V and set it on 12,5 V.

13.9V may not be too high for the mount, but the TEC of your camera(s) may have problems with it.

 

Waldemar 

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I have similar topic with my new DDM 60pro. Power supply doesnt come up, led is not lighten up, although i see it blinking in a very infiequently, one time per minute or so.

Im totally stuck here and quess what? Have ASA help me yet? NO, waiting help aleady weeks and not getting anything. Thinking already that I should chose some another mount and telescope, where there is customer service. 

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I agree with Nigel... very unusual!

Did you try another power supply ?

Laboratory supplies sometimes give problems, don't know exactly why, though... but I guess it is about recovering time from voltage peaks or drops

I use very cheap switching supplies (12V 150 W ± 50 euros) and had no issues at all.

Three of those are in use:  1 for the mount (12,5 A), 1 for the camera (8 A) and 1 for all other applications like focuser and dew stuff (also 8 A).

In this way you really diminish the chance on electrical problems due to voltage drops caused by temporary high demand of any piece of equipment.

Be sure to use the same AC outlet to prevent ground loops.

Or try a car battery...

 

Waldemar

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all,

 

ASA replied to me, and suggested that perhaps the internal fuse is blown and told me to open up the case and check it out.  they also told me that the system is rated to take up to 15 volts, so 13.9 volts is no problem.

 

and sebastian, thanks for that diagram.  it's difficult to see in the photo b/c my hand is in the way, but the pins i am testing are pins 1 and 6 (the two "bottom" pins at about 6 o'clock.)

 

so i did take the back off, and unfortunately, the fuse is intact.  i did a visual inspection and i tested it independently with my voltmeter for continuity.

 

i also checked to see if the power was making into the system.

 

you see +12V and -12V coming from the DC-IN input.  the -12V follows the black wire, the +12V follows the blue/clear wire.  (i unplugged the +12V to take my measurement.)

 

i replied this information to them, and i hope to hear from them on monday.  i'm assuming this means i will have to send it back, which is a major drag.

 

PCP1y5N.jpg

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sebastian!  i think i've solved it.  you got me thinking about the wire combinations.   :D

 

so, this is what i think happened:

 

- the ASA quality assurance guys hooked it up to their test harness, and everything checked out.

- the ASA power cable guys wired the power cable incorrectly

- the ASA packing guys grabbed the incorrectly wired power cable and packed it with the mount

 

i got the mount working, but instead of using the black and red lead wires like the instructions say, i used the black and brown wire instead - and even that doesn't match the DDM85 wiring diagram.

 

here are the pics:

 

23pa7kh.jpg

 

k42Qmv9.jpg

 

d0PdPRS.jpg

 

i opened autoslew, and it detected the mount just fine and the laser was activated, and then i clicked on the manual slew controller and the mount slewed, but not very well because with no OTA and no counter-weights, it's horribly imbalanced.

 

so i'm going to email ASA support and confirm that this is how the mount is supposed to be powered, even though it conflicts with their written instructions and the wiring diagram.

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Hi,

I have been following this thread out of interest (My mount is a DDM60Pro). There is something odd going on. I have an ASA document called "How to connect an ASA DDM Mount". As far as I can tell it applies to all versions. The first instruction is for connecting the DC IN cable. This specifically states that the DC power is supplied by the brown wire (red plug, +12V) and the black wire (black plug, Ground). If there is integrated focuser electronics in the mount (DDM85 only) there are two more wires, grey with red plug and yellow/green with black plug. This does not correspond with your photos of the cable!!!! Perhaps ASA has changed the wire they use to make the cable?? I would be surprised if that were so.

Unfortunately I do not recall where I found this pdf.

Ian

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ian,

 

i went back and checked, and i realize that i had read the instructions incorrectly to begin with!  i feel stupid now - however, the wiring is still screwy: wrong colors, and the pins don't match up with the wiring document.

 

i'm accustomed of course to having red and black wires represent positive and negative.  i don't know if this is simply a USA thing or what, but this is what is "normal" in my mind.

 

but yes, as the instructions indicate, there should be a grey and yellow/green and those don't exist with my setup.  mine cable has 4 colors: black, red, brown and yellow.

 

strange.

 

the PDF came with the Autoslew software on the USB shipped with my DDM85:

 

xoUagXL.png

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Prefetch,

It is very easy to read the instructions wrong... as far as I am concerned the only downside of ASA:  bad manuals, bad translations.

Good to hear your problem is solved and the mount is working!

ASA strongly advises not to engage the motors without load... Only do a rough PA with the laser without OTA and weights.

 

Waldemar

 

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