TS Service replacement of the ZWO DESICC dry tablets for cooled ASI cameras

Replacing the desiccant tablets at Teleskop-Service

The four desiccant tablets inside the camera remove the moisture between the sensor and the protective glass, preventing fogging from the inside. Depending on how they are stored, the tablets become saturated with moisture more or less quickly. When the tablets are saturated with moisture, they can no longer fulfill their function and must be replaced.

For this purpose, the camera must be opened, so the sensor is exposed. This must be carried out in an absolutely dust-free environment, otherwise you will quickly end up with fine dust particles between the sensor and the protective glass, which then appear on the image as unwanted artifacts that have to be removed with a FLAT.

Teleskop-Service offers a professional exchange of the tablets in a clean chamber, where we exchange the tablets professionally. Please order these tablets at the same time, otherwise we will not be able to complete the order. The article # ASIDESTAB is linked in the accessory recommendations.

Important information on correct storage of the camera:

The cooled cameras from ZWO are not airtight. An airtight camera can be recognized by the fact that the space between the sensor and the protective glass is filled with an inert gas. Commercially available cameras do not have this product characteristic. Therefore, moisture can always penetrate from the outside, especially during a cool and often humid night.

The task of the drying tablets is to absorb this moisture. After night-time use, however, the camera should be stored correctly, preferably in an airtight TS Protect Case with silica gel. This allows the tablets to regenerate and make them available again for the following night.

If the camera is left unprotected on the telescope, there is a risk that the tablets will quickly become saturated with moisture within a few days and will then no longer be able to fulfill their function. A compromise solution for a few days would be to attach a plastic bag around the focuser and secure it with a rubber band so that hardly any air or moisture can penetrate from the outside. Silica gel is then placed in a cloth bag inside the plastic bag. This creates a "dry climate zone" for the camera.

In the medium and long term, however, this is no substitute for proper storage in an airtight case with silica gel.

 

Safety informations: PDF Download