In December 2023, I received the latest version of the 2.2 meter dome shutter control system and I'm having problems getting it to work. With the dome closed (closed limit switch closed), I run the shutter calibration using the Beaver Control Software and the motor begins to open the shutter. After about 20 seconds, the motor just stops with the shutter only open about 20 degrees. I've tried manually moving the shutter to the open position (open limit switch closed) and then run the calibration again. Same thing. The motor starts closing the shutter and stops in about 20 seconds with the shutter only about 1/2 way closed. There is no binding of the shutter, gears or drive chains. The shutter motor control board seems to have some time-outs that cause errors in the software. I have tried just using the Beaver software to open the shutter but the shutter never opens completely and I constantly get errors. Another problem I’m having is when the shutter is opening and the back shutter sections slides down the back of the dome, it jars the shutter causing the motor to stop with an error. The software then just wants to close the shutter. When I allow the software to close the shutter, when it gets to the closed limit switch, it does not stop the motor. The motor only stops after sensing it is not moving as it slams repeatedly into the dome. Same thing when opening the dome. I can see that both the open and closed limits are being seen by the software.
I have tried to use N.I.N.A. to control the shutter opening and closing but the software errors on opening cause the shutter to only open part way and then it can only be closed. Again, the limit switch has no effect on stopping the motor in the closed position.
I also have the rain sensor that is to close the shutter in the event of rain. I tried the sensor with the shutter open (the open limit switch closed) and dropped some water on the sensor. The shutter did start to close but only about ½ of the way with a shutter error.
This looks like a complete failure in the software for the new shutter control design.
Does anyone have any suggestions.
I also have similar problems with the new shutter motor.
Accessing the shutter motor through the ASCOM Device Hub, it appears to think the shutter is open, even when it is closed, and the limit switch pushed down.
When I tried to calibrate the shutter, it opened fully, but didn't stop at the open switch. It just pushed past the open switch and tried to keep going, making a dreadful sound when it hit the physical limit.
I manually moved the shutter to a partially closed position, and then clicked on 'Close Shutter' in the ASCOM Device Hub.
The shutter closed, and successfully stopped at the close switch.
However, the software still showed the shutter as 'open', and gave an error message that said the shutter had timed out during the close command.
Let me know if you figure out a solution.
Thanks,
Paul.