Santa Barbara Instrument Group STL-1001E Operating Manual

Contents

Santa Barbara Instrument Group STL-1001E Operating Manual Manual pdf 59 page image

Section 6 – Accessories for your CCD CameraPage 576. Accessories for your CCD CameraThis section briefly describes the different accessories available for your CCD camera.6.1. Water CoolingThe Research Series cameras are equipped with two-stage cooling and a new heatexchanger design that is ready to accept water circulation for additional cooling efficiency, ifneeded in warm climates.The camera can be used either with or without flowing water. Water-cooling isprobably not necessary for most users when the air temperature is below 10 degrees C (50degrees F), since the dark current is fairly low already. Think of it as a summertime accessory!We do not recommend use of water cooling below freezing temperatures, where antifreezemust be added to the water. It is simply not necessary then.There is no problem using the camera at any time without water circulation. Addingwater circulation simply improves the cooling performance.You may supply your own pump and tubing or use the optional pump and tubingavailable from SBIG. To operate the camera with water circulation using the optional pumpavailable from SBIG, start with the camera at the same level as the water reservoir. Connect allthe hoses, and make sure the water return goes back into the reservoir. Turn on the pump, andlet the flow establish itself through the hoses. Be sure to check for leaks!Once you have established water circulation, turn on the TE cooler to 100% by giving ita target temperature of –50 degrees. Wait for about 10 to 20 minutes for the system to stabilizeat the lowest temperature it can achieve. Examine the camera temperature, and reset the setpoint to 3 degrees C above the current temperature. This 3 degree temperature margin willenable the camera to regulate the temperature accurately.When using water cooling, avoid the temptation to put ice in the water to get thecamera even colder. If colder water is used, the head may fog or frost up, depending on thedew point. At the end of the evening, stop the pump, and raise the outlet hose above thecamera to let all the water drain out of the system. Blowing it out with gently pressure helpsclear the water. You can leave the hoses full of water, but if a leak occurs while you’re not thereyou may have a problem.When packing the camera for a long time, or at the end of summer, disconnect the hosesand blow out the heat sink to allow the enclosed spaces to dry out and minimize long termcorrosion.6.2. Tri-color ImagingYou can make splendid color images with your CCD camera by installing the optional colorfilters into the filter carousel. The LRGBC filter set allows you to take images in red, green andblue light as well as UV and IR blocked or unblocked clear (luminance) images of the sameobject. When these images are aligned and processed a full color image results.