NINA Flat Wizard drops frames

We all have the same situation: our equipment operates outdoors. Sometimes, weather conditions require covering it; sometimes, you have your own dome. If you are lucky and have a supportive family, your dome is equipped with sensors that allow it to react to the weather, but most often it’s just a tarp, a cover you have to put over your telescope yourself before it starts raining. But what about when it’s not raining, but the air is humid, like before a rain that hasn’t yet decided to fall?

Regardless of how you protect your equipment, it remains outdoors. This means that while the optics will be taken care of by a system of heaters (which you’ve probably built and equipped with appropriate sensors), matters related to the conduction of electrical signals are somewhat forgotten territory. And this is where a significant threat lies. Corroded USB interface contacts are an underestimated problem, resulting in lost frames from night sessions (which are difficult to notice) or frames collected during the collection of so-called flat frames.
Usually, when you touch or alter your optical train, you have to get the flat frames to reflect the potential changes. 20, 25 or 30 frames, usually taken one after another, within half, one or three seconds, depending on the conditions set.
You are setting the 25 frames, but surprisingly, on your disk, there are only 20. Or 18. You increase the number to 35, but the result is 25.
This suggests a problem with your CPU, RAM, or USB, but it usually isn’t the problem with these elements. Most often, the problem is the plugs and sockets on the cable and device (camera and PC).

Make sure you use the dedicated port on your PC. It would be good to have a USB-C port.
When you notice the problem, give your USB plugs a basic cleaning. Make sure the contacts conduct themselves properly. Take care of them and always have the spare cable. It can save your night.

Also, it would be wise to use the dedicated protection to cover the electrical joints with a protective surface that would keep the moisture away. Regardless, the regular checks will keep your equipment in condition, if not mint, then very close to it. Also, you would not be exposed to unpleasant surprises, which will force you to repeat the overnight exposures.