diff --git a/src/ess/livedata/workflows/detector_view/providers.py b/src/ess/livedata/workflows/detector_view/providers.py
index 2daac1d98..4fdb1fa3e 100644
--- a/src/ess/livedata/workflows/detector_view/providers.py
+++ b/src/ess/livedata/workflows/detector_view/providers.py
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ def detector_image(
     Returns
     -------
     :
-        2D detector image.
+        2D detector image, published as float32.
     """
     spectral_dim = histogram.dims[-1]
     if histogram_slice is not None:
@@ -273,7 +273,12 @@ def detector_image(
 
     if use_weighting:
         image = image / weights
-    return DetectorImage[AccumulationMode](image)
+    # da00 is uncompressed, so float32 halves the wire size of every image (and what
+    # the dashboard buffers per frame). Only the published image is cast: the
+    # accumulation above must stay float64 because float32 stops incrementing at
+    # 2**24, which a long-running cumulative image can reach. Casting the result
+    # instead rounds it by at most one part in 2**24 and nothing accumulates on top.
+    return DetectorImage[AccumulationMode](image.to(dtype='float32', copy=False))
 
 
 def counts_total(
diff --git a/tests/config/tbl_specs_test.py b/tests/config/tbl_specs_test.py
index 538c9d7e6..230a8b5ce 100644
--- a/tests/config/tbl_specs_test.py
+++ b/tests/config/tbl_specs_test.py
@@ -177,7 +177,8 @@ def test_multiblade_spectrum_sums_strips():
     assert spectrum.sizes['blade'] == MULTIBLADE_SIZES['blade']
     assert spectrum.sizes['wire'] == MULTIBLADE_SIZES['wire']
     # Summing strips redistributes but does not lose counts.
-    assert sc.isclose(spectrum.sum().data, result['cumulative'].sum().data).value
+    # 'cumulative' is published as float32; compare values, not scipp variables.
+    assert spectrum.sum().value == pytest.approx(result['cumulative'].sum().value)
 
 
 def test_he3_spectrum_keeps_every_pixel():
@@ -195,7 +196,8 @@ def test_he3_spectrum_keeps_every_pixel():
     assert spectrum.dims == ('tube', 'pixel', 'time_of_arrival')
     assert spectrum.sizes['tube'] == HE3_SIZES['dim_0']
     assert spectrum.sizes['pixel'] == HE3_SIZES['dim_1']
-    assert sc.isclose(spectrum.sum().data, result['cumulative'].sum().data).value
+    # 'cumulative' is published as float32; compare values, not scipp variables.
+    assert spectrum.sum().value == pytest.approx(result['cumulative'].sum().value)
 
 
 def test_he3_spectrum_does_not_alias_the_accumulator_buffer():
diff --git a/tests/workflows/detector_view/integration_test.py b/tests/workflows/detector_view/integration_test.py
index 4e9ee2930..a0e7418a7 100644
--- a/tests/workflows/detector_view/integration_test.py
+++ b/tests/workflows/detector_view/integration_test.py
@@ -116,6 +116,12 @@ def test_full_workflow_accumulate_and_finalize(self):
         assert result['cumulative'].dims == ('y', 'x')
         assert result['cumulative'].sizes == {'y': 4, 'x': 4}
 
+        # Images go on the wire as float32; the count scalars are not images and
+        # keep the accumulator's dtype.
+        assert result['cumulative'].dtype == 'float32'
+        assert result['current'].dtype == 'float32'
+        assert result['counts_total_cumulative'].dtype == 'float64'
+
     def test_cumulative_accumulates_current_resets(self):
         """Test that cumulative accumulates and current resets after finalize."""
         # Use factory to create workflow (same code path as production)
diff --git a/tests/workflows/detector_view/providers_test.py b/tests/workflows/detector_view/providers_test.py
index 861dc139c..e4aee27fa 100644
--- a/tests/workflows/detector_view/providers_test.py
+++ b/tests/workflows/detector_view/providers_test.py
@@ -301,7 +301,9 @@ def test_detector_image_sums_over_spectral_dim(self):
         assert result.dims == ('y', 'x')
         assert result.sizes == {'y': 4, 'x': 4}
         # Each pixel should have sum of 10 spectral bins
-        expected = sc.full(dims=['y', 'x'], shape=[4, 4], value=10.0, unit='counts')
+        expected = sc.full(
+            dims=['y', 'x'], shape=[4, 4], value=10.0, unit='counts', dtype='float32'
+        )
         assert sc.allclose(result.data, expected)
 
     def test_detector_image_with_histogram_slice(self):
@@ -329,6 +331,57 @@ def test_detector_image_with_histogram_slice(self):
         # Should only sum ~5 bins (0-50000 ns from 0-100000 ns range)
         assert result.dims == ('y', 'x')
 
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("use_weighting", [False, True])
+    def test_detector_image_is_published_as_float32(self, use_weighting):
+        """The image is cast on the way out to halve the da00 payload."""
+        data = sc.DataArray(
+            sc.ones(
+                dims=['y', 'x', 'event_time_offset'],
+                shape=[4, 4, 10],
+                unit='counts',
+                dtype='float64',
+            )
+        )
+        weights = PixelWeights(sc.full(dims=['y', 'x'], shape=[4, 4], value=2.0))
+
+        result = detector_image(
+            histogram=AccumulatedHistogram[Cumulative](data),
+            histogram_slice=None,
+            weights=weights,
+            use_weighting=UsePixelWeighting(use_weighting),
+        )
+
+        assert result.dtype == 'float32'
+        expected = 5.0 if use_weighting else 10.0
+        assert sc.allclose(
+            result.data,
+            sc.full(dims=['y', 'x'], shape=[4, 4], value=expected, unit='counts').to(
+                dtype='float32'
+            ),
+        )
+
+    def test_detector_image_cast_leaves_accumulated_histogram_untouched(self):
+        """Accumulation must stay float64: float32 stops counting at 2**24."""
+        data = sc.DataArray(
+            sc.full(
+                dims=['y', 'x', 'event_time_offset'],
+                shape=[1, 1, 1],
+                value=2.0**24,
+                unit='counts',
+            )
+        )
+        histogram = AccumulatedHistogram[Cumulative](data)
+
+        detector_image(
+            histogram=histogram,
+            histogram_slice=None,
+            weights=PixelWeights(sc.ones(dims=['y', 'x'], shape=[1, 1])),
+            use_weighting=UsePixelWeighting(False),
+        )
+
+        assert histogram.dtype == 'float64'
+        assert (histogram + sc.scalar(1.0, unit='counts')).sum().value == 2.0**24 + 1
+
 
 class TestCountProviders:
     """Tests for count provider functions."""
diff --git a/tests/workflows/detector_view/spectrum_view_test.py b/tests/workflows/detector_view/spectrum_view_test.py
index 665ba81d5..1e1b8698b 100644
--- a/tests/workflows/detector_view/spectrum_view_test.py
+++ b/tests/workflows/detector_view/spectrum_view_test.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 """Integration tests for the unified spectrum-view output."""
 
 import pydantic
+import pytest
 import scipp as sc
 from ess.reduce.nexus.types import RawDetector, SampleRun
 
@@ -76,7 +77,8 @@ def test_spectrum_view_sums_over_declared_dim(self):
         assert spectrum.dims == ('x', 'time_of_arrival')
         cumulative = result['cumulative']
         # Cumulative is summed over time_of_arrival => total counts match total events.
-        assert sc.isclose(spectrum.sum().data, cumulative.sum().data).value
+        # It is published as float32, so compare values rather than scipp variables.
+        assert spectrum.sum().value == pytest.approx(cumulative.sum().value)
 
     def test_spectrum_view_rebin_factor_applied(self):
         spec = SpectrumViewSpec(