Critical Temperature

Symptom

  • Ingest/FTSW software aborts, and popup message is diplayed:
    • FTSW AERI has detected a critical temperature (see below)

Possible Causes

  • Some components in the AERI have overheated
  • If the AERI is begin run with the TEC unit, then the TEC unit may be malfunctioning.  This could be caused by:
    1. Malfunction in the serial controller
    2. Malfunction in the TEC Input Temp thermistor
    3. Malfunction in the TEC itself

Troubleshooting

  • Examine the housekeeping data leading up to the event.
    • If a single component or group of components is overheating, then troubleshoot that subsystem
    • If a TEC unit is present and many components are overheating, then the likely cause is a TEC malfunction
  • A TEC malfuction can have multiple causes (listed above):
    1. Serial controller malfunction
      • Look in the most recent log files (c:\E-AERI\log\ftsw_eaeri_errorLog_YYYYMMDD.log) for errors related to the serial controller, i.e. TEC controller Error, Mirror controller error.  If multiple serial devices (i.e. TEC controller, Mirror controller) have errors, then likely the serial controller is malfunctioning
      • A power cycle of the AERI will reset the serial controller and possibly resolve the issue
      • By running FTSW, the error messages can be seen in real-time in the ‘Logs’ tab to see if the issue has been resolved
    2. TEC Input Temp thermistor malfuction
      • Examine the housekeeping data leading up to event to see if the TEC Input Temp thermistor is reading values similar to other back-end components (e.g. Rack Ambient Temp, SCE Temp).  If there is a large (>15C) difference between them, particularly if TEC Input Temp reads colder, then the thermistor may be causing to TEC unit to function improperly
      • Inspect the thermistor:
        • Ensure that it’s in a secure location
        • Ensure that the wiring is sound
        • Test, repair or replace the thermistor as needed
    3. TEC malfunction
      • If the serial controller and TEC Input Temp thermistor have been confirmed to be working correctly, then the TEC unit itself may have failed
      • Examine the housekeeping data leading up to the event to see if the TEC Output % is as expected.  +/-100% corresponds to the TEC cooling/heating.
      • If the TEC Output % is not as expected for a given TEC Input Temp, or if the TEC is running but there isn’t a corresponding thermal response, then the TEC unit may need to be repaired or replaced.
      • Visually inspect the TEC unit for anomalies:
        • Check that the unit is powered
        • Check that the exterior fans are running, and that the heatsinks are clean
        • Check the interior for anomalies
        • Repair or replace the TEC unit as needed