To note: NCMBM has one LN2 cell tank, however it is NOT connected to the GSM alarm. Any issues with this tank shoudl be directly reported to NCMBM lab manager, Rasma Gutsmite.
Organisation of the GSM alarms
There are 2 separate GSM alarms at NCMBM, corresponding to the physical location of the labs and freezers.
Each GSM alarm is organised as an open alarm with the freezers connected in parallel. If there is an issue with one freezer, the alarm can be disconnected if necessary. By doing so, the alarm will then return to its normal operation. If you are not sure how to operate the system, you should always ask someone who knows.
NCMBM lab manager, Rasma Gutsmite, is in charge of all the freezers during normal working, Monday to Friday. Out of normal working hours (i.e. evenings, nights and weekends), however, backup is required.
The GSM alarm will trigger for one SMS message (i.e. text message) to be sent to the group leaders as per NCMBM Freezer contact list.
The group leaders have to then organise themselves so that someone competent comes to NCMBM to investigate why the alarm went off, and deal with what needs to be done (see below).
How it works
Typically, the trigger temperature for the freezers are as follows:
- -70ᵒC for the -80ᵒC
- -135ᵒC for the -150ᵒC
Once an alarm is activated, there is a 10-min delay for the freezers before an SMS is sent to the relevant contact person. If the freezer temperatures go back to normal during this time window, no message will be sent. If a message is sent but then the temperatures return to normal, the relevant contacts (i.e. the group leaders) will receive a message indicating this.
Follow-up
When the alarm is activated, the freezer will start to beep loudly. This noise might be very disturbing for people working close by and, to that effect, the alarm can be put on silent. If you do not know how to do this, you should ask/find someone who does. In some instances, the freezers need to be disconnected until the problem has been identified and fixed.
If an SMS has been received, a follow up SMS will only be sent once the problem has been resolved (either because the temperature is back to normal or because the system has been disconnected).
In most cases, the issue resulting in a higher temperature cannot be fixed straightaway, so it is important that samples are relocated to the back-up freezer. The problematic freezer can then be disconnected. The alarm system will record a disconnect as “problem solved” and monitor the system as normal.
- Information from the installation company (pdf) in Norwegian.