NORMAL OPERATION:

  1. All EEMC subsystem components remain on all the time

    LV power, HV to PMT's, tower FEE, MAPMT FEE, etc., remain on all the time -- NO SPECIAL MODES during RHIC tuning, beam dumping, or STAR magnet ramping,

    BUT there are required things to check and do!

  2. Monitoring & checking

    1. From the main EEMC controls screen , it is useful to have open (or know how to readily open - use the "detail" button) the top level screens for "Hi-Voltage", "TOWER FEE" and "MAPMT FEE"; the VxWorks/IOC monitor window is also handy to have when troubleshooting certain types of problems.

    2. Make sure crates have been configured and "monitoring" is ON for TOWER FEE ("installed" on tower screen), MAPMT FEE ("monitoring" on MAPMT screen) and HVSys ("Running" Hi-Voltage screen).

      ***** update: continuous HVSys monitoring will crash the GUI => use only to check status and don't leave on for hours and hours.

    3. Check TOWER, MAPMT and HVSys screen status -- all crate indicators should be green or variations known/understood. Futher checking of the components is available via more detailed individual subscreens -- similarly check EEMC status at the STAR alarm handler.

      NOTE: begining with Run 13, an "auto-configuration" feature for ETOW at every RTS initiated run start was implemented. Auto-config should ensure that ETOW is properly configured for every run, even if the slow controls display is not updated (one can do an update/check of status wih a quick "read" of the tower FEEs at the earliest convenience when not actively taking data).

      The Alarms/Recovery section or troubleshoot info (linked below) in section 3.1.3 should be useful in resolving problems!

    4. Shift crew QA/C check of selected/critical EEMC J-evp plots (refer to current versions available in the control room and ongoing run protocol -- variations from norm should be known/understood or investigated (notify experts if necessary).

  3. New Fill Action Items

    1. At start of each fill, after ramp and steering completed and while other detectors are being brought up [NOTE: see Detector Readiness Checklist for latest guidance which may supercede the follwing nominal protocol.]:

      1. "Master Reload All" TOWER FEE (on tower crate top level screen)
      2. "Load All" and "Read FROM ALL BOXES" (on MAPMT FEE Box top level screen.)

      3. During above, check/use individual screens if any problems -
        reconfigure as required any "crates" or "boxes" that show up red
        (e.g., have "HDLC" errors, "write vs. read value" errors, etc.).

        RED troubleshoot instructions linked below (for paper copy, see subsequent 2 pages after Alarms/Trouble Shoot section):

          Tower FEE   or   MAPMT FEE

      4. If any crates/boxes have tripped off (or are power cycled), a "Master Reload" (or its equivalent) is required after resetting the LV power.

        NOTE: again, "auto-config" at the next run start will configure ETOW properly, although slow controls screens will not be caught up until a "read" (or more generally a full "Master Reload") is done.

        For MAPMT after power trip, "Master Reload" of affected sectors (e.g., "12-3" or "4-7" or "8-11") is needed to restore the the configurations.

    2. For first EEMC runs ("EMC-check" or equivalent), check the critical J-evp Plots for good EEMC operation of TOWERS, MAPMT (SMD and Pre-Post SHOWER detectors) and tower trigger functions as per the Detector Readiness Checklist and associated documentation.

    3. At end of fill, check tower configuration to monitor any changes

    4. See latest "STAR Detector Readiness Checklist" (DRC) for any variants of new fill protocol.

     

    CAUTIONS & UPDATES:

    Beginning with run 6 and continuing to the present, reprogramming of the DSM's to enable more restrictive L0 triggering, as well as advanced L2 data filtering, require the EEMC to present its pedestals to L0 differently than determined by the power up default from the Tower FEE PROMS ... to properly handle these tier 1 files the EEMC tower GUI should be in "unstaggered" mode (e.g., default, see slide switch) and in general any full crate reconfiguration (including "master reload") includes configuration & ped load as well as LUT calculation and redownload of all LUT's.