Reporter states that the facility had to switch to using the radar piped in from the center because ...

Attributes
ACN	444277
Time
Date	199907
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : evv.tracon
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 1 controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	444277
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 8 controller time certified in position1 : 8
ASRS Report	444278
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Airways facility technician called watch supervisor to advise that the radar was overheating in the radar equipment building. The technician asked if we could go to 'cenrap' in order to turn off the local radar to let it cool off. While on 'cenrap' we had difficulty keeping targets tagged in active status. We had to wait for the equipment to get out of the yellow before we could go back to the local radar. It was 98 degrees F outside, and is expected to stay warm for a while. The equipment coolers were unable to keep up with the demand. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter revealed that while the maintenance technicians were working in the ASR-8 radar site, they left the doors open. The temperature was in excess of 95 degrees on the outside. Apparently the radar equipment air conditioner was overwhelmed by the heat and the temperature inside rose to an unsafe level, and radar was shut down to cool off. Reporter said they have not had any problems since then.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR STATES THAT THE FACILITY HAD TO SWITCH TO USING THE RADAR PIPED IN FROM THE CTR BECAUSE THEIR RADAR WAS TOO HOT AND HAD TO BE COOLED DOWN.

Narrative: AIRWAYS FACILITY TECHNICIAN CALLED WATCH SUPVR TO ADVISE THAT THE RADAR WAS OVERHEATING IN THE RADAR EQUIP BUILDING. THE TECHNICIAN ASKED IF WE COULD GO TO 'CENRAP' IN ORDER TO TURN OFF THE LCL RADAR TO LET IT COOL OFF. WHILE ON 'CENRAP' WE HAD DIFFICULTY KEEPING TARGETS TAGGED IN ACTIVE STATUS. WE HAD TO WAIT FOR THE EQUIP TO GET OUT OF THE YELLOW BEFORE WE COULD GO BACK TO THE LCL RADAR. IT WAS 98 DEGS F OUTSIDE, AND IS EXPECTED TO STAY WARM FOR A WHILE. THE EQUIP COOLERS WERE UNABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR REVEALED THAT WHILE THE MAINT TECHNICIANS WERE WORKING IN THE ASR-8 RADAR SITE, THEY LEFT THE DOORS OPEN. THE TEMP WAS IN EXCESS OF 95 DEGS ON THE OUTSIDE. APPARENTLY THE RADAR EQUIP AIR CONDITIONER WAS OVERWHELMED BY THE HEAT AND THE TEMP INSIDE ROSE TO AN UNSAFE LEVEL, AND RADAR WAS SHUT DOWN TO COOL OFF. RPTR SAID THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBS SINCE THEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Reporter states that the facility had to switch to using the radar piped in from the center because their radar was too hot and had to be cooled down.