Whether each case runs the defrost cycles it is commissioned for — that a cycle starts on schedule, terminates on its configured condition within its expected duration, and lets the case recover before the alarm-suppression window closes. A missed, run-long, or unterminated defrost ices the coil and holds the case warm, the earliest controllable cause of a temperature excursion that is not a hardware fault. Delay After Defrost is a suppression window, not proof a cycle ran; the recovery curve after a verified defrost stays with Temperature Recovery, which this metric correlates to rather than duplicates.
The table below summarizes the alarms that fire directly from Defrost Cycle Performance. Each row links to the full operational detail (trigger, preconditions, action plan, human role, escalation, prevention) in the SOPs catalog.
| Alarm | Description | Severity | Tier | AI executes? | Value drivers | SOP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defrost cycle missed | A case's scheduled defrost cycle does not start when the controller's commissioned schedule expects it. An un-run defrost lets ice build on the coil and pushes the case toward a temperature excursion that is not a hardware fault. | Medium | Managed | Hybrid | Product loss prevention · Energy savings · Asset lifespan | Open SOP → |
| Defrost duration excessive | A defrost cycle runs materially longer than the case's commissioned duration. A long defrost adds heat to the case and its product and wastes defrost energy, and often signals a termination-sensing or heater problem. | Medium | Managed | Hybrid | Product loss prevention · Energy savings · Asset lifespan | Open SOP → |
| Defrost termination failure | A defrost cycle fails to satisfy the controller's termination condition — it does not end on its temperature or time-out condition as configured. The coil is left iced or the case is held warm past its recovery window, a direct precursor to a temperature excursion. | High | Managed | Hybrid | Product loss prevention · Asset lifespan · Energy savings | Open SOP → |
| Abnormal post-defrost behavior | After a verified defrost and past its configured suppression window, the case does not settle back into its band as expected. Defrost Performance flags the abnormal post-defrost behavior; the recovery curve itself is owned by Temperature Recovery, which this alarm correlates to rather than duplicates. | Medium | Managed | Hybrid | Product loss prevention · Energy savings · Asset lifespan | Open SOP → |
The action plan for each alarm lives on its own SOP page in the SOPs catalog — with the diagnostic steps, human role, value drivers, escalation, and prevention specific to that alarm. The list below maps each alarm to its SOP.