Polar King Walk-In Cooler Error Code SNTP Alarm: No Time Server Link
The SNTP Communication alarm means the controller cannot reach the time server set in its SiteView options. The manual says this is for SiteView Manager only and lists no repair steps. Check the network link and the time server setting, then clear the alarm from the menu.
Low: the manual attributes this alarm to a lost time-server link, not to cooling.
- Code
- SNTP Communication alarm
- Maker
- Polar King
- Equipment
- Walk-in coolers & freezers
- Applies to
- Polar King walk-in coolers/freezers with KE2 Evaporator Efficiency Evap OEM board (Basic Display / Combo Display)
What does Polar King SNTP Communication alarm mean?
SNTP is the method the controller uses to set its clock from a network time server. When SiteView Manager is in use, the server is chosen under Settings and SiteView Options. If the controller cannot communicate with that server, it raises the alarm named SNTP Communication alarm. A Combo Display shows the name in the Alarms menu, and a Basic Display shows a red or yellow light. The manual states the trigger in one sentence: no communication to the SNTP server set in the SiteView options, applying to SiteView Manager only. It gives no list of causes and no steps beyond the general alarm-clearing menu item. Since the controller's clock stamps its logs and alarm history, a long run without time updates could make timestamps drift, but the manual does not say so. Treat the alarm as a network and settings matter, not a refrigeration one.
Affected models and control systems
Polar King walk-in coolers and freezers with the KE2 Evaporator Efficiency Evap OEM board and a Basic or Combo Display. The alarm applies to SiteView Manager use only.
Code numbers and their meaning can change between control generations. We match the full model and control before acting on a code.
What you may notice
- Red or yellow alarm light on a Basic Display
- SNTP Communication alarm in the Alarms menu of a Combo Display
- Date and time shown by the controller or in logs look wrong
Possible causes
Likely causes — what usually sits behind SNTP Communication alarm on this control. A technician confirms which one it is before any part is replaced.
- No communication to the SNTP server set in Settings/SiteView Options (SiteView Manager only)
- The time server name or address saved in the controller is wrong or retired
- The controller has no network connection or the site's internet is down
- A router or firewall rule that blocks time requests from the controller
- The time server is temporarily offline
Safe checks before calling for service
- Look at the controller's date and time and compare them with a phone or wall clock.
- Check the network cable and link light at the controller and the switch.
- Ask the person who manages the network whether outside time requests are allowed.
- After the link is restored, use CLEAR ALARMS in the manual menu to clear the alarm.
- Write down the time difference you saw and whether other network alarms were listed.
How a technician diagnoses SNTP Communication alarm
- Read the SiteView options and note the SNTP server entry.
- Confirm the controller has a valid network address and can reach outside the site network.
- Test the time server name from another device to learn whether it still answers.
- Change the server entry to a reachable one if needed and let the controller update.
- Check the clock, clear the alarm and make sure it stays clear.
- Changing the SiteView options affects how the controller talks to the site's network and should be done by someone who knows that network.
- Port and cable tests at the controller can involve opening an enclosure that holds line-voltage wiring.
How SNTP Communication alarm differs from similar codes
It looks like the FTP communication alarm, but SNTP concerns the time server while FTP concerns the data-logging server.
Technical reference
- Document
- KE2 Evaporator Efficiency Installation Instructions N.1.1 (posted on polarking.com Downloads as ke2-installation.pdf; authored by KE2 Therm Solutions)
- Edition
- N.1.1 July 2015
- Models / control
- Polar King walk-in coolers/freezers with KE2 Evaporator Efficiency Evap OEM board (Basic Display / Combo Display)
- Section
- Alarms Status Menu (view only), p. 14 (Alarm Status Menu listed p. 13)
- Checked
- October 2026
We use the maker's document to read the code and do not reproduce it. Always confirm the complete model and control before applying these steps.
Related Polar King walk-in cooler & freezer error codes
Does the SNTP alarm stop the walk-in from cooling?
The manual does not link it to cooling. It reports a lost link to a time server.
Can the clock be wrong because of this alarm?
It is possible, since the controller could not update its clock, but the manual does not state it. Compare the displayed time with a real clock.
Will it clear without help?
The manual points to CLEAR ALARMS in the manual menu. If the time server is still unreachable, expect it to come back.
Need help with Polar King SNTP Communication alarm?
A technician confirms the cause on site and gives you the price in writing before any work starts.