Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Unable to communicate to a PIM Environment Continuum version 1.9X and above. Cause Wrong PIM Type Resolution For a Schlage integration, the PIM required is the RSI version, not the VBB version, which is used for a Vanderbuild System.

Issue Seeing 0x00001427 Bad RTC chip errors in controller error log along with controller warm start errors. Controller error log contains entries similar to below.    01/01/1989 00:01:10.33 0x00001427       0x04070400       0x02028922       0x00000001       0x0000000                 HardwareErr__ Bad RTC chip 04/16/2011 09:47:24.93 0x00030000       0x00216500       0x00105c62       0x00000000       0x00000000                Warm start 01/01/1989 00:00:00.94 0x00001427       0x00201900       0x0011edba      0x00000001       0x00000000                 HardwareErr__ Bad RTC chip Environment Continuum Controllers Cause The error is a time related error but may not indicate that there is a physical problem with the controllers Real Time Clock (RTC). This can be due to an issue occuring on startup of a controller where there may be requests for time from COV updates. If that request comes in prior to the RTC clock coming up, it can post this error. The COV code will post this error and then try again later.  Resolution If this error occurs after a restart of the controller then this is more than likely a benign error and can be ignored. However, if it occurs when the controller hasn’t just restarted then it could be an actual fault with the RTC chip and may need to be returned for repair.

Issue Infinity schedules are not downloading at the times they are configured. A typical symptom would be if scheduled to download on Sunday but not occurring until the following Monday morning right after activity starts at the site. Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Cyberstation Cause The machine running the Cyberstation that is configured to download the schedules has gone into hibernation or sleep. Resolution Configure the computer's Power Options to keep the CPU running at all times, it is OK to turn OFF the display, but the CPU has to be kept running in order for the download to take place. See How can I prevent my Endura Workstation from sleeping, hibernating or powering off automatically? for detailed instructions on how to turn off hibernation. 

Issue If using the Assa Abloy Integration for a Wireless Lock interface and pairing locks on Hub 11, only lock one is able to be paired at address 1 and functions correctly with older versions of software. No more locks can be paired after that although the Hub itself is able to handle more than one. Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Continuum Version 1.94 and above Cause The version of software that is used for the application needs to be the latest version as compared to the older version 2.1.7. When this version is used the Hub only allows one lock to be paired although it is set for Multiple Lock Configuration. Resolution When purchasing the applicable hardware from Assa Abloy, ensure that the version that is being sent out is the latest 10.2.28619.

Issue A voltage between 50mV and 500mV at 50Hz is measured at the Digital Input and has raised concern as to it's affect on the Input. Environment b4, i2, b3, xP Modules, IOU modules. (anything with a Digital Input) Cause Concern over effect of induced voltage on the Digital Inputs. Resolution There is an RC filter on those inputs that should protect it at 50Hz for that voltage. The filter will protect down to 15Hz and the Digital Input will not turn on before 1.6V. Although this should not be a problem, and the RC filter should effectively cut this off before it hits the input circuitry, 500mV is still a substantial noise signal on an input and may be indicative of a grounding problem. It would be wise to try to eliminate this induced voltage.

Issue Selection and installation of a pulsed output module. Product Line Andover Continuum, EcoStruxure Building Operation, Field Devices, Satchwell Sigma, TAC Vista Environment Heat Meter Multical 602 Pulsed output module No pulses Cause Installed card does not give output pulses. Resolution Selection of the output card. The Schneider Electric part number is MAPULSETOPC and this is the equivalent to Kamstrup part number 602-0C This card will provide 2 pulse outputs for energy and volume, CE and CV respectively. Normally, energy (CE) is connected to 16-17 and volume (CV) to 18-19, but other combinations can be selected via the PC program METERTOOL, also used to select pulse duration 32 or 100 ms. The MAPULSETOPC is actually a top module, which means that it is fitted into the top piece of the MC602 calculator, basically the inside LCD cover. This is released by pressing downwards in the middle of the plastic piece on the left, and at the same time pushing the top module towards the left.

Issue Does Continuum 2.0 SMTP alarm email support encryption? Product Line Andover Continuum Environment SMTP Cyberstation Cause There is a need for encryption on SMTP alarm delivery in Continuum. Resolution Continuum does NOT support encryption for alarm emails sent over SMTP from Cyberstation.

Issue PE Programs cause Locks to go into "Inoperable Mode" Environment Continumm version 1.94 and above Cause Personlized PE Program causes the locks to go into an inoperable mode due to the constant polling of the PIM for lock status based on the program characteristics. Resolution To resolve this issue, please follow these steps: Do not use PE Programs to poll lock status it would minimize battery life Disable all PE Programs that are lock specific. Do not use PE Programs for Schlage Integration.

Issue Using PIN only for the Integration and it is not working. Environment Continuum Version 1.94 and above. Cause The X Driver has a limitation on how it functions with PIN only. Resolution To resolve this issue, DO NOT use PIN only as it is not supported by the X-Driver. If the PIN needs to be used then it must be Card and PIN.

Issue Is there any way to mass change any of the bCX / ACX / NC2 settings as configured from the controllers configuration webpage?  Environment ACX57x0 CX9680 bCX9640 bCX4040 CX9702 Cause Settings need to be changed en-mass for a large number of Controllers. In one particular case there were a large number of ACX57xx’s that needed to have the first and second SNMP alarm target PC's IP addresses changed for all controllers. Resolution There is no way to set all of these at once. As with all of the settings on the controller configuration webpage, they will need to be manually changed one at a time by connecting to each individual controllers configuration webpage.

Issue Unable to communicate with Assa Abloy  Hubs Environment Continuum Version 1.94 and above Cause The HUB being used is the wrong version and cannot communicate with the XDriver Resolution To resolve this issue, the following steps need to be observed: Verify that the correct XDriver is on the Continuum Panel Verify that the settings on the Comm Port is correct per the installation manual pg 7 Verify that the Global Config Numeric is set to 1001 Verify that the HUB does not have an M on it (this is for a Mercury Integration) Replace the HUB with a standard one and verify  that communication has been restored

Issue Email alarming is configured correctly but Continuum keeps crashing when alarms are sent as emails. ACCDataServices is the crashing module.   Windows Application log shows two email errors that point to an issue with Outlook. Email, Failed to send email - SendNote in Send function failed. Result is 80070057. Email, Failed to send email -  SubmitMessage failed in CSession::SendNote, Result is 80070057 Environment Continuum Alarming Outlook Cause Outlook account folder is too large and does not have available space for new entries. In this case the folder was 7GB in size with emails going back eight years. Resolution Archive Outlook account folder and truncate to free up space for new emails.  

Issue With the Personnel Import Utility, is it possible to query multiple OU containers? Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Personnel Import Utility (PIU) Cause Need to be able to query multiple OU containers. Similar to below query. Server Name: LDAP://test/DC=test, DC=com (test and com are separate domains) Resolution Unfortunately the query cannot be changed to accommodate this. Different Domains can be specified but it is not possible to go down to the OU level.

Issue Can the Personnel Import Utility update existing Personnel only and not create new Personnel objects if they do not already exist? Environment Personnel Import Utility PIU Cause Need to be able to only modify existing Personnel and not create new ones when performing Personnel import with the PIU. Resolution The way the PIU handles this, to modify existing Personnel or if none exists to create a new one, is "functions as designed". There is no way to stop a new Personnel object from being created when it is unique.

Issue Upgrading Digital Sentry breaks the Video Server connection or cameras won't learn or video streams do not work Product Line Andover Continuum, Pelco Environment Pelco Digital Sentry 7.9 or greater Continuum Video Integration 1.94 SP1 up to 2.01 Windows 7 Windows Server 2008 Windows Server 2012 Cause Pelco released a newer version of Control Point that is used in Digital Sentries Video Recorders 7.9 and above. This newer API is not currently supported in any version Continuum, up to version 2.01. Resolution Available as of July 2017, install version 2.02 of Continuum, it is a full install. R&D has worked on revising the Continuum Video Integration to work with the newer versions of Control Point 7.15 and above. The only work around prior to this to get the video Integration to function was to downgrade the Digital Sentry to Control point 7.8 Uninstall the DS ControlPoint software using Add/Remove programs (MS Windows XP) or Programs and Features (MS Windows 7). Install: How to install the DS ControlPoint client software Note: Upgrading the Continuum Security Key to an Endura Key will not allow the newer API to be used with a Digital Sentry with Continuum. A copy of the latest Video Compatibility Matrix can be downloaded from the Download Center in PA-00568.

Issue BACnet Input shows "Out of Service". When attempting to set a value or remove the out of service flag an error is seen. "An attempt has been made to write to a BACnet property with a value that is outside the range of values defined for the property." Environment bCX4040 b3 Controllers Cause An xP Module attached to the Controller was malfunctioning and the inputs on this board were not functioning. Resolution Powering everything down, re-seating the xP Module board and powering the Controller back up resolved the problem.

Issue Sites need guidance on how to setup custom ABA cards in Continuum. Environment CyberStation NetController I (CX99xx) NetController II (CX9680) AC1Plus IOU Module ACX57xx Cause The implementation of ABA cards in Continuum access control systems was designed to comply with the ISO 7811 ABA standard for magnetic stripe card. Because of this, the system only reads  one field (the PAN or Primary Account Number) from the ABA card, this field contains a number of up to 19 digits which is used as the card number. Continuum Custom ABA feature provides for maximum flexibility by allowing the 19 digit PAN field on track 2 of the mag stripe to be organized in sub fields such as site code etc. Resolution A summary of the steps to configure Custom ABA cards in Continuum is available through the CyberStation Online Help.  Open the help on the Continuum workstation and search for "Defining a Custom ABA String Format"          

Issue Using a non-default SQL Server port with Continuum. Environment Continuum Workstation SQL Server Cause SQL Server has been changed from the default port setting and  confirgured with a specific static port for incoming SQL connections. Resolution Continuum doesn’t care if the SQL Server is using a default port or not. As long as the Database can be created/updated using the Database Initialization application it will work fine. This has not been tested or qualified but should work fine. After the port is changed, the user should perform the Database Update process to ensure that the connection can be made from Continuum to SQL Server and vice versa. Here’s a Microsoft article on how to change the SQL port. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/823938/how-to-configure-sql-server-to-listen-on-a-specific-port

Issue When the Save statement is used to save objects in a BCX4040 to the database. Steps to reproduce problem: Create an InfinityString object (Test.Str) with a manual array size of 1 in a BCX4040. Create a program in the BCX that sets the value of Test.Str[1] to 'Success' From command line, print the value of Test.Str[1] while the workstation is in OnLine mode. The value should = 'Success' From command line, print the value of Test.Str[1] while the workstation is in Offline mode.  No value should be returned as the value has not been updated in the database. Create a fallthrough/autostart program in the workstation with the following code: FIRSTLINE: Save \TestNet\TestACX\Test.Str -0 Goto StopLine STOPLINE: Stop From command line, print the value of Test.Str[1] while the workstation is in Offline mode.  The value should now = 'Success'.  Expected result: The value returned for Test.Str when the workstation is in Offline mode (Database value) should 'equal the value returned when the workstation is in Online mode (Live Value), i.e. = Success' Actual result: The Offline value of Test.Str[1] does not change and does not equal the value live value. The resulting ACC_Dump_Debug that is produced is found to have no contents. Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Continuum  Plain English Cause The following Plain English code does not accomplish a Save to Database. FIRSTLINE: Save \TestNet\TestACX\Test.Str -0 Goto StopLine The functionality of the Save command is not to perform a "Save to Database" operation. This is a functioning as designed. The Save command, which is equivalent to the Dump command, dumps the contents of the passed-in arguments (i.e. objects) to a file if provided Resolution Workaround: When a manual Save to Database is done on the object, the database value is updated with the current Live value.

Issue After a missing or deleted default list view is re-created using the Continuum database initialization utility; the list view does not contain any columns. Environment Cyberstation Cause This issue is caused by a Continuum defect issue that cannot be corrected at this time. QC#2222. Resolution There are several workarounds that can be used to resolve this issue. 1)      Columns can be manually added back to the list views re-created by the database update option. 2)      The default list views can be reimported from the DefaultListViews.dmp file in the Continuum folder.  This would overwrite all default list views there by losing any customization to existing list views. 3)      Individual list views can be imported from a dump file created from another Continuum Systems to provide pinpointed recovery of certain listviews.