Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue LED on card reader on ACX57xx (ACX2) flickers when it supposed to be solid green Environment ACX57XX Some reader types from HID (such as I-class reader). Cause ACX57XX has new system variables added to get the status of reader connection to controller.(Rdr1Connected ~ Rdr8Connected). In order to check the Status, ACX57xx checks the voltage presence on the LED channel of each reader port. This function causes the LED of some reader types to flicker at a high frequency. Resolution Set the Rdr1Connected ~ Rdr8Connected system variables to Disabled to keep the LED from flickering.

Issue Alarms in Menta not coming into Vista if the output is connected to additional logic. Environment Menta IV Vista IV Workstation Alarm Queue Cause Many times Alarms will be used to start backup systems in the event of equipment failure. This is commonly performed by attaching the output of an alarm to additional logic which will route needed information to the backup system. Resolution Add a DELB (binary delay) to the output of the alarm before connecting the additional logic. This will allow the alarm to show up in Vista Workstation.

Issue Remote I/O Module (RIO) programming: Can I/O tags (outputs) from two different RIO modules be connected to Dual-output objects? Environment MNB-1000 MNB-1000-15 Cause The object error will occur "Outputs must connect to the same remote module". Resolution Details: Dual-output objects are objects with two addressable outputs. There are three such objects: Momentary Start/Stop Object, Floating Actuator Object and Floating Actuator Priority Object. When connecting dual-output objects to I/O tags on an MNB-1000 application drawing where MNB-1000-15 remote I/O modules have been configured, be sure to connect both outputs to the same set of I/O, whether that be the MNB-1000 controller’s onboard I/O or a particular MNB-1000-15 module’s I/O. For more information, see the latest WorkPlace Tech Tool Engineering Guide Supplement (F-27356).

Issue What should be considered when analyzing the performance of a Modbus TCP/IP implementation? Environment Modbus TCP/IP implementation Cause Check the performance level of Modbus TCP/IP implementation for possible improvement. Resolution Determining if a Netcontroller will handle the load of a specific Modbus TCP/IP implementation must take into account many different factors. A lot depends upon the 3rd party device, the network utilization of the IP network, the number of devices/points being polled and the speed/polling rate of the devices on the RS485 network. The Modbus TCP/IP xdriver behaves as a client and polls for information in a round robin basis. The more data it has to poll the longer it will take. The organization of the Modbus Addresses is also important. For example: If 12 registers are at consecutive address locations i.e. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, then 1 data packet is required to retrieve all this information. If only a few registers are at consecutive locations i.e. 1, 2, 3, 8, 21, 22, 23, 30, 40, 65, 66, 67 then 6 data packets are required to retrieve this information. If the registers are all in separate locations i.e. 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 then 10 data packets, one for each address is required. The third example would take 10 times longer than the 1st to poll the address information. If address locations in the 3rd party device cannot be altered then it may be more efficient to create additional xdriver points to effectively 'fill the gaps' so as to reduce the number of data packets. It is recommended to carry out a bench test with the devices in order to analyze the configuration. This would allow for adjustments of the requests or adding additional hardware to poll the amount of required information. Field Example: Using a Modbus TCP/IP xdriver to poll a number of Powerlogic metering devices. Considering 30 EGX's/ECC's involved, plus two Powerlink 3000 panels, using 33 IP addresses. Each EGX/ECC has from 10-20 Modbus devices attached on the RS485 side. Each metering device will be polled for about 12 registers. In this example, we would be polling about 4000-5000 register points via Modbus TCP/IP with a NetController2. In this particular scenario, it was determined that 2 Netcontroller IIs would be needed to handle the amount of polling required at the expected performance level.

Issue ACWPPServerProxy applet is constantly flashing on webClient Environment ACWPPServerProxy applet webClient Loopback Cause This typically happens on a Stand Alone configuration on Windows. Resolution The solution is to add the loopback address onto the IIS server by taking the following steps. Open IIS Manager Expand Web Sites> Right Click on Default Web Site and select Properties Click the Advanced button to the right of the IP address field Click the Add button and enter the IP: 127.0.0.1 and the port: 80, Click OK, OK Stop and Start IIS Launch Webclient and the ACWPPServerProxy applet will no longer flash. Restart the webclient PC If you are using Windows 7, Vista or Windows Server 2008 the IIS interface is different. Open IIS Manager (the non 6.0 version) from Administrative Tools Expand Sites> Left click on Default Web Site In the far right column called Actions, locate the Bindings link Select Bindings and click the Add button then enter 127.0.0.1 into the IP address field (leave other defaults) Click Ok, Close With Default Web site still selection select "Restart" Under the Actions column to restart IIS Launch Webclient and the ACWPPServerProxy applet will no longer flash. Restart the webclient PC

Issue If a MNB-1000 application contains R-I/O programming, can it be successfully downloaded without the actual R-I/O hardware connected and communicating? Environment MNB-1000 Remote I/O Module Cause Communication lost between MNB-1000 and Remote I/O module  Resolution Yes. The R-I/O modules (MNB-1000-15) are not controllers and do not have control applications within them. All processing is done at the MNB-1000 (except fallback). Lack of R-I/O or R-I/O communications or loss of R-I/O communications has no effect on or during a download. In fact, the MNB-1000 cannot communicate with or even determine if R-I/O exists until an application configured for R-I/O has been downloaded at least once. This is because the R-I/O configuration information is stored in the application and the MNB-1000 must rely on the application to know if R I/O modules even exist.

Issue XBuilder will allow you to insert the Xenta group or LonWorks group found under the Xenta 901 port object, but when you add the second group it will add it as a totally separate tree object instead of integrating into the same tree. For example XBuilder will show you this: LON   -XG1 LON   -XG2 When it should look like this: LON   -XG1   -XG2 Environment Xenta 901 XBuilder 5.0.2 and 5.0.3 Cause If you have an older site that is still using a dial connection via a Xenta 901 from your Vista front end and you need to add a Xenta Server to the site to perform connection objects from Inovonics or a 3rd party interface and do not have the option of adding an IP connection to the site then engineering this can be problematic in Vista 5.0.2 or 5.0.3 due to Xbuilder limitations. Resolution To correct this problem, use XBuilder version 5.0.1 stand alone. This will allow you to make the proper tree structure when you insert the groups from Vista and create connection objects for your communication.  

Issue Trying to run an ARG (Auto Report Generation) and nothing happens. Environment I/NET SevenReports Cause Unused fields may be preventing report from running Resolution When setting up the specific report, delete any unused parameters like date, time etc. Then delete any unused fields in the Select Expert field. Save the report and then set up the Options, Duration and Recurrence fields. Once the time has elapsed based on the settings, the report should run and print or export to whatever device or format you selected.  

Issue Vista 5 dongle install fails. It's looking for "aksusb.sys". Environment Vista 5 licensing Cause The correct drivers need to be installed to interface with the licensing dongle. Resolution Unplug the dongle. Click on this link - hasp driver Install the first one labeled "Sentinel HASP LDK - Windows GUI Run-time  Installer" Plug the dongle in again.

Issue Installing Vista 5.0.x on Windows Vista and it failed. Environment Windows Vista Vista 5.0.x Cause Vista 5.0.x is not compatible with Windows Vista Resolution First, uninstall anything Vista 4.3.x to 5.0.x installed including Microsoft SQL and Microsoft Visual Runtime C++ stuff. If they won't all uninstall, you may have to do a system restore to some point previous to the TAC Vista install. Next remove the c:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Data assuming that TAClogdata.* is there. It might be in MSSQL.2 or other. You should then be able to install.  

Issue User Defined Pin Environment I/NET site with Access Control Cause user defined PIN issue Resolution User defined PINs require door controller firmware revision 2.30 or later. If a door controller has a firmware revision prior to 2.30, the only valid PIN is the system-generated PIN, regardless of the entry in the Individual Parameters editor. If you have mistakenly set user-defined PINs on a system with older firmware, simply disable the user defined PIN in the Access Control Options editor, and restore the DPU(s) to return to system-generated PIN numbers. Note: For best results, do not mix DPU firmware version 2.30 or later with older DPU firmware versions if you wish to enter user defined PINs. It is possible to create a situation where the user's PIN is one number (system-generated) for certain doors, and another number (user-defined) on other doors, in which case the PIN shown in the Individual Parameters editor would not be accurate for all doors. Six-digit PINs Six digit PINs are supported on the SCU1284 and on the DPU7920 with MIP (firmware 3.16 or later). All other door controllers support PINs with a maximum of five digits. If your system includes a mix of door controllers (i.e., some controllers that do support six-digit PINs and some controllers that do not support six-digit PINs), you should avoid assigning six-digit PINs. This will prevent users from being locked out of a door because the door's controller will not accept the user's complete PIN.

Issue Programming a 7798C controller with a Virtual HHC Console Environment 7789C HHC Hand Held Console Cause The 7798C controller can only be programmed with the Emulated HHC Console (The TacHHC.exe is located in the support folder of the INET install CD) using CBL 082 connected to the PC and RS 232 port on the controller. Resolution Before following these steps, make sure you have closed down I/NET, AMT and the InetIOServer applications.    Locate the HHC file on the I/Net CD, Support Folder and copy it to the Root of I/NET. Once copied, double click on the file to launch it, I/NET should not be running at this time. Connect the CBL 082 (Grey shroud connects to the PC)  The virtual HHC is displayed at this time. Right Click and Select the Com Port and Baud Rate. To Set the Controller Type: On the HHC, select Code 90, Enter to set the Controller Type. To Set the Controller Address Select "DCU Address" Enter he desired Address To Set the Baud Rate Code 06 for C-LAN Code 91 for Sub-LAN baud rate. To Direct Connect Once completed, disconnect the CBL 082 from the PC and replace it with CBL 072 for a direct connect to the controller. Start I/NET and open the configuration editor, create a new profile for a direct connect, if it has not been created already. Make this configuration active, close the configuration editor down as well as I/Net, and then restart it again. At this time communications should be established with the controller and the user can start programming the controller. 

Issue Do 3rd party BACnet MSTP devices count as nodes on a BCX controller that is node limited? Environment BCX controller Third-party BACnet MSTP devices Cause Knowing the information will ensure there is not more node than the BCX controller specifies. Resolution Yes they do count as nodes. If you do go over the node count you will see operational problems with the BCX BACnet controller. The BCX controller will scan lock when it tries to perform a time sync to the MSTP network. Modbus nodes communicating via xDriver are not part of the node count.

Issue In an SCU1284 what is the "DO" addressing scheme for a Single Address unit. Environment I/NET site with Access Control Cause desire to know the DO addressing scheme Resolution The "DO" addressing scheme on a Single Address SCU 1284 is DOxx00 thru DOxx07

Issue In an SCU1284 with a dual address what is the addressing scheme for the "DO's"? Environment I/NET site with Access Control Cause Addressing issue with SCU1284 Resolution In the Dual Address mode of the SCU1284 the "DO's" addressing scheme is as follows First four relays are associated with the first address DOxx00 thru DOxx03. The Last four relays are associated with the second address DOyy00 thru DOyy03

Issue A system with NIC852 keys has difficulty getting the Loytec Ports to come online after an upgrade to Vista 5.0.3. Environment Vista 5.0.3 NIC852 Loytec Ports Orion Stack Cause There was a product enhancement with 5.0.3 that Loytec PCI-709 network interfaces were replaced by NIC709-PCI100 (Vista Orion stack) Resolution Upgrade the LCONFIG software to the newest 3.0.1 version. This software is available from http://www.loytec.com.  

Issue Vista WebApps install incorrectly claiming that IIS is not installed Environment Windows IIS Cause On some custom configurations of Windows we have seen where Internet Information Services (IIS) is running on another driver letter and Vista WebApps is not finding the IIS operating directory and claiming that IIS is not installed. Resolution Open the Registry Editor (Start > Run > regedit) Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\InetStp\ for the PathWWWRoot key. This registry key should show the directory that IIS is using for storage of the web server. (Default is C:\inetpub\wwwroot\) Correct the registry key with the correct path and the install should now succeed.

Issue What Andover Continuum Controllers support the TCP protocol in lieu of UDP? Environment Continuum Controllers Cause Require the controller to support TCP protocol. Resolution The only Andover Continuum Controllers that support the TCP protocol in lieu of UDP is the CX9702,BCX9640 and the ACX II models 5720, 5740.

Issue "Field Unit Not Configured" when commissioning controller or network under a Xenta Server Environment Xenta Server Xenta 511, 527, 701, 711, 721, 731, 913 Cause The LonWorks Network object is not recognized correctly by the Xenta Server. Resolution Create a new device "Communication Port - Echelon - LTA". Drag the "LonWorks Network" object on to the LTA port. Then drag the "LonWorks Network" object back on to the Xenta Server object.

Issue How can the instance number be changed in a Viconics BACnet thermostat? Environment Viconics BACnet thermostat Cause No visible button to enter configuration Resolution The ID or instance number is 7x000(x=series model)+ Mac address. The Mac address can be defined from the front of the unit. Press the white "config" button in the lower right hand corner of the circuit board once. Then keep hitting "no" until "Com Addr" is displayed and hit yes. Use up/down keys to set the address. For units with no white "config" button: VT7200 series press and hold the button (OVERRIDE) for 8 seconds VT7300 series press and hold the middle button (°C/F or OVERRIDE) for 8 seconds. VT7600 series press and hold the button (MENU) for 8 seconds Then press no until "com addr" displays, then press yes and use the up/down button to change it.