Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Are MNB controllers RoHS compliant? Environment MNB controllers Cause Restrict dangerous substances commonly used in electronic and electronic equipment. Resolution All controller final assemblies will be RoHS compliant by the end of the 1st quarter of 2010.

Issue Creating a test database for troubleshooting Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Continuum test database Cause There are times when troubleshooting an issue when creating a test database is useful. Resolution Open up Database Initialization Select Server if you have a LAN install with a Full SQL license or Stand Alone if you are using MSDE or SQL Express Click on the Create New database radio button (bottom right) which opens up the needed fields Change the Database name from Continuumdb (default) to Testdb Under Device Information, Change Database from ContinuumDev to TestDev Under Device Information, Change Database from ContinuumLog to TestLog Ensure the path is correct for DB File location Enter in the sa password Click Continue (This creates 2 files TestDev.mdb and TestLog.ldb in the DB File folder) Go to Database Initialization again Select Workstation Leave the info on the workstation tab exactly as they are Click on the Database tab Change the Database Name from Continuumdb to Testdb Click Ok (This will resolve the workstation to the new test db) Start Continuum and perform the test and see if the issue still happens on this clean db. Once the test is completed, delete the Testdb database from Enterprise Manager or use osql Go to Database Initialization again Select Workstation Leave the info on the workstation tab exactly as they are Click on the Database tab Change the Database Name from Testdb to Continuumdb Click Ok (This will resolve the workstation back to the Continuumdb)

Issue When attempting to restore a ContinuumDB database while using SQL Express Management Studio, you receive the following error: The database ContinuumDB is not accessible. If you click Ok, you are able to continue, but when you select Restore from Device and click the Add button, you get the error: Cannot access the specified path of file on the server. Environment SQL Express Studio Cause The most common reason for receiving this error is because when SQL Management Studio is started and you are prompted for a username and password, Windows authentication is selected instead of selecting SQL Server Authentication. Resolution Verify that you have the necessary security privileges and that the path or file exists.  

Issue ASP.Net is not showing as a user to select in dcomcnfg list configuring webclient on XP Environment Windows XP ASP.NET Cause This is usually caused because .Net was installed prior to IIS. Resolution Run the aspnet_Regiis.exe -i to re-register the .Net framework with IIS C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\aspnet_regiis.exe -i Go back into dcomcnfg and asp.net will now be available. This normally does not require a reboot or restart of IIS

Issue How do you get a list of previous operator history on a specific point from the active alarm view? Environment CyberStation Cause A report will need to be attached to a graphic to see a point's operator text history from the active alarm view. Resolution Create a report for this point to get the operator text Source Tab Data Source: AlarmEvent Report Type: Alarms-for-an-event-object-with-alarm-enrollment Type: Text Filter Tab Path: select the controller the point is in Member Object: Select the point you need Time Interval or Log Filter for the desired range   Setup a graphic page with a button to launch the report In the properties of the Active Button Action: Open Object Object: This is the path to the report you created in step 1.   Setup the point on alarm tab to open the graphic In the point editor that you want the operator history from, select the Graphic field by setting the path to graphic that contains the button for the report from step 2.   When the alarm is triggered in the active alarm view, click on the alarm then the Pinpoint button in the tool bar. This will launch the graphic with the button for the report you created.   Click on the button to launch the report which will contain the operator history for that point. Notes: For multiple points, the same graphic can be launched each time, but separate reports will need to be created for each point and a different button to launch those reports.

Issue How can the selected object be easily viewed after performing a "Find Object" or "Find Reference" in WorkPlace Tech? Environment WorkPlace Tech Cause Enable "Center Selection on Zoom" in WorkPlace Tech. Resolution In WorkPlace Tech, choose Tools - Visio Options. Select the "General" tab. Check the box for "Center Selection on Zoom" and click OK. Now, after choosing "Find Object" or "Find Reference" the selected object will appear in the center of the window.

Issue Adding a new Netcontroller II (CX 9680) or a new ACX II(ACX 57xx) to an existing system creates problems if the versions are not compatible Environment Netcontroller II (CX 9680) ACX II (ACX 57xx) Cyberstation Cause Current Production of Netcontroller II and ACX II as of 12/1/08 have versions 2.1 and 1.1 on these products respectively. These versions are only compatible with Cyberstation V1.82 or greater.  Resolution If you have a system that is lower than Cyberstation V1.82 you will need to downgrade these controllers to V2.0 and V1.0 respectively. The flash files are available on the Exchange Extranet as is the complete version compatibility chart.

Issue A Niagara G3 ENS locks up & stops communicating with all ENCs. All stations are running version 3.3.22. The "sysInfo" spy page shows the correct time, but clock ticks show an extremely large value. A station restart cures the issue for about 6-8 weeks. Environment Niagara G3 ENS Cause A known software error in version 3.3.22, which cause the engine timing to fail. Resolution This is a known issue with versions 3.3.24 and earlier. Tridium describes it on their website - http://www.niagara-central.com. Search for Issue #11404. It has been fixed in versions 3.3.25 and later. If it's not possible to upgrade versions, then the ENS must be restarted every 49 days (or more).

Issue In Niagara G3, how can a button on a graphic be created that will open a Schedule Editor? Environment Niagara G3 kitPx palette Schedule Editor Cause To open Schedule Editor with a click of a button, create a hyperlink button in the graphic and link to the schedule object. Resolution Perform the following steps: In the kitPx palette, drag a hyperlink button into the graphic In the Properties of the hyperlink button, click the "..." button to the right of the "hyperlink" field. The hyperlink window appears. In the hyperlink window, click the down arrow next to the open folder icon, and select Component Chooser. In the select Ord window, navigate to the desired schedule object. Click on the object, then click OK In the hyperlink window, click on the (Default View). The list will expand. Click on Scheduler. In the hyperlink window, click OK In the Properties window, click OK In Runtime mode, click on the newly created button. The Schedule Editor will now appear.

Issue Are there repair parts for the Erie Pop-Top valves? Environment Erie Pop-Top Valves Cause Parts needed to repair Erie Pop-Top valves. Resolution Repair parts are available for the Erie Current Pop-Top valves. 100-080 = 2-way 1.0 to 5.0Cv 1/2" & 3/4" Swt 100-081 = 2-way 7.0Cv 3/4" Swt & NPT and 1" Swt 100-082 = 2-way 7.0Cv 1" NPT and 1 1/4" Swt 100-083 = 3-way 1.5 to 5.0Cv 1/2" & 3/4" Swt 100-084 = 3-way 7.0Cv 3/4" Swt & NPT and 1" Swt 100-085 = 3-way 7.5Cv 1" NPT and 1 1/4" Swt

Issue Are the Erie Aux Switches for the Current Pop-Top actuators field replaceable? Environment Pop-Top actuators Cause Replace defeated part without replacing the whole unit. Resolution No they are not. The actuator would have to be replaced.

Issue In a Niagara G3, when going from graphic to graphic via the IE browser a gray or white screen will be displayed and the browser will lock up. The number of screens viewable before this happens is random. Environment Niagara G3 Internet Explorer Cause The G3 Niagara software was designed to function using the standard JRE. Therefore, it will be necessary to disable a setting in the Java control panel if this symptom is experienced. Resolution Go to Control Panel and click on Java to open the Java Control Panel. Click on the Advanced tab and then expand the Java Plug-in setting. Uncheck the box for "Enable next generation Java Plug-in (requires browser restart)" and click on Apply. Note: In rare cases with very large graphics files the Java Console could show the following error: "java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: Java heap space". If this is experienced it is possible to adjust the Heap space. Go to the Control Panel and click on Java to open the Java Control Panel. Click on the Java tab and click on the "view..." button to display the Java Runtime Environment Settings. For the Java version enabled you will need to add parameters to the "Runtime parameters". In the single case where this was necessary the Runtime parameters used were "-Xms128m -Xmx256m". After adjusting the Java Heap, clear out the wbapplet cache. Go to Windows Explorer - Local Disk C: - Documents and Settings - Your Admin folder Right click on the "niagara" folder and delete it. This folder and its subfolders and files will be recreated the next time you open the browser.

Issue When releasing an override in a UNC station, the object with a "command priority" barnacle is not functioning properly in the controller.  It should go to level 0 control but it is going to level 16 where a constant is connected. Environment UNC station Cause Constants connected to Command Priority inputs during normal operation. Resolution As stated in the WorkPlace Tech Tool 5.7 Engineering Guide Supplement page 114 "do not leave constants connected to Command Priority inputs during normal operation". When the priority array is written via BACnet at a priority level corresponding to a Command Priority object input that is connected to a constant value, the controller responds to the BACnet service with a “property-error: write-access-denied” and does not write the value to the priority array, application RAM, or EEPROM.

Issue When attempting to perform maximum or minimum Flow Balance on a MNB-V1 controller, ;an error appears: "Invalid flow setpoint values. To balance the selected flow setpoints...." Product Line TAC IA Series Environment MNB-V1 Controller Cause The MNB-V1 is a cooling only controller and does not have the Reheat properly disabled. Resolution Check the date code of the MNB-V1 controller. If it is between 0902 and 0913 see TPA-RKFD-09-0007.01 on The Exchange Download Center for details. If it is outside that date code range contact Product Support Services for assistance.

Issue CNT block in XBuilder Xenta 700 Menta is replaced by a PI block. Environment Xenta Server Xenta 701, 711, 721, 731 XBuilder Menta Cause Differences between the regular Menta and the XBuilder Menta for Xenta 700 programming. Resolution The CNT block is replaced by the PI (Pulse input) block in XBuilder Menta. In XBuilder, connect the PI to a Binary or universal input where the sensor type is set to counter.

Issue How can I change the logo in a Xenta 7XX so it shows my company instead of TAC/Schneider Electric? Environment Xenta 701, 711, 721, 731 Cause Image files are loaded with the download of a system program and default to TAC or Schneider Electric branding depending on the version. To customize them to another corporation's logo, the files must be manually edited through FTP. Resolution Use ftp to get the files below from the Xenta 7xx. Edit the files with the new logo and rewrite them to the original location in the Xenta7xx. Power down/Power up the Xenta 7xx. Logo files:  Directory www/index user_logotype.gif  Directory www/images user_logotype.gif  s_logotype.gif  loginlogo.gif  731splash.jpg (change if Xenta 731)  721splash.jpg (change if Xenta 721)  711splash.jpg (change if Xenta 711)  701splash.jpg (change if Xenta 701)  Note that this will be reset back to default if a new system program (firmware) is loaded.

Issue Is there a way to link to a Xenta Server so you don’t have to log in to it? Environment Xenta Server Xenta 511, 527, 701, 711, 721, 731, 913 Cause Access to Xenta Server with auto log in is not a supported feature. Resolution There is no auto log in function in the Xenta Server but you can add the password to the URL https://xx.xx.xx.xx/www/index/index.html?UID=root,PW=root This will log you in and take you the start page for the user You can also go direct to a page (TGML, Trendlog etc.), this way you will not get any other frames. First you have to figure out the path to the page. Easiest way to so this is to log on the 731 with FTP and browse to the graphic you want to display. Copy the path and add ?UID=root,PW=root (for root user) Here is an example what it might look like https://172.20.10.91/www/info/The+site+name/Folder+2/Graphic_page.html?UID=root,PW=root Note that if you use this method the user can not log out (the user will still be logged out after the default time still)

Issue TAC Menta Online Device DI block shows "Offline" for I/O modules with numerical names The DI block in TAC Menta has a functionality "device offline", when the device name starts with a number (e.g. 2), the device online function doesn't work as supposed. Device online flag is tripped, (or actually set to 0) but will never be reset when device is online again. Environment Menta Xenta Programmable Xenta 280, 281, 282, 283, 300, 301, 302, 401, 401:B I/O modules Cause The reason that this functionality doesn't work is because if the device address starts with a number it's considered to be an I/O module. Resolution Rename the I/O module devices to a name that does not start with a number.

Issue Serial Commport Settings when using Roam IO/2 Environment RoamIO/2 Cause Serial commport settings Resolution The serial commport settings used to connect to the Roam IO/2 tool are listed below. Bits per second: 9600 Data bits: 8 Parity: None Stop bits: 1 Flow control: None When using the Roam IO/2 with a Serial Cable, please make sure cable uses the following pinout assignments. Pin Signal 2 RXD (Received Data) 3 TXD (Transmitted Data) 5 GND (Ground) NOTE: In the field we've seen some success when using USB to Serial converters, but not all devices will work. Using Serial 9 pin to 9 pin with the above configurations is the preferred method for Serial connection.

Issue After I have commissioned a LWU I get “Invalid Value” on several of my SNVTs. Environment Vista Workstation 5.1.2 or later Cause In earlier versions of Vista, null values for SNVTs were displayed.  For example, a null value for a SNVT_temp_p is 621.8°F.  This was sometimes confusing, so in 5.1.2 a change was implemented to no longer display null values for any SNVT type.  Instead, it will show "Invalid Value." Resolution This is a new feature in TAC Vista 5.1.2 if the value is out of range for the SNVT or at the max value TAC Vista will no longer show the value it will say "Invalid Value."  This is normal operation and no cause for concern.