Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Workplace Tech or Workplace Tech Editor is crashing when accessing a specific Visio file. Product Line TAC IA Series, EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment I/A Series WorkPlace Tech Building Operation Workstation (Workplace Tech Editor) Cause There are a number of possible issues with the Visio 2013 and Visio 2016 files when running in Compatibility Mode.  Compatibility Mode is required for Workplace Tech and Workplace Tech Editor since they are both designed to use the older .vsd file format.  The mentioned Visio versions both use .vsdx as a native file format. Resolution

Issue Changed MNL controller application engineering units to Metric (Celsius temperature) using the hardware wizard. After downloading the modified application, the setpoints and setpoint range on the MN-Sx sensor are still reading in degrees Fahrenheit. Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series WorkPlace Tech Tool software. I/A Series MNL I/A Series MNB Cause Changing the engineering units from English to Metric using the Hardware Wizard does not alter the values already configured for the setpoints or setpoint ranges in the MN-Sx sensor. The standard applications have predefined setpoint values and setpoint ranges based on the application type and MN-Sx type. These setpoints and setpoint ranges are configured with values appropriate for the operation of the controller using English engineering units (Fahrenheit temperatures). When the controller's engineering units have been changed to Metric, the appropriate temperature setpoint values and temperature setpoint ranges must be entered via the appropriate screen of the Resolution After using the WorkPlace Tech Tool Application Wizard to change the controller's application engineering units, the entered values for any setpoints and setpoint ranges must be reentered as numbers appropriate for the new engineering units. The application template files are configured for English (standard) engineering units with temperatures in Degrees Fahrenheit. For example, the default space temperature setpoint is 70 degrees. By default, the controller is configured for English engineering units, resulting in the space temperature setpoint is 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Changing the controller engineering units to Metric will result in the default space temperature setpoint being 70 degrees Celsius unless the setpoint and setpoint range is redefined using the Hardware Wizard.

Warning Potential for Data Loss: The steps detailed in the resolution of this article may result in a loss of critical data if not performed properly. Before beginning these steps, make sure all important data is backed up in the event of data loss. If you are unsure or unfamiliar with any complex steps detailed in this article, please contact Product Support for assistance. Issue Integrating MNL-VAV controllers into the EBO system successfully Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operations, TAC IA Series Environment Building Operation Automation Server Building Operation Automation Server Premium I/A Series MNL VAV Cause Lost flow balancing values during integration Lost S-link offset calibrations Resolution Use the following steps to bring a controller into the Automation Server with all data intact. Using WorkStation connected to the AS/AS-P; right click on the LonWorks Network and select New then Device. Choose the appropriate device object type from the list for the MNL-VAV controller being added, give it a name and click Next. Type in the Neuron ID or use the Service pin method to identify the controller. Check the box next to “Commission” and the radio button next to “Keep current configuration in the device” and click “Create” then click “Close” when complete. Right-click on the new device object in the tree and select MNL and then “Backup flow balance information”. When this is complete notice the blue circle with a white checkmark next to the nciHighFlowCal and nciLowFlowCal SNVT’s indicating the AS-P DB contains the balance data from the controller. If special S-link offset values exist in the controller right click on the device object in the tree and select MNL and then “Backup S-link offsets”. Right-click on the controller device object and select MNL and “Assign application” and click on the appropriate application file for this controller and click on “Assign”. Right-click on the controller and select MNL and “Download application”. Click on “Close” when complete. Right-click on the controller and select MNL and “Restore the flow balance information” Right-click on the controller and select MNL the “Restore S-link offsets”. Verify all data is correct and the controller is functioning properly.

Issue MNB controllers do not have internal trend log capability.  Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series MNB controllers I/A Series R2/G3/N4 Jace Building Operation Automation Server Cause The MNB family of controllers does not have internal trend log capability.  To log these internal calculated values, a different method must be used to allow the values to be logged in an EBO Automation Server or a Jace Resolution The BACnet objects "Analog Monitor" and "Binary Monitor" in the Workplace Tech tool may be added to an MNB controller application program. When connected to internal data values in the application, the values can be uploaded to an EBO Automation Server or a Jace for trend logging.

Issue  Where do I find our BACnet controllers BACnet PICS? (Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement) Product Line Andover Continuum, EcoStruxure Building Operation, TAC IA Series Environment All BACnet controllers Cause Alternative locations to find BACnet PICS for our controllers. Resolution PICS documentation can be found on The Exchange Download Center and BACnet International website.

Issue LON Network - Cable Transient Suppression Product Line EcoStruxure Building OperationTAC IA Series, TAC Vista Environment LON networks that extend beyond the walls of a single building Cause Surge arrestors dissipate transient energy before the cable can provide a low resistance path to the building ground, preventing potential electrical damage. Resolution Click here to download the white paper on this topic: Cable Transient Suppression It is recommended that a Transient Suppression protection device be installed on the LON communications cable at any point where the cable enters or exits the building. The LON is frequently used to connect a collection of controllers in one building with a collection of controllers in one or more other buildings in a campus. The LON may also extend outside the protection of an office building when servicing communications to roof-top equipment and/or outside monitoring equipment. At any location where the LON cable penetrates and extends outside the building compartment, it is recommended that a gas discharge type lightning arrestor be installed across the LON conductor pair and earth ground as shown below. This should be positioned as close as possible to the wall penetration location. The objective is to keep the cable distance as short as possible before the cable suppression is provided. It is important that a heavy gauge earth ground connection be provided to the gas discharge protector with as short a length as possible. Here we want to dissipate the transient energy as soon as possible before the cable extends on into the facility and provide a low resistance path to the building ground. SA2-U8 Surge Arrestor TAC provides a Model SA2-U8 Surge Arrestor which can be used for this purpose. This SA2-U8 device is a gas discharge arrestor packaged in a small DIN rail mountable enclosure. The SA2-U8 is UL864 listed and is the only device that can be used on TAC UL864 listed system. It must be installed on the LON cable at any entry/exit locations. Other Gas Discharge Suppressors On non-UL864 systems, the SA2-U8 may also be used, or the installer may use any one of a number of available 90V gas discharge tube devices. These are typically tubular shaped components and since you need two tubes (one for each of the two LON conductors) a dual element three lead discharge tube is recommended. The device’s leads may be attached to a standard screw terminal block and mounted in most any size electrical box. A collection of some of the suitable gas discharge devices that could be used is as follows: Manufacturer Part Number Bourns 2026-09-C Epcos B88069X8440B202 Citel BTS-90 SRC Devices PMT-090-14   There are other acceptable part numbers available from each of these manufacturers with variations provided in the lead configuration and lengths while maintaining the same 90V protection rating. Devices To Avoid It is not recommended that you use any semiconductor type (Transzorb / TVS / Diode) protection devices. Their higher speed and lower clamping voltage characteristics is not necessary with the inherent protection offered by the FTT-10 and FT-X1 LON transceivers. Such semiconductor based transient suppression devices frequently add some undesirable capacitance to the network which impedes communication performance and most inject signal clamping at voltage levels much lower than necessary or desirable for the Free Topology FTT-10 and FT-X1 based LON networks. The common mode noise immunity of the FTT LON should be much better than that provided by the typical RS485 network. This should provide more tolerance for electrically noisy environments. However, it has been observed that some semiconductor based network protection units have been used that can drastically degrade communications performance. One such device is the Model 91287 from Atlantic Scientific Corp. which was identified by the manufacturer as a LON System protector. This device clamps the signal at one diode drop below ground level which virtually destroys the LON’s common mode noise tolerance. The presence of one of these devices has been found to be the cause of communications problems in a system operating is an electrically noisy environment. This type of communications impairment may be encountered immediately. In other instances, LON retries may cover the problem and the system may operate for extended period of time before environmental or equipment changes raise noise levels above the tolerable threshold. This threshold is now much worse than RS485 networks. This device, and any similar, should be avoided on any LON systems.

Issue When attempting to add an object or connection to a WorkPlaceTech Tool application drawing, a WPObEvt error box is displayed indicating the following error condition: Unhandled Exception during event     Class:   Document     Object:  (drawing file name)     Event:   "ConnectionsAdded", "ConnectionsDeleted", "ShapeAdded" (depends on action)     Error:   (blank) Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation, TAC IA Series Environment Building Operation Enterprise Server (WorkplaceTech Editor) Building Operation Automation Server (WorkplaceTech Editor) I/A Series WorkPlace Tech Microsoft Visio Cause The comma is the default decimal symbol on international versions of Windows. Visio does not understand the use of the comma as the decimal separator character when used in Workplace Tech or Workplace Tech Editor.  Resolution Depending on the machines operating system, i.e. Windows 7, or Windows 10, and page configuration, the appearance will be slightly different. Open "Control Panel" Select "Region" Click "Additional Settings...." button near bottom right Select the period instead of the comma for the "Decimal symbol"

Issue A Network 8000 GCM is outfitted with a dial-out modem.  It sends alarms via the modem to a remotely located computer running SIGNAL. The same modem handles dial-in connections from the SIGNAL computer. How does SIGNAL handle receiving alarms while it is connected and viewing dynamic data? Product Line TAC IA Series Environment SIGNAL and Network 8000 / DMS Cause Lack of more than one phone line. Resolution When SIGNAL is viewing real-time data via the MONITOR program, it will not display alarms (or exceptions). Once the MONITOR program is stopped, alarms are allowed to pass through from the remote GCM or DMS panel to SIGNAL's alarm handler. To avoid missing critical alarms, it would be best to install two modem on the GCM or DMS and two modems on the SIGNAL computer. Once modem will be dedicated for dial-in (to view real-time data or modify schedules) and the other for receiving alarms/exceptions.

Issue I/A Series G3 graphic pages can be displayed in a web browser but any graphic images on the page are not rendered properly or are rendered as blank after the Java version is updated to Java 7 Update 65 or later. The issue may not immediately appear but generally appears after navigating between various pages containing graphic images. This issue is most apparent when the user is logged in to the I/A Series G3 system via a WB profile. Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series G3 systems of any release. Cause Java language issue Resolution If the I/A Series G3 graphics server is running I/A Series G3 release 3.7.106, install the updates from the file Consolidated_Patches_3.7.106_SE_01222015.zip. If the I/A Series G3 graphics server is running I/A Series G3 release 3.8.37, install the updates from the file Consolidated_Patches_3.8.37_SE_01222015.zip. Updates for this issue in other I/A Series R2/G3 releases are not available.

Issue When attempting to upgrade the firmware in an MNB-1000, this error appears: "Error 7 updating firmware--cannot start bootloader". It appears like the MNB-1000 is running for a short period and then resetting. Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series MNB 1000 Cause On occasion, activity on the MSTP trunk will cause this error. Resolution Access the MNB-1000 and disable the MSTP trunk. Attempt to upgrade the Plant controller again. Note: Use an IP connection to the MNB-1000 for the upgrade. Re-enable the MSTP trunk once the upgrade is complete.

Issue COV subscription links are being lost between MNB controllers Product Line TAC IA Series Environment MNB Controller Cause This is caused specifically by changing certain required link properties or by removing the objects that contain the link data. Resolution See TPA-RKFD-08-0001.00 "Avoid accidentally removing COV subscriptions (links) between MNB controllers" on The Exchange Download Center.

Issue Network 8000 HOST will not boot up, message "Unrecoverable error has occurred." In some cases where the HOST loses power or is shut down without exiting properly, it will not boot up, and displays the following series of messages: "Strong possibility that 3:/DMC.fmon / 011 has lost data. ** ERROR** In Shell call to fcompress to Routine error –1. ** ERROR** In Routine rebuild_fx_file error -14. ** ERROR** In Call to routine rebuild_db_file. ** ERROR** Unrecoverable error has occurred." Product Line TAC IA Series Environment Network 8000 Cause Host was not properly shut down. Resolution To correct the problem, login to the QNX operating system and perform the following steps. QNX commands are enclosed in angle brackets, < cmd >. Type just the command, not the brackets, followed by ENTER. See the HOST 8000 Troubleshooting Guide, F–26369, for more details on QNX commands and syntax. Check disk space, < files 3:/ >, note results, if less than 90% full, no problem. Check for busy files, < files 3:/ +b >, note results. Check for busy directories, < files 3:/ +d +b >, delete the 3:/tmp temporary directory, < zap 3:/tmp >. Should be prompted “file zapped”. Check the 3:/DMC.fmon directory, delete file new.f if it exists. Change directory, < cd DMC.fmon >. Verify change of directory, < pwd >,should be “3:/DMC.fmon” List contents of directory, < ls > ( lower-case L, not the number 1). Delete file new.f if it exists, < zap new.f >, should see “file zapped”. Delete the 011 file group, as follows: < zap 011.f >, should see “file zapped”. < zap 011.k >, should see “file zapped”. < zap 011.x >, should see “file zapped”. Verify file deletion, < ls > ; 011.f, 011.k, and 011.x should be gone. Recreate the 011 file group, as follows: < fconstruct 011 > < kconstruct 011 > Verify files have been rebuilt, < ls >; contents should include 011.f, 011.k, 011.x as well as the 021 and 054 files. Reboot the system, it should now boot all the way to the white Barber-Colman login screen.

Issue Which Modbus driver is required for a Niagara R2 UNC to support Modbus RTU RS-485? Product Line TAC IA Series Environment Niagara R2 UNC Modbus RTU RS-485 Cause The correct Modbus driver must be installed to allow communication between Niagara R2 and Modbus RTU RS-485. Resolution The Modbus drivers can be installed on the UNC-510-1 and UNC-520-2 models with a maximum supported baud rate of 19.2k for the UNC-510 and 76.8k for the UNC-520. The part numbers are: IA-DRV-MOD (master) IA-DRV-MOD-S (slave)

Issue The Viconics VT7600 (or SE7600 - Schneider-Electric brand) LON thermostat displays a network variable input (nviSetpoint) with both the Niagara R2 and Niagara G3 stations. It is not available on the thermostat's local display. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Expert, TAC IA Series Environment Viconics VT7600 SE7600 Niagara R2 Niagara G3 Cause Add nviSetpoint to a Niagara-based graphic, but it cannot be cross-checked on the local display.  This may add confusion to the end users. Resolution nviSetpoint is, by design, a network variable without local display access.  It is used to calculate the occupied heating and occupied cooling setpoints (in conjunction with the deadband).  The occupied heating and occupied cooling setpoint have local display access. Below is an excerpt from the Viconics LonWorks Integration Manual (page 😎 describing the function of nviSetpoint and how it works with deadband to create occupied heating and cooling setpoints: Parameter Variable Name Function Occupied Cool & Heat Setpoints network Input SNVT_temp_p nviSetpoint This input network variable is used to allow the occupied temperature setpoints only to be changed via the network from a single analog value. (Note: the Unoccupied setpoints are not changed.) The corresponding heating and cooling values are derived from the minimum deadband configuration value Default Null Value: 621.81°F (327.67°C or 0x7FFF) Ex. If the minimum deadband configuration value = 2°F and nviSetpoint = 70°F The resulting Occupied heating setpoint will equal 69°F which is derived from 70°F minus one half the minimum deadband configuration value of 2°F The resulting Occupied cooling setpoint will equal 71°F which is derived from 70°F plus one half the minimum deadband configuration value of 2°F

Issue Unable to access to JACE-645 via its Ethernet Port. The following is seen when connected to the JACE's Serial Shell. Product Line TAC I/A Series Environment JACE-645 (TRD-T-645) Cause The boot sector of the nand flash has become corrupt and/or the nand flash chip may have failed. Resolution The unit cannot be recovered in the field. The options are: An attempt can be made to re-image the unit but this may not be always successful. Contact Product Support for further details. Replace the unit. Refer to PA-00502 - End of Commercialization for JACE 600 and JACE 700 for replacement options.

Issue Is the I/A Series (Niagara) R2 WorkPlace Pro and Enterprise Server software compatible with the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system? Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series (Niagara) R2 software, any version (See specific version note in Resolution section) Microsoft Windows 7, all editions, 32-bit or 64-bit (See specific version note in Resolution section) Cause PCs upgraded to Windows 7 operating system. Resolution The I/A Series (Niagara) R2 software has not been certified for use with the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system. The I/A Series (Niagara) R2 releases 529 and 532 has been informally tested on the Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (32-bit) operating system, Windows 7 Professional (32-bit) XP-Mode and Windows 7 Professional (64-bit) XP-Mode.  No issues have been reported with the exception of R2 Niagara Application Tunneling.  The R2 Niagara Application Tunneling must be configured to run in "Silent Mode" when run in any Windows 7 environment.

Issue How many BACnet objects can a Niagara R2 UNC / Niagara G3 ENC station support? Product Line TAC IA Series Environment Niagara R2 UNC Niagara G3 ENC BACnet Cause Performance degradation will occur if exceed the BACnet objects quantity limits. Resolution A limit of 1500 applies to UNC BACnet point shadow objects and to ENC proxy points. This limit refers to all BACnet point shadow objects and proxy points, regardless of type (BACnet/MSTP, BACnet/IP, or BACnet/Ethernet). Exceeding this limit will result in degraded performance. For more information, review Appendix A of the MicroNet BACnet Wiring, Networking, and Best Practices Guide (F-27360).

Issue The I/A Series Tunnel clients fail when used on Windows 7 64-bit Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series R2 UNC I/A Series WorkPlace Tech 5.8.7 - current Cause Existing I/A Series R2 Tunnel Clients were not developed for use on Windows 7 64 bit and later Windows platforms Resolution The AxTunnelClients can now be used with the I/A Series R2 UNCs. The new I/A Series R2 jar files required are on The Exchange Download Center. For details see the release notes in the tunnelAx zip file. As noted in the release notes, new jar files have also been released to allow the use of the AxTunnel client for ibsASD and ibsMS serial tunneling. Those jar files are also in the same 532 files area. This is the TAC IA Series WorkPlace Tech VLon Tunnel - User Guide.  It supplies additional information about supported platforms and configurations

Issue Connection lines will not connect to some objects on the drawing, but will on other objects. The "Snap and Glue" feature was verified per Connecting lines in WorkPlace Tech stay red even when snapped to an object. Product Line TAC IA Series Environment WorkPlace Tech 5.x Windows XP SP3 Visio 2003 Visio 2007 Cause Objects are on the "back" layer. Resolution Select objects or complete drawing Right click Select Shape > "Bring to Front"

Issue When accessing an I/A Series G3 station via a web browser over an Ethernet connection, no login screen is displayed. The default home graphics page is displayed instead. Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series G3 station with web access Cause The station guest account is designed to allow web access to the station without the requirement for the user to log into the station.  When accessing the server station graphics via the web browser on the computer hosting the server station, the user credentials prompt is always displayed. When accessing the server station graphics via web browser from a different computer than the one hosting the station, no user credentials prompt will be displayed and the user will be automatically logged in and will have all rights defined for the Guest user account. Resolution Disable the "Guest" user account to prevent automatic login to the station via a web browser.