Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Sample PE program for setting attributes on all objects of a given class in a controller. Environment ALL CX Controllers. Cause The following PE program is a sample of a program that sets the site codes on ALL the doors found in the controller upon the controller power up. Resolution 'This program sets the site codes on all the doors in this controller 'Program is autostart and fallthru 'Program is triggered by the MINUTE system variable '12/16/2011 Abe Meran 'Sample program Datetime LastStartUp Object theDoor INIT:   LastStartUp = PowerUpTime   Goto WAIT1 WAIT1:   If PowerUpTime > LastStartUp then Goto RESET_SITE_CODE RESET_SITE_CODE:   OpenList("Door", theDoor)   While GetObject(theDoor) is Success     If theDoor Site1 = 0 then theDoor Site1 = 1     If theDoor Site2 = 0 then theDoor Site2 = 2     If theDoor Site3 = 0 then theDoor Site3 = 3     If theDoor Site4 = 0 then theDoor Site4 = 4   Endwhile   CloseList(theDoor)   Goto WAIT1 E:   CloseList(theDoor)   Goto WAIT1 Here is another example of a program residing in a CX that sets the site codes on all the doors of all the ACXs under the CX Object theACX Object theDoor Number OK If OpenList("InfinetCtlr", theACX) is Success then   While GetObject(theACX) is Success     If OpenList("Door", theDoor, theACX) is Success then       While GetObject(theDoor) is Success         theDoor Site1 = 1111         theDoor Site2 = 2222         theDoor Site3 = 3333         theDoor Site4 = 4444       Endwhile     CloseList(theDoor)     Endif   Endwhile Endif Goto 2 2:   CloseList(theACX)   CloseList(theDoor) Stop

Issue What is the point capacity of a DMS-3500?  How can it be found on a "live" system? Environment DMS-3500 Cause Adding an air-handling system to an existing DMS installation.  The point capacity of the existing DMS-3500 is required to identify how much free capacity remains for the additional programming.  Resolution A DMS-3500 has a 250 point capacity. Using OPRIF 11.x, connect to the DMS-3500 and follow the steps below to determine the actual point count on an installed system: From any screen, press F8 to enter command mode. Type CANCL (then Enter) to view the first point in the database. Type PNTID (then Enter) to view the first point's point name.  To the left of the point name is a three-digit number.  It should read 001 since it is the first point in the database. Press the F5 key which will display the last point in the system.  The three-digit number to the left of the point name will indicate a value between 001 and 250.

Issue PE program that locks a door getting disabled with error "Unable to lock door while timed unlock is in effect" or "Unable to lock door while permanent unlock is in effect" Environment CyberStation CX9780 ACX5720 ACX5740 Cause Door has been timed unlock. When a door is unlocked via the PermanentUnlock flag or the Timed Unlock attribute, PE programs are not allowed to re-lock the door. Resolution From the command line print the permanent unlock attribute of the door, if attribute is true re-set it to false. The name of the attribute is PermanentUnlock From the command line print the timed unlock attribute of the door, if attribute is > 0 re-set it to 0 The name of the attribute is TimeUnlock Add a line E to the program to keep it from getting disabled.

Issue Get "service not implemented" message when downloading Menta application from Vista. Environment TAC Vista 5.1.X Menta application downloaded via Vista Cause A programming error in the Menta application has occurred. Resolution Check the Menta application - start with the last added block and check for calculation errors etc, e.g. Division by 0 in a calculation.

Issue When a User logs on to Cyberstation a Graphic can be added to a User to open at logon, can this be done for webClient? Environment Cyberstation webClient Cause The Graphic selected in a User opens on Cyberstation, but does not through webClient logon. Resolution In the User configuration/ Security tab there is a "Default Web Object" field. Select the required graphic panel in this field and when you log on through a webClient browser session this graphic will automatically open.

Issue Alarm and alert counts indicate unknown when attempting to directly view the I/A Series R2 UNC alarm summary through the browser.  Attempting to view the alarm details generates the following error. The requested information could not be retrieved from the database. HTTP/1.1 200 OK Content-Type: text/html charset=UTF-8 Expires: Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:36:06 GMT Pragma: no-cache Cache-Control: no-store Server: Niagara Web Server/1.1 Niagara-Release: 2.301.522.v1 Niagara-ffs: true Connection: close Environment I/A Series R2 UNC Cause Changes to archiveMode are not dynamic Resolution The URL you enter to access the alarm summary is http:// /alarm         (where is the IP address of the UNC) Verify that the notification service archiveMode is configured to archive_local_no_SQL.  Note: This change is not dynamic.  A reboot of the UNC will be required.  Failure to reboot the UNC will cause the error noted above.

Issue All Card Readers on a DPU are not working.  Messaging is not working, but able to release door points manually. Environment DPU 7920 - non-mipped DPU 7910 7793 Cause The DPUs and 7910 have limited memory resources for storing access control data.  If the system tries to allocate to much space for card data then the doors will not work properly. Resolution Option 1 Upgrade Hardware to SCU 1284s. You may also need to upgrade to a 7798C. Option 2 Reduce memory allocation to the door. Backup the Database to function as a restore Point Select Access>Individuals Modify a tenant's individuals Note the range of individual numbers. (lowest number and highest number) Close windows Select Access>Tenants Modify the tenant Change the number of individuals allocated to the lowest possible value Repeat these steps on all Tenants Perform an SLI restore and DPU restore on affected controllers Test badges. (the key difference to look for is the restoration of AMT messaging)

Issue Does the IA-SMART (Workplace Pro Utilities) product have updated documentation? Environment Niagara R2 Cause Datasheet on hand is from 2006. Resolution This product was developed and is supported by Smartware Technologies.  It is only sold through Schneider-Electric.  Visit http://web.smartwaretech.com/ for all the latest documentation and support files.

Issue Will NC2/ACX2 controller warm or cool start after its IP address is changed from the configuration web page? or is it the case that the controller must be reloaded? Environment CX9640 CX9680 ACX5720 ACX5740 Cause Function as designed Resolution Changing the IP address or ACCNetId of a 9640/9680 or ACX5720/40 invalidates the backup in the controller's flash memory. Controller will have to be reloaded from CyberStation after it re-starts.

Issue During extremely high levels of network traffic Ethernet controllers are going offline. Product Line Andover Continuum Environment The following controller versions and above: bCX1 Firmware V4.500065 bCX1-INF Firmware V1.200021 Netcontroller CX9900 V1.530026 Netcontroller II V2.100027 ACX57xx V1.100027 Cause Although the above firmware versions (and higher) all contain a fix to stop the controllers resetting due to excessive traffic levels in a broadcast storm (LAN Errors), they can still be seen to go offline even though they no longer reset and lose their data. Resolution If a controller detects a broadcast storm and receive excessive data traffic that fills up its buffers, then the controller may turn off their receiver to protect themselves and ensure that they do not reset. By doing this it allows the controller to continue controlling and running PE programs as well as retaining the data in the RAM memory. When the storm stops or data traffic levels reduce enough for normal communication to continue, then the controllers will come back online and communicate again to the Workstations and other Ethernet level controllers. Note: A broadcast storm can be generated by incorrect BBMD configuration, i.e. more than 1 device set as a BBMD in one subnet can cause a storm to occur.

Issue Can the xPUI4 and xPDI8 expansion modules be configured in CyberStation to have the supervised ElecType? Environment xPUI4 xPDI8 xPUI-4 xPDI-8 Cause Can the xPUI4 and xPDI8 be used for supervised inputs? Resolution The xPUI4 can be configured with supervised inputs. The xPDI8 cannot be configured with supervised inputs. Note: For UL1076 listed security systems, the xPUI4 Expansion Module inputs must be configured as Supervised. Note: The xPDI8 Expansion Module does not support supervised inputs and cannot be used in UL1076 installations.  The above notes come from Document # 30-3001-504 UL 294 Access Control and UL 1076 Proprietary Burglar Alarm Systems Reference If using an ACX or bCX controller the xPBD4 and xPBA4 modules may also be used for supervised inputs, these are not compatible with the i2 or b3 controllers.

Issue How to re-create the default objects such as default list views and alarm enrollments. Environment CyberStation Cause Not known cause Resolution Run the Continuum database initialization utility then go to the server or stand alone tab (depending on your configuration). Tick the Create Default List Views check box and/or any of the other check boxes that create default objects. Make sure the Update Existing Database is selected in the create or update group. Click Continue to update the database and create the default objects.

Issue After reading a valid card on a reader a Deny Entry Select message is displayed in AMT. Environment I/NET Seven and Access Control. Cause The reason for this is because the door that the card is being read on does not have a time selected for it to be granted access. Resolution Click on Access/Tenants and verify that the Tenant does in fact access to that door. Click on Access/Individuals and modify the person who owns the card Select Doors and when the Editor comes up, scroll over to the door in question, double click and the Time Schedules comes up Select the schedule that is appropriate and hit okay and close out the editor Read that card again and it should grant access now.

Issue Can a supervised input be mapped from a b3 and/or an i2 controller up to a numeric in a BCX?   Environment i2  b3 bCX Cause A project will require some supervised inputs on b3 and/or i2 controllers. Can these points be mapped to a bCX? Resolution Be aware that only certain b3 and i2 controllers support the supervised input type. Supervised inputs on these controllers can be mapped via a Plain English program to an InfinityNumeric in a bCX (or other applicable network level controllers). On a v1.93 system with a bcx9640 we mapped a supervised input on an i2800. The InfinityNumeric editor displayed all three supervised states: On, Off, and Trouble.

Issue The heating and/or cooling outputs do not work when the TAC Xenta 121-HP is configured as a slave controller. Environment TAC Xenta 121-HP versions up to 1.25 Cause If the device is configured as a slave, heating and cooling is dependent upon the isolation valve value. If there is no isolation valve configured, the heating and cooling outputs will be blocked. Resolution The isolation valve needs to be configured regardless of whether it exists or not in order to make the heating and cooling outputs work.

Issue TAC Menta, Changing name on a HFB I/O-block in a HFB removes the connections Environment TAC Menta Hierarchal Function Block (HFB) Cause Then a HFB IO-block is renamed, it loses its connection to other blocks. Resolution Disconnect the connections from the HFB IO-output Place the connection next to the HFB block Rename the output of the HFB Re-connect the HFB IO-output.

Issue Recommended method for replacing an MR-VAV-AX controller. Where to get ASC Parameters for the new device. Environment I/NET software all versions MR-VAV-AX controller Cause An MR-VAV-AX needs to be replaced on an existing VAV box. Resolution The ideal way to change an MR-VAV-AX or similar would be to use an airflow hood to calibrate when the device must be changed. However, if no airflow hood is available, see the options below: Obtain the ASC parameters of the existing MR before removing the device from service. Re-use the original settings. If these values cannot be recovered, then ask the customer for the original drawings or T&B reports on the device in an effort to properly establish correct duct diameter and total airflow. Rarely is this information readily available at the time of the change. Without such info, an estimation will have to be made. A rule of thumb is: 250 CFM per diffuser and an eyeball estimate of the duct diameter The pickup factor is left at factory default (3) or compared to other similar devices and an average of other pickup factors is used. For setting CHF, base it on the above estimate of 250 CFM per diffuser and make sure that the box just reaches 100% damper at the maximum airflow it is physically capable of at the AHU's normal static CLF is an estimate based on the use of the space and the temperature needs of the occupants. CLF is about 10% of the CHF.

Issue The PWM Transducer is responding as though it is receiving a continuous signal from I/NET ASC Environment I/NET software all versions Any I/NET ASC Cause The triac device on the ASC does not totally drop the voltage to zero (0V), thus the PWM input never sees a pulse. Resolution Install a 0.47µF capacitor between the input and ground terminals of the PWM transducer. It will take the bleed voltage to zero and the transducer will see a pulse value.

Issue A memory failure message in AMT for a DPU or SCU Controller When presenting a valid key card to a door reader, the LED on the SCU turns Green but the relay does not fire.  The relay can be controlled manually via the workstation in some instances. Environment I/NET Door Controllers  Cause This memory failure message is generated when the DPUs or SCUs do not have sufficient voltage supplied to the board. This can either be a bad 24 VAC Transformer or from a gel cell battery. In most cases if there is a battery backup of the controller, the gel cell battery has had a deep discharge applied to it. The charging circuit on the controller cannot recover the battery to its proper charge value. Even if there is a good voltage value from the transformer, the charging circuit load is so great, it restricts the main board of the necessary voltage to keep the RAM alive. Resolution Remove the two wires from the controller that go to the gel cell battery. Get a replacement battery as soon as possible.

Issue Reload fails during the programs portion with an error message similar to: Unable to reload attributes. OMS database is currently unavailable, backing up. Environment i2 bCX NC2 Cause A flash backup PE program is set to autostart. As soon as that program loads, it will start to perform a flash backup and any PE programs that have not loaded will not load and the reload will terminate. Resolution Make sure any programs set to automatically backup a controller cannot do so until after a reload is complete.