Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Need to know the rules and limitations of Continuum login user's password.  Environment Continuum Cyberstation Cause Need to know the rules and limitations of setting the password when creating Continuum login users. Resolution Continuum login passwords are used to secure the User account. A password is a case-sensitive character string that may contain letters, numbers, symbols, and spaces. Control characters, Alt-modified characters, and function keys are not allowed. Passwords can be a maximum of 16 characters. Note: When logging onto a Continuum workstation, the user must enter the alias of the User object that has been created for him (not Full Name) and a password. The alias is created when you name an object in the New dialog box. If the user fails to provide the correct alias/password combination, Continuum denies access.

Issue The message: WARNING: past fox.maxServerSessions limit: 100” WARNING [10:11:17 18-Jan-12 EST][fox] Closing session [1713201: Server 10.10.10.10:63818 doesn't match opened session [null]. How can the Max Server Session count be increased?   Environment Niagara G3, ENC-410, ENC-520, ENS Cause The Max Server Connection property limits the number of server connections that are allowed on the local station. When the maximum number of connections is reached, any successive attempts to logon to the station will fail. The default setting is 100 sessions. Resolution Right-click NiagaraNetwork of the local station and select Views and Property Sheet. Expand Fox Service. Increase Max Server Sessions count. Click the Save button to save change.  

Issue How to read a controller error log Environment CX 9680 ACX 57xx BCX 9640 BCX 4040 i2 controllers B3 controllers Cause Need to decipher a controller error log Resolution Deciphering the controller error log can be accomplished by using a few of the fields of the error log. There is one field that is able to be deciphered very easily. The Error Code column of the error log is a code that can be matched to its text description. The other fields are used internally by PSS and engineering. To find out what one of the entries in an Error Code column means, open up the Continuum online help file. The Continuum online help file can be found by in the Continuum Explorer by selecting the menu item Help/Contents. From there select the Index tab and type in the keyword Error. A selection will be available for Error messages, Cyberstation. On this page you will be able to take the last 4 digits of the Error Code from the controller error log and match it up to its description. Example: Error Code  0x00001401 translated into decimal form would be 5121 The error code will be listed by both the hex and decimal format. Not all codes will be in the online Error description fields. Some of these codes are internal use only. If you find that you need a code deciphered, please open a case with Product Support.

Issue I/A Series G3 alarms acknowledgement via a SMS sent from a mobile device Environment I/A Series G3 version 3.5 or later Cause The ability to acknowledge alarms via a text SMS message sent from a mobile device is required. Resolution The SmsAlarmAcknowledger component (I/A Series G3 version 3.5 and later) provides a way for users to acknowledge alarms by sending a reply to a text message alarm notification. This component is available in the Sms palette. More details can be found in the section 'About the Sms Alarm Acknowledger' on pages 5-22 and 5-23 of the Niagara Ax 3.5 User Guide or the Niagara Ax 3.6 User Guide. The Niagara Ax User Guide is included with the installation of the I/A Series G3 ENS software if you have chosen to install documentation during the setup (\niagara\niagara-3.x.xx\docs\docUser).  

Issue When starting the XentaErrorLogViewer on a PC running Windows 7, the program will not start, instead you got a message saying: Component 'MSCOMM32.OCX' or one of its dependencies not correctly registered: a file is missing or invalid. Environment Microsoft Windows 7 TAC Xenta XentaErrorLogViewer version 3.87-01B or lower. Cause In Microsoft Windows 7, the file 'MSCOMM32.OCX' needs higher authority to run,. Resolution Under Microsoft Windows 7, you need to right click on the executable and select "Run as Administrator", This has only to be done the first time the software is run.  

Issue The error diagnostic properties provided by the "diag" object are not defined anywhere. Environment I/A Series (Niagara) UNC ENC Cause These properties are present in the controller but were not shown at the GCM level and were deemed not necessary in diagnosing issues with the controller. Resolution Below are what the unnamed error properties represent: error8 [err8] - Real time Clock (RTC) installed error16 [err16] - RTC invalid error32 [err32] - Database is being downloaded error64 [err64] - Block frozen, will not run (not running) error512 [ err512] - Enhanced MZII hardware error1024 [ err1024] - not assigned error2048 [err2048] - not assigned

Issue Can ping the controller and access the controllers configuration webpage but cannot bring the controller online in Continuum. Environment BCX9640 Cause Windows Firewall is on Resolution Disable firewall.

Issue Some modbus device documentation indicate that there are 6 digits in a register to obtain certain information Environment Continuum Xdriver Modbus Cause The Modbus xdriver only allows for 5 digits  Resolution The modbus range is from 0-65535, so 6 digits is too large Some PLCs used the 40,000 and 30,000 notation which embeds the function code in the address. For example: 30,001= function code 4 start address 0 30,234= function code 4 start address 233 40,001= function code 3 start address 0

Issue I want to request a license for a new customer installation of the WorkPlace Tech Tool version 5.8 but the license request program only shows WP-TECH-50, not WP-TECH-58. Environment WorkPlace Tech Tool release 5.8 Cause Change in license part numbers. License Product Code now specifies the major version number only.  This was done to simplify the process of making the determination of when a license upgrade (WP-TECH-xxU) is required. This change was made as part of the license file change made to allow for up to fifteen consecutive 365-day expiring licenses. Resolution The license product code WP-TECH-50 will unlock any customer installation of the WorkPlace Tech Tool software, releases 5.x.x. i.e., where the first digit of the release number is 5.

Issue On a new Xenta 527 with software version 5.1.7, the LON communication light flashes indicating that it is looking for a LON connection. Environment All Xenta 527-NPR used for I/Net communications. Cause The Xenta 527-NPR is not a LON communication but since it is running on the same hardware as the Xenta 527 Webserver, Xenta 731 and Xenta 913. Resolution This application does not affect anything on the I/Net side therefore it can be disregarded. Mainly the device is looking to be commissioned and since it does not have a project in it, it will continue to flash red periodically.

Issue The Vadsbo plug in transformer series is no longer available through Schneider Electric.  Environment Vadsbo transformer Cause Replacing product that was formerly included in product portfolio. Resolution No replacement product is currently listed. Replacement purchase needs to be done locally.

Issue TAC Vista does not handle network addresses Environment TAC Vista Cause When you used LNS in older version of TAC Vista there was a checkbox in in the network object that had to be unchecked so that TAC Vista would not overwrite address table information and address information when downloading application. This setting is still there and if you have a upgraded system sometimes this is left unchecked. Resolution Hold down ctrl-shift and select properties on the network object. Check the checkbox "ADDRMGMT"

Issue Running a trend report on extended log data, only the first objects trend data is displayed. Environment Continuum CyberStation Trend Report Cause The default of the maximum number of values is 100 when a trend report is selected. . Resolution  Make the maximum number of values 10000 and it should bring in all the data when selecting trend.

Issue Need to connect xPModule away from the b3/i2 controllers. Need to know what is the maximum distance it can be installed using a ribbon cables. Environment Infinet II (i2) or BACnet (b3) families: i2/b3 920, i2/b3 810, i2/b3 814, i2/b3 850, i2/b3 851, or i2/b3 853. The bCX1 Controller/Router models. Cause There is a limitation of the length of the cable being used. Resolution Either the 3-foot or 10-foot ribbon cable can be used.  A total of 10 feet of cable may be used for all Expansion Modules.

Issue The PIN attribute of personnel objects has some limitations on visibility since it is considered sensitive information, this is the reason why Personnel PINs  do not show up in the personnel editor (it shows as ****) or List views. Environment CyberStation Cause Function as designed. Resolution One way to generate a report that shows all personnel objects PIN is to create a CyberStation program that prints the PIN to a file (or some other print destination) The following is a sample of a Looping CyberStation program that accomplishes the above. -------------------------------- Numeric CNT, OK File NEWDATA Object thePerson OPENINGFILE:   OK = OpenFile("C:\Temp\ALLPINS2.TXT", WriteOnly, NEWDATA)   If OK = Failure then Goto ENDING Else Goto PRINTTOFILE PRINTTOFILE:   OpenList("Personnel", thePerson, Root)   While GetObject(thePerson) is Success     Print thePerson PIN to NEWDATA   Endwhile CloseList(thePerson)   Goto CLOSINGFILE CLOSINGFILE:   OK = CloseFile(NEWDATA)   If OK = Failure then Print "CANNOT CLOSE TEXT FILE" else goto ENDING ENDING:   Stop --------------------------------

Issue Needs to replace older actuator on V282 valves that are still working. Environment Forta V282 V294 V384 V386 V394 V298 Cause Replacing old actuators on valves that are still in good working condition. Resolution The Forta series actuators are direct replacements, with the exception of DN15 valves.

Issue Boilers do not operate when HWS output is on. Environment Drayton DC 1100 DC 1400 Boilers not working HWS Hot water Cause "Boiler Linked" has not been selected in the menu setup. Resolution By default the controller does not have the "Boiler Linked" option set. Set the rotary switch to "Set". In the display menu structure choose; "System Menus" "Alter Settings" Enter the pass number of 0112 and press enter. "Hot Water" "Link Option" Choose the "Linked Option". Return the rotary switch back to "Auto"

Issue Where is the information on LVIS Display/Screen Environment Lon Bacnet Loytec LVIS L-VIS L-VIS Touch Panel for BACnet networks   Cause Information on Loytec L-VIS Resolution The L-VIS from Loytec uses bacnet MSTP or LON. See Product Announcement - LonWorks and BACnet Touch Panels release for more information. All support for this product is via Loytec

Issue Does not want to create his application from scratch if there are application templates available. Environment MNL series of standard LON controllers (MNL-50, 100, 110, 130, 150, 200, V1R, V2R, V3R series). Cause Wants to start with a pre-engineered application if one is available. Resolution Download WPT Micronet Applications Library v4.0.zip. Extract the files to the Solutions folder in WPT.

Issue Importing an existing Xbuilder project into a Vista Database. Environment XBuilder Vista Workstation Cause Site moving from Xenta Server only to Vista Server Front End Resolution Open your existing Xbuilder Project Select Project>Settings check the box labeled "Send Project backup file to target device" Click OK Press F11 to Sent the project file to target. Once this process is complete you will be able to recover the project file Open Vista workstation. Create a Xenta Server Right-click and edit the Xenta Server XBuilder will open Configure the Xenta servers IP and password information to match the existing device Select Project>Get From Target XBuilder will import the project files from the field device In XBuilder click on Vista Database and chose "Save As..." and browse down to the Xenta Server and click "Select" Click "OK" to the message "The LonWorks network in your XBuilder project will be replaced by the LonWorks network under the Xenta Server in Vista." In Vista, click on Refresh to refresh the Xenta Server