Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Sometimes when you add some LonWorks nodes in Vista Workstation under one Xenta Server, and click Edit on the Xenta Server to open Xbuilder, the content of Xbuilder doesn't update, and the ones in XBuilder and Workstation doesn't match. Environment Vista Workstation Xbuilder Cause The Xbuilder failed to update according to Workstation Resolution Right click on the "LON" under the Xenta Server in Xbuilder and click "Refresh network from TAC Vista". It will manually update the content in Xbuilder with Vista Workstation. Then Workstation and Xbuilder will match each other.

Issue How to monitor the State of a BACnet object to trigger an alarm when the object is manually disabled. Environment Continuum BACnet Controllers Cause User wants to have an alarm annunciated when someone disables a BACnet object such as an Input or Output. This is fairly simple to configure in the Infinity controllers but there does not seem to be the same functionality in the BACnet EventEnrollment configuration. Resolution The State attribute cannot be monitored directly from the EventEnrollment. You will need to create; (1) a Numeric and (2) a Plain English program that monitors the original object and sets the Numeric to the value of it's State attribute. numIn1State =  In1 state Then setup an EventEnrollment that monitors the Value of the numIn1State numeric and goes into alarm when it is off.

Issue When logging in, user sees error: "BC client Path from registry" If the error is acknowledged, everything works except for the Alarmview. Product Line TAC Vista Environment Vista Cause If a created user does not have access to the Alarmview when logging in, the error appears. Resolution Give the user access to view the Alarmview: Go to $Alarmview Right click on $Alarmview and choose "Authority" Give the user/group that has the problem at least read rights

Issue Satchwell IAC 600 controllers remain Offline when connected to the Xenta. Environment IAC 600 Xenta 555 Cause A Satchwell IAC 600 controller fitted with DDC253 firmware remain Offline when connected to the Xenta 555.  Resolution This firmware is not compatible with the Xenta 555 and must be replaced. As this DDC253 firmware was fitted into an IAC 600 with specific hardware, the firmware cannot be changed, therefore the controller must be replaced.

Issue DMO and SMO from SQL Environment DMO and SMO from SQL Cause A site which was running I/NET and StruxureWare Building Operation, and as required, I/NET is running as a service. The SQL DMO caused an issue with I/NET running as a service and interrupted the INET service. What is SMO and DMO DMO is part of SQL 2005 backwards compatibility. Which has to be installed when going to SQL 2008 to allow the old I/NET database to be imported. With SQL 2008 they now use SMO instead of DMO. You cannot remove DMO without creating a new data base.  Resolution I/NET SQL interface is based on DMO (Distributed Management Objects) so it will not work with SMO (Server Management Objects). That is the reason the backward compatibility must be installed.  Sites that are using a 64 Bit Workstation and 64 bit SQL then there is a 64 bit backward compatibility that should be installed. The 64 bit BCM is in the Support folder on the original install CD called SQLBCM_64Bit.

Issue Unable to find Modbus device on RS-485 line under an Automation Server. Environment Automation Server (AS) Modbus over serial line Cause Common wire is missing. Resolution Connect a common wire to the Shield connection on the COM port terminal

Issue Existing site with a MSC-NC and several MicroSmart controllers no longer communicates.   The user cannot view real-time data.  The MSC-NC is proven defective.  Can a UNC-520 be used in place of the MSC-NC?  There are two, separate MicroSmart trunks connected to the MSC-NC. Environment DMS Niagara R2 Cause Product failure and obsolescence Resolution Remove the MSC-NC and replace it with the UNC-520 running a station with two MicroSmart Services - one per physical controller trunk.

Issue Does Schneider Electric support the Niagara Andover Infinity Driver? Environment Niagara Infinity Driver Infinet Drivers Cause Unable to get Andover Infinity Driver working. Resolution The Andover Infinity Driver was created by and for Tridium.  Schneider Electric do not sell nor support this driver and all enquiries should be referred to Tridium.

Issue How many events can be saved in the Enterprise server version 1.4.1? Environment StruxureWare 1.4.1. Cause The number of events which could be saved in 1.4.0 was 200 000 which some customers have thought is too few. Resolution The number of events which can be saved in the ES version 1.4.1 is increased to 1,5 million.

Issue Restore of SQL Database fails with error message - "The media set has 2 media families but only 1 are provided. All members must be provided.". Environment Continuum Microsoft SQL Cause When the Database was backed up it was setup as a "striped" backup across a number of files. See MSDN article below that explains this in detail. http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/sqlserver/en-US/abf50e00-c9b0-4809-9e61-43ed8a53e968/the-media-set-has-2-media-families-but-only-1-are-provided?forum=sqltools Resolution Either provide all of the files in the backup set or perform another backup of the database making sure to remove all existing files and selecting a new one.

Issue How does the controller-resident schedule work in a Revision 11.x MicroSmart controller? Environment MicroSmart controllers revision 11.x and 10.x Cause Main DMS panel and/or NC panel were removed. Resolution With the loss of schedule control from the DMS or NC, each controller has two built-in schedules numbered 1 and 2. The Start/Stop point requiring a schedule can be assigned either one of these schedules followed by a letter A or letter B. Letter A stands for 'always' and letter B for 'backup'. With no DMS or NC present, enter the schedule as 1/A or 2/A.  Assign 'off' and 'on' times as required. Remove any reference to a DMS or NC schedule number (i.e. set it to a value of 00). 

Issue Analog inputs on a MicroSmart controller are all reading a negative value. Environment MicroSmart controllers (all versions) Cause Hardware issue or sensor failure Resolution If the connected sensor is a RTD, a negative reading reflects an electrical short somewhere between the controller and the sensor.  Note that a high positive reading reflects an electrical open circuit. If the connected sensor is a 4-20 mA device, it typically reads a high positive value which reflects an electrical open circuit.

Issue The drop down menu to select WorkPlace Tech help manuals does not function in Internet Explorer 11. Environment WorkPlace Tech 5.8.6 Internet Explorer 11 Cause Internet Explorer changes how they handle compatibility mode for websites and webpage used to access the help files requires updating in a new version of WorkPlace Tech. Resolution Use one of the following options to access the help files Access them directly by going to the folder they are stored. On a Windows 7 (64 bit) operating system this is C:\Program Files (x86)\WorkPlace Tech\Help by default. Modify the index.htm, BACnet.htm, LON.htm, search.htm, Sensors.htm, and Software.htm files found in the C:\Program Files (x86)\WorkPlace Tech\Help\bin directory. Add the following line in front of the first "meta http-equiv=" line:   <meta content="IE=EmulateIE8" http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" />   <meta content="IE-EmulateIE8" http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" />

Issue Font size is very large in Xenta Server and Webstation TGMLs, both in the web interface and when viewing from Vista Text in TGML graphics is too large, it word wraps when it shouldn't Environment TAC Xenta 700 TAC Xenta 511 TAC Xenta 527 TAC Xenta 555 TAC Vista TAC Vista Webstation Cause Windows Font Size is set to more than 100%. It has been found set to 125% as default on some PCs. Resolution In Windows 7 and 2008 Server: Goto Control Panel -> Appearance --> Display Click "Smaller - 100%" option and then apply settings The font in TGMLs should now display normally

Issue Is it possible to acknowledge an alarm from a third party HMI? Environment StruxureWare Building Operation Cause The only way to acknowledge an alarm in SmartStruxure is via the Workstation/Webstation or EcoStruxure Web Service. Resolution The only way to acknowledge an alarm in SmartStruxure from a third party HMI is via EcoStruxure Web Service.

Issue How often is a SNVT in a Lon device polled if an StruxureWare Building Operation alarm monitors that variable? What happens if a shunt variable is used - is the polling rate still the same? Environment Lon Device StruxureWare Building Operation Cause Alarms are to monitor SNVTs in a Lon device put polling may overload the network. Resolution An alarm monitoring a SNVT will be polled every 100 ms. If a shunt variable is then activated the pollrate will drop to 5 000 000 ms. This can be seen in the variable manager: Go to Server 1/System/Modules/RuntimeDBManager/VariableManager/Variables in Workstation Locate the variable in question and ensure that the Imposed Pollrate column is shown.

Issue Is the Niagara G3 Andover Infinity driver compatible with the NetController II (Model CX 9680)? Environment Niagara G3 any version Cause Site has a trunk of NetController II controllers Resolution The driver was never tested with the NetController II.

Issue What SNVT_temp_p value in the AS local node is required to force an MNL controller to fallback to a Not Active (NA) condition?  The AS station is configured to use degrees Fahrenheit and standard SNVT_temp_p definition uses degrees Celsius. Environment StruxureWare Building Operation Cause SNVT_temp_p is defined by the standard as a degrees Celsius temperature with a range of - 273.17 to + 327.66 Deg C (0.01 Deg C).  A value of 327.67 Deg C (0x7FFF) will cause the MNL controller to fallback to an NA condition.  The AS station is configured to use degrees Fahrenheit the value must be entered in Deg F. Resolution Sending a Not Active (NA) To write SNVT values, one is to write from programming logic to the local node out of the mirrored network variable to the controller SNVT.  Example: Mirrored variable, local node -> Vav??? -> nvoSetpoint, writes to VAV??? nviSetpoint [MNL-V2RV3] Go to the local node Find the nvoSetpoint Expand to Temperature value Right-click and select Properties Under Basic tab, General Information Section, Limit Section, locate the Invalid value Use the following value for NA in your programming [for SNVT_temp_p it is 621.81]

Issue Are the V211T, V222, V292 valves suitable in a system containing 28% bio ethanol? Environment V211T V222 V292 Cause Application requirement on content. Resolution With a content of only 28%, the valves should work just fine. Cast iron is not ideal, but it works fine. Stem packing materials are EPDM and teflon, and they will also work fine with this content.

Issue Receiving an 550 Unable to relay alarm in StruxureWare Building Operation alarm list when sending an alarm via email. Environment StruxureWare Building Operation Enterprise Server 1.4.0.4020 Cause The SMTP email server restricted sending to external email addresses Resolution Contact the IT department to resolve configuration. Until resolves restrict email messages to email addresses on the SMTP server.