Building Automation Knowledge Base

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.

Issue Open a graphics, all the objects' value display normally, when there is a  power cycle on the controller which the objects resided., the graphics will  not poll the objects' value, unless reopen the graphics or move to design mode then go back to run mode. Environment BCX1 b3s Cyberstation 1.94 SQL express 2005 + Windows 7 SQL server 2008 R2 +Windows server 2008 SP2 Cause Controller is in a heavily workload condition, the scan value reaches to high value Write value to the point under another controller but the controller is offline or there is some communication failure, although the scan is low but the program not work Resolution Delete or disable the program Modify the program to make sure the scan value is not greater than 1

Issue On a DMS jobsite, Operator Interface (OPRIF) does not display the MicroSmart controllers on the screen.  There are a dozen controllers and they are confirmed as communicating to the DMS but they do not appear in the controller list in OPRIF. Environment OPRIF DMS MicroSmart Cause In OPRIF, the MicroSmart controller list displays 32 controllers per screen and it reserves spaces even if that controller address does not exist on the jobsite. If the controller addresses begin with number 33, then the first screen will appear as blank.  However, the second screen will list controllers 33 to 65. Resolution Use the Page Down and Page Up buttons to move back and forth between controller lists 1-32 and 33-65.

Issue After configuring an XDriver point, clicking the refresh button on the editor results in an error "Invalid system enumeration" and no value response from the Slave device. Environment BCX1 Cyberstation 1.9X Modbus RTU Cause There is a register number shift (+1 or -1) some equipment uses. The registers listed in the manual do not actually exist. Resolution Add a register number shift (+1 or -1) to the register number listed in the manual.

Issue An "Invalid Pointer" error message is displayed when attempting to open an existing project in the WorkPlace Tech Tool software. Environment WorkPlace Tech Tool release 5.x.x Cause The WorkPlace Tech Tool project database file (project-name.wtp) is missing or is corrupted. Resolution Use the WorkPlace Tech Tool software to recreate the project and reassociate the applications with the project. Navigate to the project folder using Windows Explorer. If the a .wtp project database file is present, rename the file, by adding .save to the end of the existing .wtp file name, for example, rename My_Project.wtp to My_Project.wtp.save Close Windows Explorer. Open WorkPlace Tech but do not open the project. Under the WPT Project Menu, select New Specify the name of the project. Use the same name as the existing project folder. Using my example from step 2, you would create the project named My_Project In the displayed "Add Application to Project From..." window, select the "Unassigned File" tab. All existing applications for that project will appear in the list. Select them all by holding down the [Ctrl] key on your keyboard and clicking on each file shown in the list. Click the [OK] button at the bottom of the window to add all the selected applications to the newly created project. Exit from the Workplace Tech Tool software. When you reopen this project, all applications should be shown and any of them should open properly.

Issue How many SQL client licenses to run SQL if SQL 2008 is used to run Report Server? When Report Server is installed, is there a connection between SQL and the Enterprise Server. Environment Report Server Licensing Cause Licenses must be purchased for supporting software (OS, SQL, etc). Resolution Because SQL and Report Server have to be running on the same machine, there is only one sequel user that requires licensing.  There is no connection between the Enterprise Server and SQL when Report Server is installed.

Issue Unable to log into Reports Server after upgrade Environment Reports Server Cause The Enterprise Server Address must be correctly entered in the required fields during the upgrade. If this is left as the default, the application will not function correctly. Resolution Browse to the SE.SBO.WebReports.Installer that was used for your original upgrade attempt. Right click on this and select "Run as administrator" In the Setup Type select the Upgrade option Follow the Prompts and be sure to enter the correct site information Under the Reporting Agent Section change the Enterprise Server URL to the correct Enterprise Server location and port. You may need to verify this on the ES PC. Complete the installation and attempt to log into web reports again.

Issue Support is required for Merten switches and Merten KNX products Environment Schneider Electric Merten products Cause Merten products are not supported by Buildings PSS Resolution Information on Merten Products can be found on their website: http://www.merten.com/ Contact details are at: http://www.merten.com/Customer-service.100.0.html For Technical Support email: tsc-wiehl@schneider-electric.com (Old email: infoline.merten@schneider-electric.com) For pricing information and ordering Merten products please contact your local Customer Care Centre (CCC).

Issue What is the difference between Crompton and Modbus? Environment IC3-Modbus IC-Modbus Cause Adding Modbus slave devices to a network that have Crompton devices and the IC Modbus is set to Crompton. Resolution The IC Modbus when set to MODbus reads 16bit registers separately. It can add 2 consecutive 16 bit registers together to make a 32 bit word. The IC Modbus when set to Crompton reads a single 32 bit register. Crompton uses 32 bit registers. Therefore Modbus and Crompton slave devices cannot be mixed on the same IC Modbus network.

Issue The thermostat appears to be in OFF mode and can't be cycled through the modes as indicated by the manufacturer's directions.   Environment Venstar T2700, VST2700 thermostats for red-wire control connected physically to a controller Cause It seems that the polarity of the dry contact was set to the default Normally Open (NO) state. Using the Venstar EZ-Programmer to apply the correct settings for use with an occupancy point did not overwrite the polarity of the Venstar's dry contact, but did overwrite the Dry Contact Operation. Also, by wiring everything up first, we did not power up the thermostat to change the mode before it got the closed dry contact command from the BAS. So when we did power everything up, the dry contact was closed, but the thermostat understood that this was an "unoccupied" command since it was still set to NO. Even though the security settings allowed the mode to be changed, when Dry Contact Operation is enabled, the mode can only be changed in occupied mode. When the thermostat goes unoccupied, it stays in whatever mode it was in previously, and controls to the unoccupied setpoints. By not realizing that the EZ Programmer didn't overwrite the polarity, we assumed the dry contact operation and polarity were correct and a closed dry contact would enable the occupied mode.   Resolution This issue can be resolved by powering up the thermostat before connecting the dry contact relay and changing the mode to "auto". If already wired, make sure the dry contact polarity is set to Normally Closed (NC) and Dry Contact Operation is "Yes". Then the modes can be cycled while occupied. < acc0432manualrev1.pdf="" manuals="" support="" www.venstar.com="">

Issue SmartStruxure with I/A Series Micronet BACnet (MNB) controllers Environment SmartStruxure version 1.4 and earlier I/A Series Micronet BACnet (MNB) controllers Cause Need to know if it is possible to use MNB controllers with SmartStruxure.  Resolution I/A Series MNB controllers can be integrated into SmartStruxure as 3rd party BACnet devices. For more information on SmartStruxure with MNB controllers, download document MNB BACnet Support within a StruxureWare Building Operation System Solution Guide.

Issue I/A Series Micronet BACnet controllers firmware download Environment I/A Series Micronet BACnet (MNB) Controllers Cause The firmware for the MNB controllers is not available on the Extranet. Resolution The MNB controllers' firmware can be downloaded from The Exchange Download Center by searching for MNB firmware.

Issue What is the procedure for using a BCX9640 to replace a CX controller. Environment BCX9640 Comm Port Cause Need to change the Infinet Controller type. Resolution A BCX9640 is not the preferred replacement for a NetController for several reasons, among which are the following..  Can only support one Infinet port (Comm 2). Does not support L-Bus Does not support IO Module control. The process for replacing a NetController with a BCX9640 is as follows. Print a list view off all Infinet Controllers under the NetController.  This list must include the following columns... SerialNum CntrlType InfinetID Create a new BCX9640 with a new ACCID and bring it online. Switch Cyberstation to offline editing mode. Change the serial numbers of all Infinet Controllers under the NetController false serial number (so that the serial number for each Infinet Controller will be available for each new Infinet Controllers created under the BCX9640). With the workstation in Offline mode, manually create all the Infinet Controller object that existed under Comm 2 of the BCX9640.  Use the following information, The same controller model that the Infinet Controller had under the NetController. The same Infinet ID that the Infinet Controller had under the NetController. Drag and drop copy all the points and programs from the original controller to the new controller. Verify that all the points and programs were correctly copied and are intact. Go into the new Infinet Controllers and change their serial numbers to the serial number it had under the NetController. Next go back to online editing. At this point you should see all your infinet controllers come back on line. Finally reload the complete site. It is important to note that any controllers that are referencing points in the relocated controllers will have to have these object references verified and repaired in cases where the references have been lost.

Issue What version of LONMARK Resource Files are used within StruxureWare Building Operation? Environment StruxureWare Building Operation Cause SBO documentation currently does not provide this information.  The LONMARK Resource Files define the standard SNVTs and SCPTs that are supported by the platform. Resolution StruxureWare 1.2 ... LONMARK Resource Files version 13.02 StruxureWare 1.3 ... LONMARK Resource Files version 13.02 StruxureWare 1.4 ... LONMARK Resource Files version 13.20 StruxureWare 1.5 (next release) ... LONMARK Resource Files version 14.00

Issue Managing servers with Microsoft System Center Environment A site with Schneider Electric SmartStruxure Cause Microsoft System Center is a set of server products aimed specifically at helping corporate IT administrators manage a network of Windows Server and client desktop systems. Microsoft Servers (previously called Windows Server System) is a brand that encompasses a line of Microsoft server products. http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter  Microsoft Software Asset Management (SAM) Is there a way to integrate Microsoft System Center with Schneider Electric SmartStruxure? Resolution Integration of Microsoft System Center with Schneider-Electric SmartStruxure has not been tested, nor is it supported. With System Center, the management of Server environments is outside of the installation and use of Schneider Electric SmartStruxure.

Issue I/A Series G3 Niagara network points in fault and indicate Subscribed error:invalid permissions. Environment I/A Series G3 (all versions) Cause The credentials being used by the connection does not have the correct permissions to access the data. Resolution Verify username / password and associated permissions related to station to station fox connections.  Modify the associated permissions on the server side or use another set of credentials that have permissions.

Issue Uninstalling KB2858725 removed MS Dot Net 4.0 from the system and Web Client no longer accepts connections. Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Continuum 1.9x Windows 7 Windows 2008 Server Windows 2008R2 Server Cause Removal of KB2858725 not only removes the update it also removes Microsoft Dot Net 4, Dot Net 4.0 Client and Dot Net 4.5 extended. Resolution   Microsoft Dot Net 4.0 Extended. http://microsoft-framework-4-extended.en.lo4d.com/ Reinstall Microsoft Dot Net 4.0 Client profile. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=24872 Note: Link to TPA-CONT-13-0005.00 for .Net Control errors with schedules once update for 4.5.1 is installed.

Issue A floating control reheat valve is wired to the digital triac outputs of a MicroSmart controller.  After a few hours of operation, the valve position does not match with the expected position as provided by the real-time display.  Is there a way to synchronize the actual position with the real-time display without power-cycling the controller? Environment DMS MicroSmart (any with triac outputs) Cause Intrinsic design issue with floating actuators with built-in feedback. Resolution One option is to write a UDP that toggles valve control using a STOP command and then an AUTO command on the analog output point. Ensure the STOP command action is RANLO (range low) which will swing the actuator to its fully open or fully closed position.  The AUTO command will restore dynamic control via its control loop. In between the STOP and AUTO commands, insert a delay of 120 seconds to give the actuator time to get to its fully open or fully closed position.  If the actuator needs more or less than 120 seconds, modify it accordingly. Run the UDP on a timer of every 4 hours.