Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue A jobsite does not have a UNC.  A laptop running a Niagara R2 station with the LonWorks Service is used to manage the peer-to-peer LON bindings.  In admin tool, the station says it is running but the MNL controllers are not communicating. Environment Niagara R2 Cause The same laptop is installed with WorkPlace Tech and it is configured for LON communications using the same adapter as the Niagara station. A conflict exists with these two programs trying to use the same adapter for LON communications.  In most cases, the adapter is assigned an address of LON1. Resolution Close WorkPlace Tech or re-configure the communications setup so that LON1 is not used. Re-start the Niagara station.  LON1 will now be available to the station.  To confirm this, look for the following lines in the standard output window: LON Card Resetting!! LON Card reset complete!! Opened lonworks LON1 >>> Lon Driver opened!  

Issue Can the DHCP protocol be implemented on a Niagara R2 UNC-410 controller? Environment Niagara R2, UNC-410 Cause IP Protocol Resolution Yes, UNC-410 can use the DHCP Protocol to assign an IP address. Static IP addresses provide the most reliable connectivity between Niagara hosts. It’s recommended that static IP be used over DHCP whenever possible. Reference “Niagara Networking & Connectivity Guide” for information.  

Issue Are the MN-Sx sensor covers available with custom logos or in custom colors?   End user requests customized MN-Sx covers. Environment Covers for MN-Sx / MN-s, MN-SDT, MN-SDK / TSMN-xxxxx-850 series Sensors Cause End user requests customized MN-Sx covers. Resolution Plain white covers (part number DCQC-150-500) are available and may be used blank, or may be customized by the field office.  Covers with a custom logo are also available, as described in announcement bulletin 03-38: Many Field Offices have requested that we individually customize sensor covers with their company name/logo. If you are interested, simply contact your Climate Controls (Now Schneider Electric Buildings) Inside Sales Representative (888-444-1311) and for a modest tooling/setup fee, you’ll receive ten samples along with your own unique customized sensors available for order in any quantity at your convenience.  Available for order with all of the TSMN, I/A Series S-Link, and MicroNet 2000 U-Bus wall sensors.

Issue A custom application requires that SIGNAL be programmed to trigger a DPT block in a Network 8000 GCM four times a day every day of the year. Can this be done without manually entering four overrides via the Calendar program for every day of the year? Environment SIGNAL (all versions) Cause Customer wants to know if SIGNAL-to-GCM communications has failed at anytime during a 24 hour period.  The on-site GCM has a modem and can dial-out alarms to a pager.  A DPT block has been configured with a timer such that if it's not "started", an alarm is generated.  The Start command comes from SIGNAL every four hours and is reset to a Stop condition within the GCM, after the timer expires and the block has been interrogated. Resolution Calendar overrides can minimize the amount of time required to create a Start command several times a day, every day. The override is given and Start/End date and time.  The date field includes a "year".  So, the override can apply for several years. It can be linked to a WEEK or OSS block in the GCM and be given override commands for each day of the week. The override event is a START and the duration is programmable in hours and minutes.  Up to six events per day are possible. Setting up a multi-year override for every day of the year and with multiple events per day will take only a few minutes to program.

Issue How many serial RS-232 ports can SIGNAL support? Environment SIGNAL for XP (version 5.0.0) Cause Customer wants to connect more than one modem to SIGNAL. Resolution A maximum of eight RS-232 ports are supported.

Issue Can jar files from Niagara R2 version 532 be used with a UNC running version 330? Product Line TAC IA Series Environment Niagara (all versions) Cause Fixing a known issue with an upgrade to a newer jar file, but maintaining the current installed version. Resolution Only jar files from the same build of Niagara are recommended. For example: If version 330 is installed in a UNC, then only jar files ending in 3xx are to be used. If version 532 is installed in a UNC, then only jar files ending in 5xx are to be used.

Issue I/A Series G3 support for virtual machines Environment I/A Series G3 version 3.6 Cause There is a requirement to run I/A Series G3 in a virtual environment.  Resolution As per Product Announcement TAC I/A Series Software Updates, I/A Series G3 release 3.6 is validated for VMWare Server 2 and Microsoft Virtual Server 2008. 

Issue An ENC or ENS is installed with version 3.3.xx  A module is required and it is listed as version 3.4.xx.  Without installing the module, what is the quickest way to determine the module's minimum dependencies? Environment Niagara G3 (all versions) Cause A newer release of an installed module corrects known issues. Resolution Make a copy of the module and rename the extension from .jar to .zip. Open it and access the "meta-inf" folder. In the meta-inf folder, a file called "module.xml" will be listed.  Open it. The module's dependencies and minimum vendorVersions are listed at the top of the file (see example below): xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> - <module name="tacMs" bajaVersion="0" vendor="TAC" vendorVersion="3.4.64.4" description="Microsmart Driver" preferredSymbol="tacMs" buildDate="13-Sep-11 14:15 EDT" buildMillis="1315937710692" buildHost="VA51DT3400ANDYS"> - <dependencies>   <dependency name="alarm" vendor="Tridium" vendorVersion="3.0" />   <dependency name="baja" vendor="Tridium" vendorVersion="3.0" />   <dependency name="bajaui" vendor="Tridium" vendorVersion="3.0" />   <dependency name="basicDriver" vendor="Tridium" vendorVersion="3.0" />   <dependency name="bql" vendor="Tridium" vendorVersion="3.0" />   <dependency name="control" vendor="Tridium" vendorVersion="3.0" />   <dependency name="driver" vendor="Tridium" vendorVersion="3.0" />   <dependency name="gx" vendor="Tridium" vendorVersion="3.0" />   <dependency name="history" vendor="Tridium" vendorVersion="3.0" />   <dependency name="serial" vendor="Tridium" vendorVersion="3.0" />   <dependency name="tunnel" vendor="Tridium" vendorVersion="3.0" />   <dependency name="workbench" vendor="Tridium" vendorVersion="3.0" />

Issue Can I upgrade the ENC-410 or ENC-520 memory in the field or return to the factory to have the memory increased? Environment I/A Series G3, ENC-410, ENC-520 Cause ENC-410 and ENC-520 controllers prior to May 2010 were manufactured with standard memory (32 MB Flash and 128 MB RAM).  ENC-410 and ENC-520 controllers manufactured since May 2010 include the extended memory as standard (128 MB Flash and 256 MB RAM). Manufactured with extended memory: ENC-410-1 s/n 236187B or greater ENC-520-2 s/n 263122B or greater Resolution The memory cannot be modified in the field and there is no factory exchange or upgrade option available.  Purchase of a new ENC will be required.

Issue When attempting to make a link from the Enterprise Server to the UNC the Server would lock up.  The UNC can be accessed over the network with WorkPlace Pro and all address book data is confirmed to be correct.  Environment I/A Series R2 Niagara Cause System.properties file was found to be empty. Resolution Copy a complete system.properties file from a functional UNC, install it's contents into the UNC exhibiting the issue and reboot the UNC.

Issue The current version of the VAS client cannot query for records for years beyond 2010. There are two versions of the VAS Client upgrade on The Exchange Download Center. How do I determine which version of the VAS client is needed to update a site? Environment I/A Series R2 Enterprise Server Vykon Alarm Service Client 2.4x Vykon Alarm Service Client  3.xx Cause The Query Wizard in the VAS 2.4 system could not query record dates beyond 2010. Resolution VAS Client 2.50 -- The VAS_2.50_Client.zip file contains the VAS 2.50 Client Installer and associated Enterprise Server vas service module (vas-2.301.532.v2.jar). VAS 2.50 is for use with Enterprise Servers that utilize database management systems including Cloudscape, MSDE, Microsoft SQL, or Oracle. If currently using VAS 2.4x, upgrade to vas-2.301.532.v2 jar and VAS 2.50 client. If currently using VAS 3.xx, do not install this version. Download and upgrade to vas-2.301.532.v3.jar and VAS 3.92 client. VAS Client 3.92 -- The VAS_3.92_Client.zip file contains the VAS 3.92 Client Installer and associated Enterprise Server vas service module (vas-2.301.532.v3.jar). VAS 3.92 is for use with Enterprise Servers that utilize MSDE, Microsoft SQL, or Oracle database management systems only. VAS 3.92 Is not compatible with Cloudscape. If currently using VAS 3.xx, upgrade to vas-2.301.532.v3 jar and VAS 3.92 client. If currently using VAS 2.4x, do not install this version. Download and upgrade to vas-2.301.532.v2.jar and VAS 2.50 client.

Issue Added BACnet MS/TP devices to UNC-510, configuring the port to a baud rate of 38.4kbaud and cannot keep the MS/TP port enabled. Environment UNC-510 with BACnet 527i jar file Cause Maximum baud rate for the RS-485 port(s) on a UNC-510 is 19.2kbaud. Resolution Must set the baud rate for the MS/TP driver to 9600 or 19,200 baud.   Faster baud rates are not supported by the UNC-510 hardware. If adding the BACnet jar file to a previously loaded UNC, you must also add the following line driver.mstp=tridium.nre.vxworks.mstp.VxWorksMstpDriver to the drivers.properties file in the UNC.  Please note that the information in this line is case sensitive and must be entered as shown.

Issue Can the I/A Series R2 or G3 BACnet object_name be changed? Environment I/A Series R2, G3, UNC-410, UNC-520, ENC-410, ENC-520 Cause The BACnet object_name property for an I/A Series R2 or G3 station is derived from a combination of the station name and assigned BACnet device instance number.  For example, a station named BldgA with an assigned BACnet device instance number of 500 will provide an object_name of BldgA_500 upon BACnet request. Resolution The object_name cannot be modified by the user.

Issue Unable to load the localhost despite having tried all the user names and passwords associated with the PC. Is there way to figure out what user name and password that it is looking for? Or another way to get this to work? Environment I/A Series R2 UNC I/A Series WorkPlace Pro / Admin Tool Cause To log into the LocalHost via the I/A Series R2 Admin Tool, you need to use a username and password that is defined in the local Administrator's group of the computer on which the software is being used. Many times, the user accounts on a computer will be Domain based accounts rather than local accounts.  The I/A Series R2 software cannot authenticate with Domain based accounts. Resolution If you are logged into the computer as a user that is a member of the Administrator's group, you should be able to create a new user account and assign that user to the Administrator's group.  If Windows Domain policy prevents an Administrative user from creating a new local user account and assigning that user to the local Administrator's group, please contact your IT department for assistance. Here is a step by step procedure for creating a new local user and placing that user in the local Administrator's group. Right-click on the "My Computer" icon and select Manage. Click on the [+] box in front of "Local Users and Groups". Click on "Users". Right-Click in the righthand window and select "New User".  A New User window will open. In the New User window, enter IAAdmin in the User name field. In the Full Name field enter "IA Admin" In the Description field enter "Local Administrator for I/A Series R2" In the Password field enter P@ssword In the Confirm Password field enter P@ssword Uncheck the "User must change password at next login" option Check the "User cannot change password" option Check the "Password never expires" option Click the [Create] button then click [Close] to close the "New User" window. In the righthand window, right-click on the user IAAdmin and select Properties. In the IAAdmin Properties window that just opened, click the "Member of" tab. Click the [Add] button In the "Enter the object names to select" box, type in Administrators and press Enter. Click the [OK] button to save the changes. Close the Computer Management window. When you open the Admin Tool and attempt to log into Localhost, enter IAAdmin for the user name and enter P@ssword for the password.

Issue When expanding the folders of a Niagara R2 station in Workplace Pro, a pop-up error appears: "cannot initialize view./tridium/props/error.properties#error E_invalid_enum_ordinal(6)". After re-opening the station, the same error occurs.  After rebooting the station, the error remains when the same folders are accessed. Environment Niagara R2 all versions Cause There is a revision difference between the jar files installed in the UNC and the jar files installed on the host computer. Resolution Identify which jar file versions are different and correct.  More current jar files for all versions of Niagara R2 are available on The Exchange Download Center.

Issue Can MNB-1000 controllers which were manufactured before the MNB-1000-15 expansion modules were introduced utilize the expansion modules? Environment MNB-1000 Cause The MNB-1000 must be at firmware version 1.501 or newer in order to use the MNB-1000-15 module. Resolution The first MNB-1000s can utilize the MNB-1000-15 expansion modules if its firmware is at version 1.501 or higher. Also WorkPlace Tech version 5.7.1 or higher must be used to add the MNB-1000-15 modules.

Issue Setting up an Alarm Notification class separate from the default Notification Class 0. Environment Niagara R2, Enterprise Server, UNC-410, UNC-520 Cause Do not want to send all alarms to Email Recipient. Resolution - Setup a new Notification class and assign it to the alarms you want emailed. - Link the output of the Notification class to the input of the MailRecipient. - Go to the Alarm Setup tab of the objects you want emailed and set its notificationClass property to that of the Notification class you just added. . Only the alarm associated with the added Notification Class will be emailed.  

Issue Aside from the recommended models from B&B Electronics, can Model # 485OT9L be configured to work with PSI 4.1? Product Line TAC IA Series Environment PSI 4.1 Network 8000 ASD devices (Microzone II, MicroFlo II) Cause On a jobsite and the only model available is the 485OT9L. Resolution It can work by using the following settings for the on-board configuration switches: Switches 1-4:  19200 baud (SW1=off, SW2=off, SW3=on, SW4=off) Switch 5:  Echo off (SW5=off) Switch 6:  Half-duplex (SW6=on) Switch 7:  Half-duplex (SW7=on) Switch 8:  Term Resistance (SW8=off) Jumper 1:  JP1=SD Note:  Model # 485OT9L was discontinued by B&B Electronics in Sept. 2011

Issue Unable to display Traditional Chinese characters when accessing graphics in an ENC via a web browser Does I/A Series G3 provide non-English language support? Environment I/A Series G3 Enterprise Network Controller (ENC). Cause I/A Series G3 provides non-English language support by use of lexicons. Lexicons are identified by Java locale codes, such as “fr” (French) or “de” (German). The lexicon 'Zh' was not installed into the ENC. Resolution I/A Series G3 provides non-English language support by use of lexicons. Lexicons are identified by Java locale codes, such as “fr” (French) or “de” (German). The lexicon 'Zh' is for Chinese. This needs to be installed into the ENC. Open the ENC Platform. Expand Platform and go to the 'Lexicon Installer'. Click on the 'Install' button, select the lexicon folder you need and click 'OK'. The selected lexicon is now installed in the ENC.   * This article may apply to issues with other languages and not just Traditional Chinese.

Issue Does the database file for a ProView display vary in size based on the amount of programming done to it with Niagara R2? Environment Niagara R2 all versions ProView Cause Observation:  A backup of an empty ProView display and a backup of a ProView display programmed with 30+ screens and dozens of bindings produced the same file size:  49 kB. Resolution No. A backup database file from any ProView display, using the Niagara R2 wizard, will be 49 kB in size, whether the display is empty or has been extensively programmed.