Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue What is the difference between the UNC-510-2 and the UNC-510-21? Environment UNC-510-2 or UNC-510-21 Cause Product part number difference specifies additional option. Resolution The UNC-510-21 is a UNC-510-2 that includes WebUI support.

Issue In a Niagara R2 UNC, the standard output window displays this error message every few minutes: Node.set Cast exception: nvi_7238 DsEnum <- DsFloatStatus [/DeltaHotel/lonTrunk/localLonDevice] java.lang.ClassCastException    at tridium.foundation.dataspecies.DsEnum.copyFrom (bytecode 2)    at tridium.foundation.node.Node.commitPropertyChange (bytecode 42)    at tridium.foundation.node.Node.doPropertyChange (bytecode 31)    at tridium.foundation.prism.Prism.commitEvent (bytecode 77)    at tridium.foundation.prism.Prism.dispatch (bytecode 50)    at tridium.foundation.node.Node.dispatch (bytecode 15)    at tridium.foundation.node.Node.set (bytecode 36)    at tridiumx.lonworks.devices.LocalLonAppDevice.setNvValue (bytecode 39)    at tridiumx.lonworks.services.NvManagerService.setLocalNvValue (bytecode 7)    at tridiumx.lonworks.LonNvDevice.writeProperty (bytecode 62)    at tridiumx.lonworks.LonNvDevice.asyncPropertyChange (bytecode 24)    at tridiumx.lonworks.devices.ForeignLonAppDevice.asyncPropertyChange (bytecode 132)    at tridiumx.lonworks.services.LonAsyncEventService.processAsyncEvent (bytecode 16)    at tridium.services.helpers.AsyncEventHelper.run (bytecode 49)    at java.lang.Thread.run (line 5) Environment Niagara R2 LON Cause The error indicates that the link between the DSEnum and DsFloatStatus are not compatible – even though a link was allowed between them.  The link may work but not all the time.   That may be why it is not a frequent error. Resolution Locate a conversion object that can be placed in between them (an object that converts float to enum or vice-versa depending on the link’s direction).

Issue In Niagara R2, master-slave schedules are not working. The slave schedule goes into fault and will not clear.  The following error appears in the standard output window of the UNC:   ERROR: Could not init node [/OZS_UNC1/IbsAsdNetwork/AHU_9/MZ2_93/Schedule_8] Environment Niagara R2 Cause This error, and subsequent fault condition on the schedule object, can occur when the Enterprise Server has a holiday calendar and a master schedule and the UNC only has a slave schedule. When the UNC is rebooted (for other reasons), the slave schedule object checks the master schedule object in the server to see if it's a holiday.  If there is a communication issue, the slave schedule object goes into fault. Resolution Delete and re-create the slave schedule object. Add a master/slave schedule AND master/slave calendar objects in the server and UNC stations.

Issue R2 Cloudscape and Microsoft Excel 2010 user name and password are requested each time. Environment Niagara R2 Cause Basic Authentication: By default, file operations that use Basic authentication over a non-SSL HTTP connection are disabled in Office 2010 applications.  Resolution Install Microsoft update: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2123563

Issue COV values are stale Environment Niagara G3 Cause Recent changes have been made to the BACnet jar file to address this issue Resolution Go to The Exchange Download Center and download the latest niagara BACnet jar file 3.6.47.9

Issue Can a MN-Sx differential setpoint be defined using the WPT Hardware wizard? Environment MNL or MNB controller with any MN-Sx sensor Cause Project specification requires that all temperature setpoints for a site be fixed and the facility users be allowed to adjust the setpoint  with a relative positive or negative offset. Resolution In the Workplace Tech Tool use the hardware wizard to configure the setpoint with an initial value of 0.0, one decimal place and no limits. Configuring the setpoint in this manner allows the setpoint to be changed over the range of -99.0 to +999 without limit. If limits are required by specification, such as a +/- 3 degree limit, the setpoint value from the sensor would need to be passed through a Limit control object to prevent extreme setpoint offset adjustment.

Issue Will we be able to use our TAC Workbench (Tech Laptop) to connect to the Honeywell Supervisor? Environment I/A Series G3 (all versions) Cause The NiCS statement within the license controls the sharing of data and usage of Workbench on a G3 (AX) platform. Resolution The answer depends upon the NiCS statement within the Honeywell Supervisor license. If the Honeywell license accept.wb.in statement is open, the TAC brand Workbench would be able to connect and engineer. Based on past experience, the accept.wb.in statement is typically set to webs and can only be accessed by a Honeywell licensed Workbench. The NiCS statement for the ENC is setup to prevent connection by a non-TAC brand Workbench. The statements that control sharing of data (accept.station.in and accept.station.out) have always been open. Unfortunately prior to G3 version 3.6, the Niagara driver point discovery process utilized some Workbench functionality to perform the connection and use basically defeating the main purpose of the NiCS statement. This meant that the points needed to be added manually. The software was corrected in 3.6 to allow discovering of points regardless of the NiCS accept.wb.in statement. The points will be able to be discovered with the Honeywell Supervisor as long as G3 version 3.6 or higher is being used.

Issue What version of I/A Series G3 is compatible with the new JACE-600E (TRD-J-600E)? Environment I/A Series G3, TRD-J-600, TRD-J-600E Cause The original JACE-600 is no longer available for purchase and is replaced by the JACE-600E. Resolution The TRD-J-600E is compatible with I/A Series G3 version 3.6.47.1 or later.  Please review Product Announcement PA-00223 for more details.

Issue Using a terminal mode connection, where is the network number for a GCM located? Environment GCM-84000 series GCM-86000 series Cause Attempting a serial connection with Treetech for the purpose of uploading the GCM database (for backup) Resolution After logging into the GCM, follow the menu path below: SYSTEM > DATABASE > INSTALL DATA > NETWORK NUMBER

Issue When is the Niagara R2 product line being phased out? Environment Niagara R2 Cause Pre-planning for customer retrofits Resolution No "new project" purchases will be accepted as of July 1, 2013. No purchases of any kind will be accepted as of December 1, 2014. See PA-00221 TAC IA Series R2 Availability for full announcement.

Issue I/A Series R2 SMS Driver / Servlet (Asia Pacific) Product Line  TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series R2 Enterprise Server I/A Series R2 UNC Cause There have been occasional inquiries in Asia / Pacific for this 3rd party driver. This driver used to be available via the Schneider Electric / TAC office in Singapore but this is no longer the case. About the R2 SMS Driver: The I/A Series R2 SMS driver allows direct delivery of alarm messages to GSM mobile phones. The driver may be installed in an UNC with Web Services. Resolution The driver and the supported modem can be purchased from Maxline Solutions. Part number: DR-IS-SMS-R2 Description: SMS Driver for R2 JACE 3, 4 ,5 and 6 Part number: Robustel-M1000 Description: Robustel M1000 GSM/3G Module Contact http://maxlinesolutions.com/contacts/ for inquiries and pricing.  Schneider Electric does not provide support this driver. All product and technical issues should be directed to Maxline Solutions. 

Issue What are the port settings on a DMS panel for UltiVist to communicate serially to it? Environment UltiVist DMS Cause DMS panel's serial COM ports settings were reset to factory defaults. Resolution The serial COM port on the DMS requires the following settings in order for a serially-connected UltiVist computer to communicate: PORTx = 9600 1 7 E M N x = 1* or 2  (* typically PORT1 is used) 1 = stop bits 7 = data bits E = even parity M = Multi-drop N = no modem

Issue When UltiVist completes a backup, where is the backup file stored? Environment UltiVist Cause For copying to portable media and safekeeping offsite. Resolution The backup file is located in the \FI\UVDBSAVE folder.  The backup file is named:  UVBACK01.ZIP or UVBACK02.ZIP or UVBACK03.ZIP UltiVist will create one file each time a backup is done.  It will overwrite one of the three files above so that there will only ever be three backup files in this directory.

Issue How many BACnet MSTP trunks are supported on a Jace-600 and Jace-700? Environment Jace-600 Jace-700 Niagara G3 Cause Job estimate requires a high number of BACnet controllers Resolution The Jace-600 and Jace-700 are capable of up to 5 BACnet MSTP trunks each:  one on the main board, and four more if the two option cards are both installed (part# TRD-NPB-2X-485). Only one MSTP driver is required to enable all five (part# ENC-DRV-MSTP).

Issue Can more than four T-IO-16 I/O modules be added to the JACE-6 or JACE-6E hardware platform? Environment I/A Series G3, JACE-6, JACE-6E, T-IO-16, T-IO-34 Cause The JACE-6 controller will only recognize four I/O 16 modules. Resolution The JACE-6 and JACE-6E can only support ... Maximum of four IO-16 modules or Maximum of one IO-34 and two IO-16 modules

Issue Does Niagara G3 provide a way to resend an alarm to an email until it get acknowledged? Environment Niagara G3, ENS, ENC_520, ENC-410 Cause Want to keep sending an alarm notification email until it is acknowledged. Resolution Niagara G3 has a property called Escalation Level# which is located in the Alarm Class object. Alarm escalation is a feature that allows you to configure an alarm class so that unacknowledged alarms that are assigned to that class can be re-routed if they are not acknowledged within a specified amount of time. When enabled, this property allows for resending of an alarm notification if the alarm has not been acknowledged. The unacknowledged alarm notification can be resent up to 3 times. The EmailRecipient would be linked to a designated Alarm Class which is setup for email notifications you want to re-send until they are acknowledged. 1. Open the designated Alarm Class 2. Set the three “Escalation Level# Enabled” to “true”. 3. Set the three “Escalation Level# Delay” times to the time you want to what before the notification and therefore email is resent. 4. Save changes and then open the Wire Sheet that the Alarm Class is located on 4 Connect each of the output of the Escalated Alarms to the EmailRecipient        (You can connect all the Escalated Level output to the same EmailRecipient or multiple email recipients.) Again, the Alarm Class can be configured to send a notification up to a total of 4 times until acknowledged - the initial first notification email and 3 re-send of the notification if the alarm has not been acknowledged. No further notification will be sent once the alarm is acknowledged.  

Issue Cannot get the BACnet IP port to enable in a JACE-6 or JACE-6E controller. Environment I/A Series G3, JACE-6, JACE-6E, BACnet/IP Cause The JACE-6 and JACE-6E controllers include two Ethernet ports LAN1 and LAN2 and the user must select the appropriate interface adapter. Resolution The JACE-6 and JACE-6E controllers include two Ethernet ports LAN1 and LAN2 which represent Interface 1 (en0) and Interface 2 (en1).  The user must select the appropriate interface adapter.  To configure a BACnet/IP port: Expand the Ip Port in the property sheet view. Set the Network Number from “-1” to the BACnet network number for the network segment to which you are connecting.  If this is an existing BACnet installation, make sure to use the same network number already in use.  If this is a new BACnet installation, you can choose this number (for example: 100). Expand the Link component in the property sheet. Under Link, use the drop-down list for Adapter to select the network adapter to use. These adapters are automatically discovered and validated by G3. Review the Udp Port setting being used for BACnet communications.  By default, UDP port 47808 decimal (0xBAC0 in hexadecimal) is used. If your BACnet/IP installation is using another UDP port, enter this port number in the Udp Port property. Be sure to enable the IP port: right-click on the IP Port, go to Actions, then click Enable 

Issue StruxureWare Network 8000 conversion program is changing some "Logic" blocks to a block type called "Invert".   Could this be causing missing pointer issues? Environment SBO 1.2 and later Network 8000 conversion program with any Network 8000 GCM file. Cause This is as designed; see Resolution for explanation.   Resolution A Logic object is 'Migrated" as an Invert object if only used as a single invert gate. The other objects that reference that object as a pointer are changed also to reflect the block name 'Invert'. This is documented in the Technical Reference Guide in section 89.7.

Issue Is there a Niagara G3 driver for communicating to Trane controllers? Environment Niagara G3 Cause Job Specification requirement Resolution Schneider-Electric does not have a proprietary driver for Trane control systems.  Historically, Trane has used open protocols like LON and BACnet both of which are available with Niagara.

Issue Notes from the field  on a Niagara R2 Modbus  RTU integration with an Eaton Series 2000 Xpert Power Meter. Environment I/A Series UNC licensed for the modbus asynch feature Eaton Series 2000 Xpert Power Meter Cause The 3rd party document is vague about  Modbus register-map differences between the IP and RTU protocols. Resolution 1. In order to obtain the Modbus RTU RS-485 map, you must look under the Eaton IQ-250/260 meter. The RS-485 map is NOT located anywhere under the Series 2000 meter. 2. There is also a utility in the "help" button when connecting to the embedded setup & monitoring software on the Eaton Power Meter. The Modbus map can be uploaded as an Excel spreadsheet, however, it is important to note that this map is the TCP/IP Modbus register map, not the RS-485 map. This can be accessed via a standard internet browser utilizing an Ethernet cable connection to the meter. The default IP address is 192.168.1.1. 3. The standard 5 digit Modbus register can be calculated form Eaton's Decimal register number by adding 40000 to the register number listed on their map For example, (register # 1000) (40000 + 1000 = 41000) for the Volts Phase A - Neutral value.