Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue The FlexAnalog object in the I/A Series R2 programLib jar does not pass the NaN (not a number) to the link when the value at the FlexAnalog input is changed from a valid value to NaN. Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series R2 Cause The object was based off the standard Analog Input object where the object holds the last valid value when NaN is applied to the input. Resolution There is a jar available that has an updated FlexAnalog object that will pass the NaN to the link when the value at the FlexAnalog input is changed from a valid value to NaN (not a number).  Contact Product Support Services to obtain this jar.

Issue As of November, 2012, Microsoft® Windows 7 is no longer available, preinstalled on new computers. Is there a valid, legal and legitimate workaround for running our software products that will not run on Microsoft® Windows 8? Environment New computer that was purchased pre-loaded with Microsoft® Windows 8 Professional. Cause Microsoft® Windows 7 is no longer available on new computers. Resolution Downgrade the Microsoft® Windows 8 Professional installation to Microsoft® Windows 7. According to the Microsoft® Windows 8 Professional / Ultimate EULA (End User License Agreement) that the computer user must read when starting up a new computer, the following Operating System downgrade rights are available: Downgrade rights for Microsoft® Windows 8 are an end-user right, documented in the Software License Terms that customers accept upon first running Windows software. Microsoft® Windows 8 end user downgrade rights will be available through the sales lifecycle of Windows 8 which is up to two years after the launch date of a new version. More information is available from the Microsoft Windows web site.

Issue When installing TreeTech 3.2, no license request program is installed and there is no option in the Purchase WorkPlace Tech Software license request tool for Tree Tech.  How do I request a license for TreeTech. Environment TreeTech 3.2 software Cause TreeTech 3.2 does not need a license. Resolution TreeTech 3.2 does not require licensing as noted in the TreeTech 3.2 release notes: 3.1. Tree Tech licensing. Issue: Tree Tech 3.0 and 3.1 requires license purchases for Tree Tech and associated legacy drivers. Resolved: WIBS Purchase Utility license activation of Tree Tech and associated legacy drivers is no longer required. Tree Tech will function with Network 8000 and DMS serial and Ethernet drivers upon completion of installation. The "Jobs" option has been removed from the "Files" dropdown.

Issue Does Schneider-Electric sell the GPRS modem option for the Jace-6 or Jace-7? Environment Niagara G3 Cause A specific site has a jace that is beyond a proper LAN connection. Resolution It was decided not to offer the GPRS modem option via Schneider-Electric. It is, of course, available directly from Tridium.

Issue How to determine if a Niagara G3 ENC or Jace is properly licensed for embedded Workbench.  This is an optional purchase (part # ENC-WB) and provides Workbench functionality through a web browser. Environment Niagara G3 Cause Confirming that a purchased option is properly reflected in the license file (without actually trying out the feature). Resolution In the license file, the 'web' line will have the three variables set to 'true' in order to have embedded Workbench: ui="true", ui.wb="true", ui.wb.admin="true" If ui.wb.admin is set to "false", the station will be web-accessible but Workbench is not web-accessible.

Issue What application type is required to allow a PCC10/PCLTA20  LonTalk adapter to be used with WorkPlace Tech? Environment WorkPlace Tech Tool software Echelon LonTalk adapter (PCC10 / PCLTA20)  This information does not apply to the USB U10 Echelon LonTalk adapter Cause Selection of the incorrect LonTalk driver application will result in the inability of the WorkPlace Tech software to access the connected LON network. Resolution Change the NI application of the LonTalk adapter Open the Windows Control Panel Select the LonWorks Plug N' Play. Change the NI Application For a PCC-10 LTA select NSIPCC For a PCLTA-20 LTA select NSIPCLTA Click Apply Click OK to exit the program.

Issue A laptop installed with TreeTech 3.1 is configured for a serial connection to a GCM-86000.  After starting communication in TreeTech, there are no startup errors but the serial communication link fails. Environment TreeTech 3.1 Cause Using TreeTech to do GCM backups with the demise of ProBlock Resolution On page 25 of the TreeTech Engineering Guide (F-26640), the recommended setting for ODSR (output date set ready) is ON for a GCM-86000. At times, the age and model of laptop may require that ODSR be set to OFF.  Try it.

Issue Can a BACnet device instance number be changed from the UNC or ENC? Environment I/A Series, Niagara R2 and G3 Cause Some third party BACnet devices come with a fixed instance number based on their model and address on an MSTP trunk.  Having them on multiple trunks will cause duplicate instance numbers in the system.  Resolution The R2 software does not have capability to do this.  If the device instance number is changed in the shadow object communications to the device is lost before the new instance number is written to the device.  The G3 software has a button at the bottom of the BACnet Device Manager page called "DeviceID" specifically for this purpose.

Issue What is the history capacity for the Jace-6 and Jace-7? Environment Niagara G3, Jace6, Jace-7 Cause Technical product information update. Resolution It is recommended to limit the histories in a Jace-6 or Jace-7 to 1600 histories or less.

Issue The MNB-1000-15 status light is solid red.   Environment WorplaceTech, MNB-1000, MNB-1000-15 Cause The MNB-100-15 (Remote IO) was not added in the MNB-1000's application. Resolution The Remote I/O module must be configured in the MNB-1000’s application. Also at least one of its inputs (R1U10x) or outputs (R1UO0x), must be connected to an input or output in the MNB-1000’s application. If a MNB-1000-15 input/output object is placed in the MNB-1000 application unconnected, it will not be recognized by the MNB-1000 and the MNB-1000-15 status led will be solid red.  

Issue Are there replacement part numbers for the MNL-V1RV3 and MNL-V2RV3 circuit board and base actuator assembly? Environment MNL-V1RV3 and MNL-V2RV3 Cause Replacement of circuit board and / or base actuator assembly required. Resolution MNL-V1RV3 circuit board assembly is MNL-V1RV3-500 MNL-V2RV3 circuit board assembly is MNL-V2RV3-500 Actuator base assembly is MN-FLO-701

Issue Can Modbus TCP and Modbus Async be used simultaneously in an ENC-520? Environment I/A Series G3 ENC-520 Modbus Integration Cause Modbus TCP integration and Modbus Async integration are both required from a single ENC-520 Resolution Yes, you can license an ENC-520 for both Modbus TCP and Modbus Async and run them in a single ENC. 

Issue Is there a replacement cable for the Echelon 73200R PCC-10 (PCMCIA) FT-10 network interface card to MNL series controllers? Environment MNL controllers, Echelon 73200R PCC-10 (PCMCIA) FT-10 network interface card Cause Cable has failed - requires replacement. Resolution Part number: WPIA-CBL-2 This cable is available via iPortal.

Issue How to read the Setpoint potentiometer of a TSMN-90250-850 room sensor in an MNL-800. Environment MNL-800 TSMN-90250-850 room sensor Cause Need to scale the voltage inputs in the AI object in the MNL-800 application. Resolution Connect: SP+ to the 5.1VDC source on the MNL-800 SETPT to the INx input on the MNL-800 COMMON to C on the MNL-800. Might need to adjust the UI configuration in the MNL-800,  here's starting point: Add the SP to a UI on the MNL-800.  In the AI object  with Low Value = 0, Scaled Low value = 94.7 deg; High Value = 5 , Scaled High = 47.1 deg F.  

Issue There are BACnet/IP devices on several different IP subnets. Each subnet has one BACnet/IP device setup as a BBMD, however when doing a discover, no BACnet/IP devices from the different subnets are not being discovered. Environment Niagara G3, ENC-520 Cause Setting up the BBMD in the ENC-520 is as simple as Changing its “Ip Device Property Type” from its default of “standard” to “Bbmd”. Once the ENC is configured as a BBMD device, then the BBMD’s required Broadcast Distribution Table (BDT) is automatically created. The ENC’s BDT includes its own IP address and Broadcast Distribution Mask (BDM), as well as the IP address and BDM of all other BBMD devices on the other IP subnets. The BDT allows for manual editing. We have found in some cases that the BDMs were being confused with the IP address subnet mask. The BDMs were being changed to reflect devices’ IP address subnet mask, which were something other that the standard BDM of 255.255.255.255. BBMD devices’ BDM must be set to 255.255.255.255. Resolution The Broadcast Distribution Mask must be set to “255.255.255.255” for each BACnet /IP Address listed in the ENC’s Broadcast Distribution Table. This is also true for other BACnet/IP devices configured as BBMDs on the other subnets. 1. Expand the ENC’s BACnetNetwork 2. Expand Bacnet Comm and then expand Network 3. Expand Ip Port and then expand Link 4. Expand the Broadcast Distribution Table 5. Expand any devices listed and set their Broadcast Distribution Mask to 255.255.255.255 for any one not listed as such. Save changes. Try and discover again.  

Issue Does the I/A Series G3 Enterprise Network Server (ENS-1) software support clustering or able to interface with the SQL cluster? Environment I/A Series G3 Enterprise Network Server (ENS-1) Cause Clusters are a set of computers operating together as one unit.  Load-balancing clusters are configurations in which cluster-nodes share computational workload to provide better overall performance.  The activities of the computing nodes are orchestrated by clustering middleware, a software layer that sits atop the nodes and allows the users to treat the cluster as by and large one cohesive computing unit. Resolution The I/A Series G3 Enterprise Network Server (ENS-1) software does not support clustering.  The software does not provide capability for load balancing nor can it interface to a SQL cluster scenario.

Issue After installing Tree Tech 3.2 on a Windows 7, 32-bit computer and creating a new project, I am not able to Add an object or segment to it; in  the File, Add menu, Object and Segment are grayed-out. Environment Tree Tech 3.2 Windows 7, 32-bit computer Cause Not yet determined Resolution 1. Close Tree Tech 3.2 and any other running programs. 2. Shut down & restart the computer. 3. From the desktop icon, double-click on "Run Tree" to start Tree Tech. 4. Open the project created earlier. From the File, Add menu, the Object and Segment should no longer be grayed-out.

Issue LON devices have the ability to run stand alone schedules.  This capability requires continuous time updates.  Environment Niagara G3 Cause The LON Time object provides the ability to transmit the station's "System Time" to any LON device using an NVI SnvtTimeStamp type. Resolution The LON Time object provides the ability to transmit the station's "System Time" to any LON device using an NVI SnvtTimeStamp type. Install KitLon under Software Manager Open KitLon under Palette Drag or copy and paste the LonTime Object in the LonNetwork Link the LonTime Object time stamp to NVI Set Time

Issue "Special event" time period for occupancy runs through a public holiday. There was a calendar day OFF set for that holiday. The system will run even though the holiday schedule is off due to the special event. What is the priority between a scheduled special event and a calendar day off and also a time-schedule and a calendar day off? Environment I/A Series R2 schedule and calendar objects Cause The behaviour described is as designed, a special event by it's nature is intended to replace the daily schedule and any holiday action whilst active. Resolution The Niagara Standard Programming reference details how the outputs respond to configured schedule event-times and override inputs. From highest to lowest, the priorities of evaluation can be summarized as follows: overrideIn input (if linked) Special Events, as configured replaces holiday and weekly events holidayOverride input (if linked) replaces weekly events weekly schedule normal time-of-day (weekly) events When programming special events the scheduled and holiday actions applicable for that day must be included in the special event.

Issue What are the maximum view settings for the standard output window in Workplace Pro? Environment Niagara R2 Cause Trying to a capture a long error message Resolution In Admin Tool > Options > Output Window Size, change the numbers listed to the following: 2000 rows 50 visible rows 200 columns