Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue After upgrading from Version 4.07 to Ver 4.08, only the SIGMA USER is available when the user logs onto the system. All existing users and groups are lost. Product Line Satchwell Sigma Environment Sigma Server Cause During the install process there is an option to start the sigma server once the installation is complete. This will then create a default user file for the new installation. Resolution This release of Sigma (3.46.57) has a new file for storing the server details and user information. This file is GenCnfEx.rec. During the installation process there is an option to start the sigma server after the installation completes. Make sure this is not ticked if you are doing an upgrade as once the server starts it will create a new file with only the default user. When the install is complete without starting SigmaSvr, run the upgrade program, then start SigmaSvr. If the new file has been created in error, stop SigmaSvr, then delete the newly created GenCnfEx.rec file as it cannot be updated by simply running the upgrade program. Make sure you have your Ver 4.07 GenCnf.rec file  in the data folder and run the upgrade. This will then create the new file with the server details and user information.

Issue Information on the MicroSmart Laptop Interface Module (MSC-LIM) Environment DMS MicroSmart Cause Information Resolution Installation / Connection sheet

Issue The PID controller object provided as part of the MPM software does not allow for any means of programmatic override i.e. forcing the loop output to 0%, 100% or other user defined position.  If you force the referenced Manipulated Variable (output) to a particular position by programmatically disconnecting it from the PID object, there can be a large overshoot when the PID output is reconnected.   Product Line EcoStruxure Building Expert Environment SmartStruxure Lite Multi-Purpose Manager (MPM) Cause If you force the referenced Manipulated Variable (output) to a particular position by programmatically disconnecting it from the PID object,  the PID controller will be 'open loop' and any integral parameter will wind up the output to its max or min position.  This can cause a large overshoot when the PID output is reconnected.   Resolution One option is to write a Lua script that forces the Controlled Variable and the Setpoint Reference to receive the same value when you override the loop output. This would freeze the output of the PID controller and prevent any integral wind up. There would still be a 'bump' when you remove the override, but it should be reduced.   Another option is to replace the PID controller object with a Lua script that provides the same the same functionality but with the addition of an override mode. You can find a sample Lua script here

Issue Getting error “Baudrate on MSTP side not found Proceed anyway?” when trying to connect to MSTP with RoamIO Product Line Andover Continuum, EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment MSTP BACnet Cause Before the RoamIO can start communicating on the MSTP bus it must first determine the baud rate of the network, it does this by listening to the traffic on the network until is able to determine the baud. If there is no traffic on the network the RoamIO will not be able to detect the baud. Possible causes: If the RoamIO is directly connected to a device that does not have a valid mac id (such as a brand new b3 from the factory which has a slave mac id). The cable used to connect the RoamIO to the MSTP network is the wrong one. Resolution Possible solutions: Make sure at least ONE of the devices on the MSTP has a valid MAC ID. Make sure the cable used to connect the RoamIO to the MSTP network is correct. Note that even though the cable that ships with the RoamIO looks the same as the cable used on a telephone handset, it has a different pinout. The RoamIO cable is a straight thru cable while the telephone cable is NOT. Here is what the RoamIO cable pinout looks like:

Issue VTRA valve is leaking and requires a stuffing box Product Line Field Devices Environment VTRA Stuffing Box 080488305 0804883005 Cause The data sheet indicates that the replacement part number is 080488305, but that part number is not found. Resolution The VTRA data sheet indicate that the Stuffing Box part number is 080488305, but this incorrect. The correct part number is 080-4883-005, for ordering purposes the part number 0804883005 without the hyphens (-) may have been used.

Warning Potential for Data Loss: The steps detailed in the resolution of this article may result in a loss of critical data if not performed properly. Before beginning these steps, make sure all important data is backed up in the event of data loss. If you are unsure or unfamiliar with any complex steps detailed in this article, please contact Product Support Services for assistance. Issue The database files used by the WebReports SQL database need to be moved to another location. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment WebReports SQL Server Cause There are numerous reason for wanting to do this, but the most common reason is that there is not enough space on the disk where the WebReports databases are located. By moving to another disk this will allow space for future expansion. Note that this article only describes how to move the database files to another harddrive. The SQL server and database files must still be on the same PC where WebReports is installed. Resolution To move the database files, follow this process: Start by backing up everything. Stop the reporting agent service (name: ReportingAgentService). Open SQL Server Management Studio and locate the database. Right-click on the database and select Tasks-->Detach. Locate the SQL database files (*.mdf and *.ldf) in Windows explorer. Cut or copy these files and move them to the desired location. Go back to SQL Management Studio and select the Databases folder. Right-click and select Tasks-->Attach database. When the dialogue opens up, locate the 'ADD' button and click on it. Browse to the database files' new location and click on OK. Restart the reporting agent service.

Issue Continuum Security Key does not work and Product Support has requested for it to be sent back to Repairs. Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Continuum Security Key Cause Security Key was not working and needs to be replaced.  Resolution Download the Andover_Continuum_Software_Upgrade_Forms_-_Americas_&_APAC.7z file from the link in this Product Announcement and then fill out the "CyberStation-web Client Option Upgrade.doc" form with the below information. The P/N will be USB REPLACEMENT. A PO# is required for the amount of the part number. Fill out CyberStation-web Client Option Upgrade.doc with appropriate information and send in to  your local logistics team. An Advance Replacement order will be generated to ship a new USB key to the shipping address. You will need to send back the defective key within 30 days of receipt of the replacement key.

Issue Can R2 BACnet alarms be sent to and acknowledged from a G3 Server console. Environment Niagara R2 UNC, Niagara G3 ENS Cause Want to be able to view and acknowledge R2 BACnet Alarms from in a G3 console. Resolution This can be accomplished by using the BACnetRecipient object in R2. Follow the steps listed in the “Configuring for BACnet Alarm Generation” section of the R2 BACnet Integration Reference guide. The part most forget is adding the G3 station as a BACnet device under the R2 BACnetService, and adding the UNCs as a BACnet device under the G3 NiagaraNetwork  

Issue The Windows power save is interrupting system operation, i.e if you have a graphic open on a Workstation which is talking to another PC and the mouse has been inactive for some time, when you move the mouse it takes some time to update the graphics Environment Windows ES Continuum Inet Vista SmartStruxure SmartStruxure Lite SBO Cause This is caused by the Windows OS going into a power save mode, this will normally close down the CPU, Network adapter, graphics card etc Resolution   PC is going into a power save mode, Go into, "Control panel", make sure view is "Small icons", then click "Power Options" in here you will have a number of option, set this to "High performance" then "change plan settings" make sure all are set to Never or high performance, when you have done this, goto "Network and Internet" then "Change adapter settings", right click on your network adapter and goto "properties" then click "Configure" then "Power Management" make sure that the power save settings are off, this will stop the network from going to sleep.   This will need to be done on the ES, Workstation PC, Continuum Workstation, SQL server, etc This should then stop you having the delay as the PC wakes up

Issue After 9 straight failed Workstation login attempts the SmartX Controller will be locked out. See Workstation lockout message below.   After 3 failed attempts to add an SmartX Controller to the device administrator the SSH connection will be locked out for the amount of time set in Workstation.    Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Device Administrator Building Operation Workstation Building Operation Automation Server Premium Building Operation Automation Server Bundled Building Operation Automation Server Putty Cause In order to protect the EcoStruxure system from potential security threats, there have been login lockouts put into place. Both scenarios of lockouts are only temporary. Resolution Locked out of SmartStruxure Workstation Once there has been 9 consecutive Workstation login attempt failures for a single user, that user will be locked out of Workstation for 1 minute.  Locked out of an Automation Server in Device Administrator Once there have been 3 consecutive SSH Automation Server login failures through Device Administrator (Adding an Automation Server into Device Administrator via IP address), the Automation Server will be locked out for a default of 15 minutes.   The SSH Console Lockout time is configurable and can be changed in the Security Manager section in Workstation.   

Issue There are no tools or utilities available for merging Sigma lookup files Product Line Satchwell Sigma Environment Sigma Upgrade Copy Lookup tables Cause Need to import two sites lookup files into one Resolution If you have two or more sites that you are merging into one, one way to achieve a single site is to: Open the lookup tables for site 2. Using the copy button, copy the required table's data. Open a text editor (notepad ETC) and paste the data in for use later. Repeat for all lookup tables for site 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. Open what will become the final site's lookup table (site 1) Create a new table. You can copy the lookup table information from the text editor and paste into the newly created lookup table. Take care to copy from a vacant line below the last line of the notepad text otherwise the last line of entries will not import. Also, do not copy a blank line above the text or the top field will contain corrupt information. Repeat for all tables until the new lookup table file is complete with all required lookup tables. If any of the lookup tables to be merged have conflicting numbering and require a new lookup table number, it is important that all points associated with the original lookup table number need to be edited and the new lookup table number referenced in the point.

Issue In the IAC400 and IAC600, a digital output cannot be forced to a different value. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation, Satchwell MicroNet Environment IAC400 IAC600 SBO Cause When an IAC400 or IAC600 is imported into SBO using the Micronet interface, on a digital output, the output cannot be forced to another value. Resolution In Visisat, create the SBO export file. Before using the 'Data Import' into the Micronet Interface in SBO, locate and open the export XML file with a suitable program, e.g. Notepad++. Locate the respective controller's 'Digital Output Override State' with the line <P1="IsNonVolatile".... (Note: if opened in another application, e.g. Internet Explorer, the word order may be different!) Change Value= "1" to Value="0" Note: IAC420s are unaffected

Issue We cannot get a SE8000 / SE7000 Room Controller’s occupancy command to follow the MPM’s schedule.   The controller’s display always displays unoccupied even when the schedule is set to occupied.    Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation, EcoStruxure Building Expert Environment Building Operation Workstation Building Operation Automation Server SSL SE8000 SSL SE7000 SSL MPM Cause When the MPM's scheduler is in "unoccupied" mode (outside business hours), the default value is 0. However, that does not match any of the values of the "Occupancy cmd" parameter in the Room Controller Resolution The "Default Value" in the MPM's Scheduler object SCH1 must be changed to "3" to match the unoccupied value in the Room Controller. The Occupancy command point for each Room controller must also be ticked in the points list in the Scheduler object For SE8000 PIR ready models, set the "Occupancy src" (Occupancy Source) parameter to "Motion" The SE8000 /SE7000 Room Controller will now follow the MPM’s schedule.

Issue How many concurrent users can connect to the system Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment EcoStruxure Building Operation Cause In the datasheet it is unclear how many concurrent users can connect to an AS without affecting performance Resolution The intent in the guidelines is to provide the concurrent user connections given that the clients are not all accessing data through the same Automation Server to the same Field Controller.  Therefore, if the load is distributed –  ES Clients viewing data from the ES (or a scattered variety of Automation Servers and below) AS Clients viewing data from that AS  Then it should be safe to add the client totals for all AS and ES clients together. The local AS connections are intended to help with scaled use of clients at a site-wide or multi-site system. The typical use case is for operators within a building, floor or tenant to connect locally to the AS, while central operators connect to the ES without impacting each other.  If all ES Clients and all clients on a single AS are all accessing data from that AS and below then the performance could drop below acceptable levels.

Issue Sigma 4.08, Access Class 17 to 32 do not display object values Environment Sigma 4.08 Cause In Sigma 4.08 Build 3.46.57, if an Index or Object is assigned an Access Class of 17 to 32. The object does not display a value. Resolution Request Hot Fix 3.46.86 from Product Support Services. The Hot Fix will need to be installed at each local and remote client. When the Hot Fix is deployed, each object that has been assigned an Access Class of 17 to 32 will need to be opened in Object Editor, exit, saved and finally downloaded to the controller. Single object download without opening in Object Editor or Point File download is not sufficient.

Issue G3 station will not email alarms to intended recipients. Getting “java.security.cert.CertificateException: failed certificate validation” error in the station Application Director window. The error reads: mail.MessagingException: Could not connect to SMTP host: outbound.att.net, port: 465; nested exception is: javax.net.ssl.SSLHandshakeException: java.security.cert.CertificateException: failed certificate validation, at com.sun.mail.smtp.SMTPTransport.openServer(SMTPTransport.java:1972) at com.sun.mail.smtp.SMTPTransport.protocolConnect(SMTPTransport.java:642) at javax.mail.Service.connect(Service.java:317) at javax.mail.Service.connect(Service.java:176) at javax.mail.Service.connect(Service.java:125) at javax.baja.email.BOutgoingAccount.pollQueue(BOutgoingAccount.java:769) at javax.baja.email.BOutgoingAccount.poll(BOutgoingAccount.java:715) at javax.baja.email.BEmailAccount.doPoll(BEmailAccount.java:567) at javax.baja.email.BEmailAccount.access$0(BEmailAccount.java:36) at javax.baja.email.BEmailAccount$Poller.run(BEmailAccount.java:617) Caused by: javax.net.ssl.SSLHandshakeException: java.security.cert.CertificateException: failed certificate validation, at sun.security.ssl.Alerts.getSSLException(Alerts.java:192) at sun.security.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.fatal(SSLSocketImpl.java:1884) at sun.security.ssl.Handshaker.fatalSE(Handshaker.java:276) at sun.security.ssl.Handshaker.fatalSE(Handshaker.java:270) at sun.security.ssl.ClientHandshaker.serverCertificate(ClientHandshaker.java:1341) at sun.security.ssl.ClientHandshaker.processMessage(ClientHandshaker.java:153) at sun.security.ssl.Handshaker.processLoop(Handshaker.java:868) at sun.security.ssl.Handshaker.process_record(Handshaker.java:804) at sun.security.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.readRecord(SSLSocketImpl.java:1016) at sun.security.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.performInitialHandshake(SSLSocketImpl.java:1312) at sun.security.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.startHandshake(SSLSocketImpl.java:1339) at sun.security.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.startHandshake(SSLSocketImpl.java:1323) at com.tridium.crypto.core.io.CryptoCoreClientSocketFactory$NSSLSocket.startHandshake(CryptoCoreClientSocketFactory.java:334) at com.sun.mail.util.SocketFetcher.configureSSLSocket(SocketFetcher.java:548) at com.sun.mail.util.SocketFetcher.createSocket(SocketFetcher.java:352) at com.sun.mail.util.SocketFetcher.getSocket(SocketFetcher.java:207) at com.sun.mail.smtp.SMTPTransport.openServer(SMTPTransport.java:1938)   Environment Niagara G3 3.8.37, ENS, ENC Cause The security certificate for the SMTP server has not been accepted/approved. This error was seen when attempting to connect to the outbound.att.net SMTP server. It may apply to other SMTP server as well. Resolution Check to see if there’s a certificate for the mail server and if it has been approved. - Open the station’s Platform and select ‘Certificate Management’. - Select the Allowed Hosts tab. - Look for host named ‘outbound.att.net’ (it’s probably has not been approved) - Right-click on it and select ‘Approve’ - Select ‘Yes’ for the messages ‘Are you sure you want to approve the selected exemption(s)?’ To send or clear queued emails: - Double-click on the station’s ‘EmailService’ - Right-click on the OutgoingAccount and select ‘Actions’ and then ‘Send’ or ‘Clear Alarms’ If it was a certificate issue, you should now be able to send emails to the SMTP server.  

Issue Filtering Alarms in StruxureWare Building Operation to show only I/NET alarms Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation, TAC INET Environment I/NET integrated to StruxureWare Building Operation version 1.9 and older Cause Users may wish to only view alarms from the I/NET system Resolution Filter for All I/NET Alarms: Create an alarm View Click on the Filter Object Add a condition to Filter by Type Select the Type 'INET Alarm Record' Click OK Filter for I/NET Alarms from a Specific Link Create an alarm View Click on the Filter Object Add a condition to Filter by Source Type */INET Interface/LL where LL is the link number of the desired link. Note: If the INET interface on your server is not the default name, the name must match yours exactly. Click OK

Issue I/A Series R2 station installed on a JACE-645 retrofit board (TRD-RB-645) fails to run with the following errors Product Line TAC IA Series Environment JACE-645 Retrofit Board (TRD-RB-645) I/A Series R2 version 2.301.535.v1 I/A Series G3 version 3.6.406 Cause The R2 station has not been upgraded to R2 version 2.301.535 using the dbadmin command in the Niagara console. There are errors when converting the upgraded XML version of the station to SNS.  Resolution Ensure that the R2 station is upgraded as per step 3 on page 4 of the Retrofit Board Niagara R2 Install & Startup Guide before copying the station into the JACE-645 retrofit board. 

Issue Tips to speed up saved searches in StruxureWare Building Operation Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment StruxureWare Workstation Cause Searches take a large set of objects and check them against text matching and then against conditions. The more you can eliminate before checking text or conditions the better. Resolution Whenever possible use the following methods to speed up searches Use the 'In folder' field to avoid searching too large a section of the system Do not include properties or sub-servers when they are not needed Specify the smallest subset of type you are able to. For example, if you only want Extended Trend Logs, do not use the Base Trend Log object.

Issue When installing SE7000/SE8000 Room Controllers to connect them to a BACnet MS/TP network, multiple issues can arise: Leaving the Room Controller's COM address at 254 (default value out of the box) will make the room controller undiscoverable by the front end. Choosing a Com address value between 128 to 253 will cause the front end system to convert the com address to 127, causing duplicates when working with multiple Room Controllers. Room controllers with COM address set to 0 will prevent the front end from discovering any devices Product Line EcoStruxure Building Expert, EcoStruxure Building Operation, Other Environment SE8xxx Room controller SE8000 Series SER8300, SE8300, SE8350, SE8600 Viconics branding VT8000 Series SE7000 Series Controllers, VT7000 Series Controllers, 7600, 7300, 7200 Cause Master devices, those who participate in the token-passing protocol, must be addressed from 1 to 127. Addresses from 128 to 253 are reserved for slaves who do not participate in the token passing; however, they can occupy lower addresses as well. Resolution COM address must be changed to a value in the range of 1-127.