Building Automation Knowledge Base

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 When many trend logs are linked to the same time object for emailing via a Receiver Group, some of the trend logs may not be sent. Environment Xenta Server Xenta 511, 527, 555, 701, 711, 721, 731, 913 Cause The Xenta Server cannot send more than approx. 50-60 simultaneous emails before some are lost.  The limit appears to be dependent on the size of attached trend logs and the number of addresses in the Receiver Group list. Resolution For a single email address, split the trend logs into groups of no more than 40.  Link the logs in each group to a different time object and stagger the times at which they are sent.  If the Receiver Group definition contains multiple email addresses, reduce the number of trend logs in each group accordingly.

Issue Prior to XBuilder 5.1.1, it was not possible to change the type of an Xenta Server in an XBuilder project once it had been created.  Sometimes there is a need to move the project to a different type of Xenta Server without losing all the links and bindings within the project. Environment Xenta Server XBuilder 5.1.0 or earlier Xenta 511, 527, 555, 701, 711, 721, 731, 913 Cause In XBuilder 5.1.0 or earlier, it is not possible to edit the Xenta Server type in the network pane of the XBuilder project Resolution Upgrading to Vista/XBuilder 5.1.1 or later will allow you to easily change the device type directly from XBuilder.  Note that this must be done from an XBuilder project that is saved to the computer. If the project is in a Vista database start by opening the XBuilder project, clicking on File > Save as and then save it to the computer. Then, close XBuilder, reopen XBuilder and open up the saved copy of the XBuilder project from the PC. In the XBuilder Project menu select 'Change Target type...'.  Choose your preferred target device from the drop-down list.   If it is not possible to upgrade, the following instructions allow an XBuilder project to be transferred to a different type of Xenta Server without losing graphic bindings or bindings between objects on the System pane and the Network pane.  The one proviso is that the target Xenta Server's hardware must be able to support any network defined in the source project and have the same or better Menta and User graphic capabilities.   There are many different combinations of Server types and BMS platforms that these instructions could apply to in general.   The example given here transfers an Xenta 555 project to an Xenta 731.  The Xenta 555 has a Lonworks network and a Modbus network and is part of a Vista database.   Creating the Xenta 731 in the Vista database: Open the Vista database containing the Xenta 555 project. Right-click on the 555 and select Edit from the dropdown menu. The XBuilder project opens.  Keep this open for the following steps. In the Vista database create a new Xenta 731.  The name is not important but it should be similar but not identical to the 555 it will replace. Transferring the Lonworks network to the Xenta 731: In Vista, drag and drop the LON network from the 555 to the 731. Right-click on the 731 and select Edit from the dropdown menu. The 731 project opens in a new instance of XBuilder.  Rename the default folder in the system pane to the same name as the top level folder in the 555 project. In the 731 project right-click on the LON object in the Network pane.  Select 'Refresh network from TAC Vista'. Transferring the Modbus network to the Xenta 731: In the 555 project, right-click a Modbus device and select 'Edit Device template' When the device editor opens, select File | Save as.. Save the file in the default location with the default name. Repeat steps 2 to 3 for all Modbus devices in the network. In the 731 project recreate the Modbus network using the templates just saved.     Transferring the System objects to the Xenta 731: In the 555 project, right-click an object below the top level folder and select 'Copy'. Move focus to the 731 project, right-click on the top level folder and select 'Paste'. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for each object and folder below the top level in the 555 project.  Selecting a folder also selects all the objects and folders beneath it.  Although it is possible to copy the top level folder in the 555 project, it is not possible to paste it into the 731 project. Graphics bindings are retained and the reference paths are automatically updated with the new network tree i.e. 'TAC_Xenta_555' is replaced with 'TAC_Xenta_731'. Some object bindings will be broken e.g. Time objects.  These must be rebound manually. When all objects have been copied across and rebound if necessary, close the 555 project. Deleting the Xenta 555 and downloading the project to the Xenta 731: In the Vista database, delete the Xenta 555. Generate the 731 project.  There will be a warning message offering to copy the original TGML files to the new default location.  Select 'Yes'. The 731 project should now generate without errors. Download the project to the Xenta 731.   If the 555 only contains a Modbus network, a similar methodology will also work with standalone 555 and 731 projects.  

Issue Do the I/ A Series (MNL- or MNB-) controllers support more than one S-Link sensor? Environment I/A Series controllers: MNL-50, MNL-100, MNL-200, MNL-V1, MNL-V2, MNL-V3, MNL-800, MNB-V2, MNB-300, MNB-1000 S-Link sensors; MN-S1, MN-S1HT, MN-S2, MN-S2HT, MN-S3, MN-S3HT, MN-S4, MN-S4HT, MN-S5, MN-S5HT Cause Want to connect 2 S-LINK sensors to an I/A series controller Resolution No, only one S-Link sensor per controller is supported. Currently, there are no plans to add the capability of supporting a second sensor.

Issue Do we have any fast (10 sec) damper actuator in our portfolio? Environment Damper actuator Cause In some application, a fast actuator is requested. Resolution Unfortunately, we do not cover this type of applications. An actuator of this type will have to be sourced locally. Belimo has a line of very fast-running actuators: http://www.belimo.eu/CH/EN/Product/Actuators/SuperFast.cfm?TopCatNr=0206

Issue If not considering the design of the sensor housing, can a duct sensor function also in a room application? Environment Duct style sensors Cause A specific application is requesting this type of setup Resolution In general it is possible to use these sensors also for room applications. Maybe the time constant will be a little bit higher because of lower velocity which in room applications usually is irrelevant. For the SHD it might be that the sinter filter can absorb some radiant heat (if there is any).

Issue A Niagara R2 UNC will not keep time accurately.  The time doesn't just drift a few seconds.  It is jumping around by hours.  Trying to change the time in the Admin Tool does not work.  The following error appears in the standard output window on startup of the UNC:  ERROR: Cannot load /tffs/rel//nre/lib/timezones.txt ---------- Station Starting:   THU FEB 28 14:41:44 2013 ---------- ERROR: Cannot load /tffs/rel//nre/lib/timezones.txt   java.lang.NumberFormatException Tridium Niagara Station, r2.301.532.v1 [B_Floor_1] MESSAGE: ErrorLogService installed [/B_Floor_1/services/ErrorLogService] GcmCommService Revision 2.304.532.v1 Start service: ControlEngineService [19] ControlEngineService Start service: UiEngineService [20] UiEngineService Start service: NotificationService [2] NotificationService Start service: LogService [21] LogService Start service: AuditLogService [22] AuditLogService Start service: ErrorLogService [23] ErrorLogService Start service: TimeSyncService [26] TimeSyncService Start service: LonWorksService [28] LonWorksService Opened lon / LON1 >>> Lon Driver opened! Start service: GcmCommService [24] GcmCommService Comm Ports:   COM1 (serial)   COM2 (serial)   COM3 (serial)   COM4 (serial)   COM5 (serial)   COM6 (serial) Start service: VserialService [25] VserialService MESSAGE: Station started successfully. (HTTP port=80) [/B_Floor_1] Environment Niagara R2 Cause Corrupt timezones.txt file Resolution The timezones.txt file is corrupt.  Copy and paste the contents of this file from a functional UNC and paste it into the problem UNC. The timezones file can be accessed via the Admin Tool dropdown menu.

Issue Five of the controllers are reporting access events while the sixth is not. Environment Access Evens Subnet Controller configuration Cause The subnet scheme on the network had significant subnetting errors. Resolution Resolve IP address and default router scheme.

Issue Edit VideoServer object and Learn button is greyed out. Environment CyberStation 1.94 Video Cause The Learn key in the CyberStation Security editor under VideoServer had been changed to a 'lock'. Resolution The Learn key in the CyberStation Security editor under VideoServer had to be changed to a 'key' for user Group 128. Note: there is an unconfirmed possibility that this occurred as a result of an upgrade, as the Admin user was using Group 128 and typically a change to user security during an upgrade would default to a 'key' for Group 1 but a 'lock' for all other security groups.

Issue StruxureWare for Building Operation User Interface Matrix Environment SmartStruxure Cause Need information about which User Interface Option has which features Resolution You can download the User Interface Matrix from The Exchange Download Center: User Interface Summary

Issue Obsolete product needs replacement. Environment TAC258R 2581010000 Xenta 102-AX STR100 Xenta 121-FC STR250 Cause The TAC258R is obsolete and needs to be replaced. Resolution   We do not offer any direct replacement. Depending on application, you might consider using the Xenta 121FC with a STR100 series room unit. However, if the application is VAV, the Xenta 102-AX and a STR250 wall module might cover your needs.

Issue Can a UNC-600 or UNC-610 be replaced with a UNC-410?  The installed UNC is in disrepair and it only does a LON integration of approximately 25 controllers. Environment Niagara R2 Cause UNC onsite no longer working as well as being obsolete and un-repairable Resolution As long as the station being transferred from the UNC-6x0 is not large, then the UNC-410 will perform well as a replacement unit. The UNC-410 only has 300,000 resources and is limited to 27 LON controllers. If more LON controllers must be integrated, then a special request to open the license to a higher node count must be submitted to the Marketing Manager and approved by him.

Issue Used the script to make an automatic backup and after the first one, it doubled on the next one. Is this what is expected from the backup? Product Line TAC INET Environment All versions of I/Net Cause What does an automatic backup really do to a database? Resolution The Automatic backup is a script that will backup the database whenever it is executed. It creates a generic database the first time but does not append it. Each time after that a backup is created and time stamped that it was executed. If it changed in size, then it would have been due to events occurring during the time that has elapsed.

Issue Assign a category to a large number of alarm objects without having to edit the alarm objects one at a time. Environment Automation Server Enterprise Server WorkStation Cause Categories can be used for several different reasons in a Workstation. After the alarms are created, it can be time consuming to go one by one to set a single property on a large number of alarms. The ability to edit many at once will save time. Resolution Create a Search object and set the filter to display the objects in question then select all the objects you want the set applied to. Choose the properties check box at the top of the list so that the properties window appears on the right hand side of the screen. You should see that all properties. When objects of different classes are in the Search, the properties that are common among the selected objects are editable. Go to the category field and browse to the desired category and select the category. Choose save or OK

Issue Unable to install the SQL Server with I/NET. Error shows: The SQL Server System Configuration Checker cannot be executed due to WMI configuration on the machine "machinename" error:2147942405(0x80070005). Environment I/NET Seven Cause Some security settings have been changed under DCOM. If local launch and local activation properties are set to 'Not Defined,' the installation will fail. Resolution Open Administrative Tools > Local Security Policies Find Local Policies > Security Options > 'DCOM: Machine Launch Restriction in Security Descriptor Definition Language(SDDL)' Set the System user 'Local Launch' and 'Local Activation' to ALLOW.

Issue Get error message "Untranslated error" when adding a point under a B3 controller. Environment StruxureWare Building Operation version 1.3 Automation Server version 1.3 Cause A new B3 controller was added to the AS via "Learn" Resolution Manually add the B3 controller to the AS.

Issue Unable to locate requested documentation. Environment   T312-121 Cause Product was available in price list, but no related documentation was to be found. Resolution Unfortunately this product is terminated, and was still listed in the price list. No documentation has ever been available for download. Product is now removed from future revisions of price list.

Issue Menta module names disappear when exporting a Xenta from Vista version 5.1.8 and importing it to Vista version 5.1.7  Environment TAC Vista 5.1.7 and 5.1.8 Cause Changes is made in the export/import function in TAC Vista 5.1.8 which will cause problems to import a export file from TAC Vista 5.1.8  in to TAC Vista 5.1.7. Resolution To be sure that the export/import function should work only export and import between Vista systems of the same version. 

Issue Since the SPD900 is obsolete, it needs a replacement product. Environment Differential Air Pressure Switches 004701040  SPD900-600Pa  004701020  SPD900-200Pa 004701090  SPD910-2000Pa  004701080  SPD910-1000Pa  004701070  SPD910-500Pa  004701060  SPD910-300Pa  Cause Obsolete part needs replacement. Resolution The SPD900 series was replaced by SPD910 series in 2009. Please see SPD910 data sheet for more information and details.

Issue How to enable / disable Personnel Manager in Continuum Environment Continuum Cyberstation version 1.93 and later Cause The Personnel Manager is enabled by default at each Cyberstation workstation version 1.93 and later. However, users can choose to enable the Personnel Editor, a dialog similar to other Cyberstation dialogs (used in earlier versions of Cyberstation), instead of the Personnel Manager. Resolution To enable / disable the Personnel Manager: 1. In Continuum Explorer, right click your workstation folder, and click Open   2. Select the Preferences tab of the Device editor   3. Scroll down to the preference setting, Use Personnel Manager, and select True to enable or False to use the old Personnel Editor   4. Click OK

Issue The initialization of a panel does not adjust the size of objects in the panel. Once a panel is created, how to re-adjust each object's size in it? Environment SmartStruxure version 1.3 Cause When creating a panel in the WorkStation, the system does not have a step asking to adjust the size of each object (graphic, trend chat, etc.) in this panel. Users need to do additional setting in the WorkStation in order to change the layout. Resolution Create a panel according to the customer's demand. Right click on the panel just created, and select edit panel. In the right side panel, adjust the panel layout. Once the change is finished, click on the Save button on the top of the tab. Reopening the panel will find the panel now is planned as desired.