Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue How does the controller-resident schedule work in a Revision 11.x MicroSmart controller? Environment MicroSmart controllers revision 11.x and 10.x Cause Main DMS panel and/or NC panel were removed. Resolution With the loss of schedule control from the DMS or NC, each controller has two built-in schedules numbered 1 and 2. The Start/Stop point requiring a schedule can be assigned either one of these schedules followed by a letter A or letter B. Letter A stands for 'always' and letter B for 'backup'. With no DMS or NC present, enter the schedule as 1/A or 2/A.  Assign 'off' and 'on' times as required. Remove any reference to a DMS or NC schedule number (i.e. set it to a value of 00). 

Issue Analog inputs on a MicroSmart controller are all reading a negative value. Environment MicroSmart controllers (all versions) Cause Hardware issue or sensor failure Resolution If the connected sensor is a RTD, a negative reading reflects an electrical short somewhere between the controller and the sensor.  Note that a high positive reading reflects an electrical open circuit. If the connected sensor is a 4-20 mA device, it typically reads a high positive value which reflects an electrical open circuit.

Issue The drop down menu to select WorkPlace Tech help manuals does not function in Internet Explorer 11. Environment WorkPlace Tech 5.8.6 Internet Explorer 11 Cause Internet Explorer changes how they handle compatibility mode for websites and webpage used to access the help files requires updating in a new version of WorkPlace Tech. Resolution Use one of the following options to access the help files Access them directly by going to the folder they are stored. On a Windows 7 (64 bit) operating system this is C:\Program Files (x86)\WorkPlace Tech\Help by default. Modify the index.htm, BACnet.htm, LON.htm, search.htm, Sensors.htm, and Software.htm files found in the C:\Program Files (x86)\WorkPlace Tech\Help\bin directory. Add the following line in front of the first "meta http-equiv=" line:   <meta content="IE=EmulateIE8" http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" />   <meta content="IE-EmulateIE8" http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" />

Issue Font size is very large in Xenta Server and Webstation TGMLs, both in the web interface and when viewing from Vista Text in TGML graphics is too large, it word wraps when it shouldn't Environment TAC Xenta 700 TAC Xenta 511 TAC Xenta 527 TAC Xenta 555 TAC Vista TAC Vista Webstation Cause Windows Font Size is set to more than 100%. It has been found set to 125% as default on some PCs. Resolution In Windows 7 and 2008 Server: Goto Control Panel -> Appearance --> Display Click "Smaller - 100%" option and then apply settings The font in TGMLs should now display normally

Issue Is it possible to acknowledge an alarm from a third party HMI? Environment StruxureWare Building Operation Cause The only way to acknowledge an alarm in SmartStruxure is via the Workstation/Webstation or EcoStruxure Web Service. Resolution The only way to acknowledge an alarm in SmartStruxure from a third party HMI is via EcoStruxure Web Service.

Issue How often is a SNVT in a Lon device polled if an StruxureWare Building Operation alarm monitors that variable? What happens if a shunt variable is used - is the polling rate still the same? Environment Lon Device StruxureWare Building Operation Cause Alarms are to monitor SNVTs in a Lon device put polling may overload the network. Resolution An alarm monitoring a SNVT will be polled every 100 ms. If a shunt variable is then activated the pollrate will drop to 5 000 000 ms. This can be seen in the variable manager: Go to Server 1/System/Modules/RuntimeDBManager/VariableManager/Variables in Workstation Locate the variable in question and ensure that the Imposed Pollrate column is shown.

Issue Is the Niagara G3 Andover Infinity driver compatible with the NetController II (Model CX 9680)? Environment Niagara G3 any version Cause Site has a trunk of NetController II controllers Resolution The driver was never tested with the NetController II.

Issue What SNVT_temp_p value in the AS local node is required to force an MNL controller to fallback to a Not Active (NA) condition?  The AS station is configured to use degrees Fahrenheit and standard SNVT_temp_p definition uses degrees Celsius. Environment StruxureWare Building Operation Cause SNVT_temp_p is defined by the standard as a degrees Celsius temperature with a range of - 273.17 to + 327.66 Deg C (0.01 Deg C).  A value of 327.67 Deg C (0x7FFF) will cause the MNL controller to fallback to an NA condition.  The AS station is configured to use degrees Fahrenheit the value must be entered in Deg F. Resolution Sending a Not Active (NA) To write SNVT values, one is to write from programming logic to the local node out of the mirrored network variable to the controller SNVT.  Example: Mirrored variable, local node -> Vav??? -> nvoSetpoint, writes to VAV??? nviSetpoint [MNL-V2RV3] Go to the local node Find the nvoSetpoint Expand to Temperature value Right-click and select Properties Under Basic tab, General Information Section, Limit Section, locate the Invalid value Use the following value for NA in your programming [for SNVT_temp_p it is 621.81]

Issue Are the V211T, V222, V292 valves suitable in a system containing 28% bio ethanol? Environment V211T V222 V292 Cause Application requirement on content. Resolution With a content of only 28%, the valves should work just fine. Cast iron is not ideal, but it works fine. Stem packing materials are EPDM and teflon, and they will also work fine with this content.

Issue Receiving an 550 Unable to relay alarm in StruxureWare Building Operation alarm list when sending an alarm via email. Environment StruxureWare Building Operation Enterprise Server 1.4.0.4020 Cause The SMTP email server restricted sending to external email addresses Resolution Contact the IT department to resolve configuration. Until resolves restrict email messages to email addresses on the SMTP server.

Issue Open a graphics, all the objects' value display normally, when there is a  power cycle on the controller which the objects resided., the graphics will  not poll the objects' value, unless reopen the graphics or move to design mode then go back to run mode. Environment BCX1 b3s Cyberstation 1.94 SQL express 2005 + Windows 7 SQL server 2008 R2 +Windows server 2008 SP2 Cause Controller is in a heavily workload condition, the scan value reaches to high value Write value to the point under another controller but the controller is offline or there is some communication failure, although the scan is low but the program not work Resolution Delete or disable the program Modify the program to make sure the scan value is not greater than 1

Issue On a DMS jobsite, Operator Interface (OPRIF) does not display the MicroSmart controllers on the screen.  There are a dozen controllers and they are confirmed as communicating to the DMS but they do not appear in the controller list in OPRIF. Environment OPRIF DMS MicroSmart Cause In OPRIF, the MicroSmart controller list displays 32 controllers per screen and it reserves spaces even if that controller address does not exist on the jobsite. If the controller addresses begin with number 33, then the first screen will appear as blank.  However, the second screen will list controllers 33 to 65. Resolution Use the Page Down and Page Up buttons to move back and forth between controller lists 1-32 and 33-65.

Issue After configuring an XDriver point, clicking the refresh button on the editor results in an error "Invalid system enumeration" and no value response from the Slave device. Environment BCX1 Cyberstation 1.9X Modbus RTU Cause There is a register number shift (+1 or -1) some equipment uses. The registers listed in the manual do not actually exist. Resolution Add a register number shift (+1 or -1) to the register number listed in the manual.

Issue An "Invalid Pointer" error message is displayed when attempting to open an existing project in the WorkPlace Tech Tool software. Environment WorkPlace Tech Tool release 5.x.x Cause The WorkPlace Tech Tool project database file (project-name.wtp) is missing or is corrupted. Resolution Use the WorkPlace Tech Tool software to recreate the project and reassociate the applications with the project. Navigate to the project folder using Windows Explorer. If the a .wtp project database file is present, rename the file, by adding .save to the end of the existing .wtp file name, for example, rename My_Project.wtp to My_Project.wtp.save Close Windows Explorer. Open WorkPlace Tech but do not open the project. Under the WPT Project Menu, select New Specify the name of the project. Use the same name as the existing project folder. Using my example from step 2, you would create the project named My_Project In the displayed "Add Application to Project From..." window, select the "Unassigned File" tab. All existing applications for that project will appear in the list. Select them all by holding down the [Ctrl] key on your keyboard and clicking on each file shown in the list. Click the [OK] button at the bottom of the window to add all the selected applications to the newly created project. Exit from the Workplace Tech Tool software. When you reopen this project, all applications should be shown and any of them should open properly.

Issue How many SQL client licenses to run SQL if SQL 2008 is used to run Report Server? When Report Server is installed, is there a connection between SQL and the Enterprise Server. Environment Report Server Licensing Cause Licenses must be purchased for supporting software (OS, SQL, etc). Resolution Because SQL and Report Server have to be running on the same machine, there is only one sequel user that requires licensing.  There is no connection between the Enterprise Server and SQL when Report Server is installed.

Issue Unable to log into Reports Server after upgrade Environment Reports Server Cause The Enterprise Server Address must be correctly entered in the required fields during the upgrade. If this is left as the default, the application will not function correctly. Resolution Browse to the SE.SBO.WebReports.Installer that was used for your original upgrade attempt. Right click on this and select "Run as administrator" In the Setup Type select the Upgrade option Follow the Prompts and be sure to enter the correct site information Under the Reporting Agent Section change the Enterprise Server URL to the correct Enterprise Server location and port. You may need to verify this on the ES PC. Complete the installation and attempt to log into web reports again.

Issue Support is required for Merten switches and Merten KNX products Environment Schneider Electric Merten products Cause Merten products are not supported by Buildings PSS Resolution Information on Merten Products can be found on their website: http://www.merten.com/ Contact details are at: http://www.merten.com/Customer-service.100.0.html For Technical Support email: tsc-wiehl@schneider-electric.com (Old email: infoline.merten@schneider-electric.com) For pricing information and ordering Merten products please contact your local Customer Care Centre (CCC).

Issue What is the difference between Crompton and Modbus? Environment IC3-Modbus IC-Modbus Cause Adding Modbus slave devices to a network that have Crompton devices and the IC Modbus is set to Crompton. Resolution The IC Modbus when set to MODbus reads 16bit registers separately. It can add 2 consecutive 16 bit registers together to make a 32 bit word. The IC Modbus when set to Crompton reads a single 32 bit register. Crompton uses 32 bit registers. Therefore Modbus and Crompton slave devices cannot be mixed on the same IC Modbus network.

Issue The thermostat appears to be in OFF mode and can't be cycled through the modes as indicated by the manufacturer's directions.   Environment Venstar T2700, VST2700 thermostats for red-wire control connected physically to a controller Cause It seems that the polarity of the dry contact was set to the default Normally Open (NO) state. Using the Venstar EZ-Programmer to apply the correct settings for use with an occupancy point did not overwrite the polarity of the Venstar's dry contact, but did overwrite the Dry Contact Operation. Also, by wiring everything up first, we did not power up the thermostat to change the mode before it got the closed dry contact command from the BAS. So when we did power everything up, the dry contact was closed, but the thermostat understood that this was an "unoccupied" command since it was still set to NO. Even though the security settings allowed the mode to be changed, when Dry Contact Operation is enabled, the mode can only be changed in occupied mode. When the thermostat goes unoccupied, it stays in whatever mode it was in previously, and controls to the unoccupied setpoints. By not realizing that the EZ Programmer didn't overwrite the polarity, we assumed the dry contact operation and polarity were correct and a closed dry contact would enable the occupied mode.   Resolution This issue can be resolved by powering up the thermostat before connecting the dry contact relay and changing the mode to "auto". If already wired, make sure the dry contact polarity is set to Normally Closed (NC) and Dry Contact Operation is "Yes". Then the modes can be cycled while occupied. < acc0432manualrev1.pdf="" manuals="" support="" www.venstar.com="">

Issue SmartStruxure with I/A Series Micronet BACnet (MNB) controllers Environment SmartStruxure version 1.4 and earlier I/A Series Micronet BACnet (MNB) controllers Cause Need to know if it is possible to use MNB controllers with SmartStruxure.  Resolution I/A Series MNB controllers can be integrated into SmartStruxure as 3rd party BACnet devices. For more information on SmartStruxure with MNB controllers, download document MNB BACnet Support within a StruxureWare Building Operation System Solution Guide.