Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Security Expert and Security Expert Data Sync Service are running and operational. After a while, the Data Sync Service stops synchronizing. Reviewing the Data Sync Service log file indicates that the connection was lost and that the operator username or password are incorrect. [WARN ] [0 ] - Failed to get Operator where ID = 6. Error Code: 8 (Connection lost/not logged on) [ERROR] [0 ] - Incorrect username or password, or the operator does not have access. Error Code: 0 (Error). Restarting the entire system or the Security Expert Data Service resolves the problem. Product Line Security Expert Environment Multiple Security Expert Clients Security Expert Data Sync Service Cause The number of concurrent clients has exceeded the licensed limit.   The Data Sync Service will make a connection each time it synchronizes and then close that connection when finished. If there are no client licenses available for it to use when attempting to connect then it will fail and present the following events in the log file. [INFO ] [0 ] - Verifying product license information... [WARN ] [0 ] - Failed to get Operator where ID = 6. Error Code: 8 (Connection lost/not logged on) [ERROR] [0 ] - Incorrect username or password, or the operator does not have access. Error Code: 0 (Error). [INFO ] [0 ] - Next sync will begin at 24/07/2019 9:42:59 AM Each Security Expert Client connection will take up a client license. If the SSN is enabled for three concurrent client connections this will allow for two Security Expert Clients and one Data Sync Service. Resolution Purchase more client licenses (SX-CLNT) for the sites SSN. Ensure that no more than [one less than the maximum concurrent clients number] Security Expert Clients are running when the Data Sync Service is also running.

Issue Building Expert unable to complete the loading process. The Building Expert interface will begin to load but gets stuck at a certain point and never finishes when trying to log into an MPM. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Expert Environment Building Expert SmartStruxure Lite Cause The web browser cache is full.  Resolution In order to get Building Expert to finish loading try the following tasks: Clear the cache of the web browser (To clear the cache in Firefox press CTRL-F5). Try loading Building Expert again. If clearing the web browser cache does not work then try performing a File System Format. Using the Application Note here, access the bootloader and perform a "File System Format". After this process has been completed then the firmware will need to be reloaded into the MPM.

Issue ES does not start. In the error log, the following errors are present: nsp.util.SQLite SQLite: Error. Error code: 778 nsp.util.SQLite SQLITE: Unrecoverable error. Will exit(1).' Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Enterprise server Cause If the hard drive is damaged or full, the Enterprise Server will not be able to write data to the disk and the error log will contain error 778. This error means: (778) SQLITE_IOERR_WRITE The SQLITE_IOERR_WRITE error code is an extended error code for SQLITE_IOERR indicating an I/O error in the VFS layer while trying to write into a file on disk. This error might result from a hardware malfunction or because a filesystem came unmounted while the file was open. This error should not occur if the filesystem is full as there is a separate error code (SQLITE_FULL) for that purpose. Resolution Change the hard drive or clear out some data depending on what the issue is.

Issue When trying to log into SBO Workstation receive the following error: Invalid returned data from license server system. (Error code: -12) Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Workstation Enterprise Server Cause This error has been caused when a Workstation license is present but no Enterprise Server license is present. Resolution An Enterprise Server license must be purchased and added. Please see EcoStruxure Building Operation License types for license options and part numbers.

Issue What bit formats are accepted by the Security Expert Controller (SP-C) for communicating with third-party card reader with pin? Product Line EcoStruxure Security Expert Environment Security Expert Server Security Expert Controller Cause When using pin pad readers with the Security Expert Controller there are only a few supported bit formats.  Resolution Only these following formats are support and tested with Security Expert at this time: 26 Bit (Site 0) ARK-501 4 Bit 4 Bit Parity 4 Bit Buf 4 Bit Buf & Par 36 Bit (IEI S0)

Issue How to relinquish a priority on multiple BACnet objects from a list view or search. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Workstation Automation Server Enterprise Server Cause Need to relinquish a value in the priority stack for multiple points at once. Resolution In the list view or search select all of the objects in question (IMPORTANT: Only objects of the same class type should be selected) Open the property grid by clicking the red check mark. Go to the Command tab and remove the value from the priority that is to be relinquished then save the change NOTE: As of 1.5 the above steps work ONLY for objects of analog type. In the screen shot above: Use back space to remove the 1, leaving the field blank Save the change SBO will relinquish priority 16 on all the objects selected in the list view or search. 

Issue As a user, i would like to pre-program my JACE with my devices and i cannot make sense of the MAC address. Environment SmartStruxure Lite Multi-Purpose Manager and any device that can communicate with it. Cause Cannot make sense of the MAC address. Resolution The MAC address of each device has the following format: [ yy xx bb aa 00 00 ] [ yy xx ] denoted the "Network Number" in HEX [ bb aa ] denotes the "Device ID" in HEX   Example Device MAC address is 7B 00 67 00 00 00 Network Number = 123 (Decimal) = 0x7B00 (HEX) Device ID = 103 (Decimal) = 0x6700 (HEX)

Issue Having difficulties determining which firmware/hardware version supports which feature. Some of main questions are: Is an SE8000 compatible with an MPM's firmware Can zigbee NYCE sensors be paired with MPMs Product Line EcoStruxure Building Expert Environment SmartStruxure Lite Multi-Purpose Manager SE8xxx Room controller SE8000 Series SER8300, SE8300, SE8350, SE8600 Ex. Viconics branding VT8000 Series Cause Firmware versions are frequently updated to introduce new features Resolution   Room Controller Firmware Zigbee-Module Application MPM's Firmware Comments Lua4RC 1.0.7 N/A 2.13.4 and up A script must be uploaded via BACnet or USB cable in order to view the "LUA" Menu. ZigBee NYCE Sensors 1.0.6/1.0.7 051 - 0131R05 and up 2.13.4 and up   SE8650   1.2.0 051 - 0131R06 and up 2.17 and up   SE8600   1.0.7 051 - 0131R05 and up 2.13.4 and up   SE8300/ SER8300 1.0.7 051 - 0131R02 and up 2.12.4 and up No label on ZigBee Module 1.0.6 051 - 0131R02 and up 2.7.2 and up No label on ZigBee Module

Issue When a graphic is dragged out of the kitPxGraphics module, the image location on the px page shows ‘file:^px/’ and the path.  Sometimes the image displays, sometimes is does not display.  It behaves like this on some laptops but on others, it’s fine.   Environment Niagara G3 / AX 3.8.37 server stations and soft jaces Cause There could be an issue with a recent Windows update. Resolution The work-around is to exclude a line from the system.properties file:   niagara.ui.px.maxImageModuleFileSize=2047 Place a '#' sign in front of this line and the module path is used instead of the px file space.

Issue G3 station will not email alarms to intended ATT email recipient. “Authentication errors” are being displayed in the station’s Application Director Window. Environment Niagara G3 3.8.37, ENS, ENC Cause The ATT email account being used is a new account. It had never been signed onto to complete its setup configuration. The account needs to be setup first before it can receive emails. Resolution Sign-on to the new ATT user account via ATT’s email portal and complete the setup process for the new account. Open Niagara and try resend emails. To send 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 an issue with the new account not being initialized, you should now be able to send now.

Issue When a Room Controller device is created under an MPM using one of the predefined devices in Building Expert, a number of its BACnet objects are mapped to AVs in the MPM. It is not possible to tell from the AV properties if the BACnet objects are read-only or read/write. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Expert Environment MPM SmartStruxure Lite Cause When a Room Controller device is added under an MPM using one of the predefined devices in Building Expert, a number of its BACnet objects are mapped to AVs in the MPM.  The BACnet objects made visible to the MPM are a small subset of the total number of BACnet objects in the device and consist of several different BACnet types, some of which are read-only and others are read/write.  Regardless of the BACnet type, they are all mapped to AVs whose properties do not distinguish between read-only and read/write objects. Resolution There is little documentation available on the predefined devices found in Building Expert. The best source of information is in PIC Statements and BACnet - Integration Guides. As an example I will use the SE8600UxB room controller. The "SE8600 Series BACnet - Integration Guide" is available on Exchange Download Center. In the MPM we have created a Lua script which monitors the occupancy status of the SE8600 and under certain conditions sets it to UnOccupied then turns it off after a delay. For this to work we need to know which AVs we can monitor and write to. Among the AVs mapped to the MPM for this device are "Occupancy Command", "Effective Occupancy" and "System Mode", which would seem to be suitable. The "SE8600 Series BACnet - Integration Guide" lists hundreds of BACnet properties of various object types, only 12 of which are mapped to the MPM. These 12 properties all appear as AVs in the MPM, regardless of their original BACnet object type. Also, although the object tables in the document list the read/write status of most of the objects, they do not list it for the objects mapped to the MPM. The only way to find out is to scan through the various tables of objects until you find one whose name matches one of the AVs in our example. Make a note of which table it is in. In our example: "Occupancy Command" and "System Mode" are in the MV table "Effective Occupancy" is in the MI table On page 35, under "Summary for Integrators", there is this line: "AI’s, BI’s & MI’s are not writable and are typically only used for status". "Effective Occupancy" appears in the MI object table, so it is read-only. As "Occupancy Command" and "System Mode" are in the MV table they are read/write. This procedure is applicable to all the Room Controllers available via the "Add Devices" command in Building Expert.

Issue Intermittent "Completion Event Failure" Xenta controllers go offline and come back online randomly Environment Vista Workstation LNS Database LonMaker / NL220 Cause Completion event failure can occur for many reasons: not using Lon cable terminators, too much network traffic, "acknowledged" type SNVT bindings to a node, etc. Resolution "One to many" bindings set as acknowledged can cause data storms, download failures, completion event failures, X'ed values in graphics, and communication problems because controllers are busy re-sending information. The reason the controllers might be resending is because they did not get a response from one of the recipients or did not get a response in time. It then resends the packet to all of the recipients, not just the unresponsive node, and waits for acknowledgments from all of them. If one of them is offline, there will be a lot of unnecessary network traffic being generated. When "one to many" bindings are required it is almost always preferable to select unacknowledged or repeated as the binding type. Note that the default binding type for programmable controllers is acknowledged. If you still have problems with completion event failures after making sure that the network is correct, you can change the number of retries in the Network object. In TAC Vista Workstation, right click on the Lonworks Network object, go to Properties, select the Timer tab, under Networks timer change the retry from 2 (default) to 4. If using LonMaker, right click on the LNS Network Interface, go to Properties, select the time tab, set the Non Group Receive Timer to the recommended 6144ms. If NL220 is being used, double click the LNS Network Interface, go to the Network tab, change the Non Group Timer to the recommended selection 11 - 6.144s.

Issue When SigmaSvr is started for the first time after a Sigma 4.08 install, a Windows error 1067 error appears Product Line Satchwell Sigma Environment Satchwell Sigma Software (Sigma 4.08) Cause If SigmaSvr is started for the first time after a Sigma 4.08 install without the USB dongle plugged in the Sigma Server may fail to start. As a result, a dump file will be created in the Sigma directory after each start attempt. Resolution Before starting SigmaSvr, plug the Sigma USB dongle in. Let the driver install. Start the Sigma Server Delete the .dmp files in the Sigma directory.

Issue It is required for some sites to show the actual CO2 level in the SE8000 display, but this configuration is not documented. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation, EcoStruxure Building Expert Environment Building Operation Workstation Building Operation Automation Server SSL SE8000 Cause The SE8000 display does not have a default configuration option to show the CO2 level in the display. A special configuration is needed. Resolution The short message method is the only method possible to display CO2 levels at the moment. Type the following script in the "Description" of any of the lua programs of the SE8000 Room Controller: ME.CSV1 = ("CO2: "..ME.AV28.." ppm") The CO2 reading will be displayed below the date on the SE8000 Room Controller. The string can be found in the "Value" field of the "Short Screen Message Text" point (CSV1)

Issue MSTP controllers go offline when changing the MaxMaster value in the Automation Server from it's default of 127 Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Workstation Building Operation Automation Server MSTP Master Controllers Cause The MaxMaster value is being set lower than some or all of the MSTP controllers on the network Resolution EcoStruxure Building Operation supports MSTP Master controllers in the address range 0-127 (often refered to as the node id). The MSTP network is a token passing network where the token is passed around the network, until a controller has the token it cannot 'talk' to other devices.   The MaxMaster value is defaulted to 127 to allow all devices on the network to receive the token and reply to online status requests, send values etc. If the MaxMaster value is less than any of the MSTP Master controller addresses then those controllers never receive the token and cannot respond to online status requests.   The value for the MaxMaster needs to be equal to or greater than the highest addressed MSTP controller node id.  For example, if the highest node id=54 then the MaxMaster will need to be set to 54 or higher. For maximum efficiency the MaxMaster should be set 1 or 2 greater than the highest controller address, this allows for adding future devices without needlessly polling for many non-existent devices.    Please refer to BACnet MS/TP Network Properties – Basic Tab or Configuring the MS/TP Network for b3 Communication 

Issue Xenta 700 in Control Applications how do you get back out of (compress/ collapse) the HFB? Product Line TAC Vista Environment Xenta 701, 711, 721, 731 Menta object Cause Navigating through Menta object code. Resolution Left or right click in the white space 3 times quickly to navigate out of an HFB.

Issue The documentation states in different ways that the sensors are both 0-95% and 0-100% RH range. Environment SHD100 006902321 SHD100-T 006902331 SHD101-T5 006902381 SHD101-T6 6902411 SHO100 006902361 SHO100-T 006902371 SHO101-T5 006902401 SHR100 006902340 SHR100-T 006902350 SHR100-T5 006902390 Cause Different RH (Relative Humidity) values are listed in the documentation, and needs to be explained.  Resolution Ranges are divided into "measuring range" and "working range".   Measuring range: 0…100% r.H. Working range:   10…100% r.H. ( non condensing )   Normally 100% r.H. is already water but it is possible to have 100% r.H. in air- or gas form. Sensor works at 100% r.H. in air but not if pure water is present. This is why “non condensing” is added. In this case working range is 10…100%. If we don’t add “non condensing”,  specification should read: 10…95% r.H.  Sensor will not become damaged because of condensing.

Issue Nuisance forced door alarms are showing when exiting through doors with panic bars. Product Line EcoStruxure Security Expert Environment Security Expert Client Cause Need to stop a forced door event from registering an alarm notification when a doors panic bar is used. Resolution Enable the feature "Forced Door Sends Door Open" on the Door Inputs tab.

Issue Wants to be able to access a remotely located group of BACnet MS/TP controllers via BACnet IP or BACnet-Ethernet.  Do you sell any routers or converters of this type? Environment MNB series BACnet controllers using MS/TP communications. Cause Customer wants to use BACnetIP to connect to a group of BACnet MS/TP controllers. Resolution The UNC-520-2 or ENC-520-2, with the BACnet driver installed, can operate as a BACnet IP to BACnet MS/TP router.  These devices allow routing between BACnet-IP or BACnet Ethernet to BACnet MS/TP.  This approach allows for up to four separate MS/TP networks to be routed to the BACnet-IP or BACnet-Ethernet network. The MNB-1000 provides a single MS/TP bus along with the BACnet IP or BACnet Ethernet capability. We have not tested and cannot support any third party BACnetIP to BACnet MS/TP converters.

Issue The toolbar icons in PCT 2.0 are jumbled. They seems to be stacked on top of each other, making it hard to use the toolbar. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Project Configuration Tool 2.0 Cause Issue with the font used by PCT Resolution Follow these steps to resolve the problem: In Windows, navigate to Settings, then Font Settings, and search for "Material Icons". Select Material Icons, then choose Uninstall. Confirm by clicking Uninstall. Close all browser windows used to access PCT, then reopen and browse to PCT again. The toolbar icons should now display correctly.