Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue When ordering Veris products through Schneider Electric, SE part numbers must be used. Environment Veris products Cause Cross reference needed between Veris and Schneider Electric part numbers. Resolution   Veris Part no SE Part no H708 3240100000 H709HV 3240101000 H308 3240102000 H608 3240103000 H908 3240104000 H909HV 3240105000 H800 3240106000 H300 3240108000 H600 3240109000 H900 3240110000 H721LC 3240201000 H721HC 3240202000 H921 3240203000 H722LC 3240204000 H722HC 3240205000 H723LC 3240206000 H723HC 3240207000 H922 3240208000 H923 3240209000 H221 3240210000 H321 3240211000 AH01 3240301000 AH-27 3240302000

Issue Error "Job Failed  java.lang.NoSuchMethodError: com/tridium/install/BDaemonPlatform.getNiagaraR2Enabled()Z" when attempting to perform an I/A Series G3 Station Backup in version 3.6.31 after having installed the August 2012 security updates. Environment I/A Series G3 JACE or ENC with release 3.6.31 and security patches 3.6.47 installed. Cause Internal software error in the backup.jar file, version 3.6.47.2 Resolution Remove the backup.jar file, version 3.6.47.2 from the modules folder on the I/A Series G3 WorkBench computer. Remove the file backup.jar from the \niagara\niagara-3.6.31\sw\3.6.47.2 folder. Verify that the original 3.6.31 backup.jar file is in the  \niagara\niagara-3.6.31\modules folder.  Note that when replacing the backup.jar file, the 3.6.47.2 file should be renamed so that it can be restored later. Open the 3.6.31 Workbench and open the platform of the ENC / JACE. Run the Software Manager and note that a newer version of the is shown as installed as compared to the avail. version. Select the "backup" module by clicking on it then click the [Downgrade] button then click the [Commit] button. Acknowledge the warning that a reboot will be required by clicking the [Yes] button. Wait for the module commit process to complete, the station to reboot and restart. After the station has restarted you can log into the Station through Workbench and perform the backup to a .dist file using the standard station backup procedure (by right-clicking on the station name and selecting "Backup Station").

Issue The Universal Input real-time values on a MNL-800 (or Microzone II) are fluctuating unrealistically.  They rise, peak, drop, valley and then start over again very quickly.  It is similar to an AC wave pattern. It is happening with all the inputs no matter their configuration. Product Line TAC IA Series Environment MNL-800 Microzone II (Network 8000) Cause When an actuator is interfaced with a MNL-800 (or MicroZone II), and the UI cable shields are connected to earth ground (the SHLD terminal), the shield has a common mode AC potential that couples to the UI input. Only a very small signal (UI shield to signal common) is needed to result in objectionable UI signal fluctuation. Resolution Connect all drain shields on UI inputs to UI common (C terminal). Read additional solutions and a more descriptive cause in Technical Bulletin 01-36.

Issue The 50 series version of the LCD unit can fail to re-poll analogue values when used in conjunction with an old series MN controller, this will only occur after the controller has been power cycled. This problem does not apply to the 50 series controller range.   Product Line  Satchwell Sigma Environment MicroNet 50 series LCD connected to 100 series controller. Cause With older controllers, although the initial poll from the LCD brings back the controller analogue values, the LCD changes the displayed value to zero. This issue does not affect digital state displays or the analogue values contained within the controller’s scheme. Resolution A temporary workaround is to ensure the controller is not power cycled after its configuration has been downloaded. Firmware version MNLCD5W is now available for correcting this issue. If you require updated firmware for your MN50-LCD or MN50-LCDP units. Please contact the Product Support Services department. Specification numbers affected: MN50-LCD  (Firmware version MNLCD5V) MN50-LCDP  (Firmware version MNLCD5V) This issue will only affect the MN50-LCD or MN50-LCDP when used with the MNN-30-100 MNN-44-100 MNN-50-100 MNN-62-100 Liberty (All variants) This problem does not apply to the 50 series controller range. Firmware version MNLCD5W is available from Product Support By supplying the site name, and the number of MN50-LCD firmware EEPROMs required.    Procedure to change the MN50-LCD firmware. Observe standard electrostatic precautions. Power the MN50-LCD/P and MicroNet 100 series controller down. If MN50-LCD remove the LCD from the controller and unplug the ribbon cable. If MN50-LCDP remove the power/communications plug from the LCDP, then remove the back cover. Remove the MN50-LCD/p's firmware EEPROM from IC13 socket. (Highlighted in the below image in blue) Carefully line up the legs of the new EEPROM with the socket. Press the new MNLCD5W firmware EEPROM into the socket. Restore the power to the controller Download the controller and LCD program to the controller. Restore the power and plug the MN50-LCD/P into the controller and allow it to upload is configuration. Check all analogue readings are now reading satisfactorily. Updated June 2019 The MicroNet 50 series range MN350, 450, 550, 650 LCD and Touchscreen have been withdrawn from sale. The IAC 420, 600 and Touchscreen have now also been withdrawn from sale. No direct replacement is offered. Further information on these changes can be found in PA-00495 and PA-00528  A limited number of MNLCD5W firmware EEPROMs are available.

Issue Key for the standard Door Control Graphic Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Door Control Graphic PinPoint Cause Require a key for the standard Door Control Graphic Resolution

Issue Does Continuum have an interface to the KNX/EIB protocol? Product Line Andover Continuum Environment KNX Xdriver Cause There is a need to interface to a 3rd party device/system via the KNX protocol. Resolution There is no KNX Xdriver formerly listed for download on the Schneider Electric Exchange. However a Beta KNX Xdriver has been developed for a number of select sites and can be obtained via PSS or your local Customer Care Centre (CCC) There are also third party gateways available in the market that may be able to help with this connectivity. They can provide an interface from KNX to another protocol that Continuum supports natively such as BACnet.     Schneider Electric Wiser for KNX Loytec Universal Gateway

Issue SEZ7000 Commercial zoning systems Environment Need for commercial application with zone controlling Cause What does the SEZ7000 series unit provide? What would be a comparable replacement for an obsolete Trend IQ222 Resolution The SEZ commercial zoning system has been specifically designed to bring a simple scalable solution to mid-market commercial applications without the cost associated with a typical DDC zoning system. Models include roof top and heat pump units controlling analogue heat, CO2 levels, and indoor air quality. Zoning controllers that provide floating and analogue damper control are also available. A single central controller unit can support up to 64 individual zone controllers. All zoning system controllers can be ordered with an on-board passive infrared (PIR) occupancy sensor cover that allows for advanced occupancy strategies, enabling greater energy savings to zones during scheduled events when no occupants are present.

Issue Is the Continuum Cyberstation a B-OWS (BACnet Operator Workstation)? Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Continuum Cyberstation BACnet Cause Can't find reference to Continuum Cyberstation being defined as a B-OWS. Resolution The Continuum Cyberstation is a B-OWS and complies with ANSI/ASHRAE standard 135-2004.  However, the Continuum Cyberstation has not been BTL tested, please see the Schneider Electric BTL Listing of Tested Products.    The following selection is taken from the Andover Continuum Family of User Interfaces document describing Continuum's Cyberstation capabilities. Native BACnet B-OWS CyberStation communicates with the BACnet devices using BACnet/IP in strict accordance with ANSI/ASHRAE standard 135-2004 and is designed to function as a BACnet Operator Workstation (B-OWS) and BACnet Broadcast Management Device (BBMD). The CyberStation can communicate to all Andover Continuum BACnet Devices as well as any third party BACnet Device on the BACnet network.

Issue The Sum Alarm will not trigger when monitoring other Sum Alarms. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Automation Server  Building Operation Enterprise Server Cause The Sum Alarm is ignoring other Sum alarms for detection of alarm criteria. Resolution There are two options to resolve this. Configure a 2nd SUM alarm to use criteria that triggers on any of the points that would have triggered the Sum alarm you want to monitor and the other points. You can create a Change of State Alarm to monitor the alarm state of the 1st Sum Alarm. The second Sum alarm can then detect that the Change of State alarm is active. (It might be practical to hide the Change of State alarm by setting the priority to a low value and filter your default alarm view to exclude it in order to avoid double alarm entries in the alarm view of Workstation)

Issue What is the accuracy of RTC? Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Site with controllers using the RTC Crystal Quartz chip (controllers such as the ACX) Cause What is the accuracy of Real Time Clock?  Resolution When the controller is powered down, the battery-backed RTC Chip has an accuracy of +/- 1 minute per month. When powered on, the controllers use the RTC chip as a reference point but keep time in software. Experience has shown an accuracy of 1 – 2 seconds per month when controllers are offline and not re-synched from the Network. Since that is typical and not calculated, a conservative number would be +/- 10 seconds per month. When Online,the accuracy is determined by Cyberstation which can itself be synched to an extremely accurate NST Server. I2 and B3 controllers are re-synched once per hour. For Sync time in Cyberstation(s) and Server check Sync time in Cyberstation and Server. For more information see What are the differences between a hardware and a software Real Time Clocks (RTC)?. For how field controllers keep their own internal time check How do our field controllers keep their own internal time?

Issue An installation has a DMS-3500 with an Ethernet NIM (Network Interface Module) and some MicroSmart controllers.  As part of a regular maintenance visit, a database backup is done.  What is considered a complete backup including the NIM's settings? Environment DMS OPRIF 11.4 & 11.6 Cause Database changes requiring a backup in the event a re-install is required Resolution A complete DMS database backup typically involves two steps:  a backup of the DMS database and a backup of each individual MicroSmart controller database. In addition, on an installation with ethernet NIMs, its configuration data is backed up as a separate step.   All three backup steps are done with OPRIF. Note:  Echelon NIMs do NOT require backing up.

Issue Proxy objects were successfully created in a G3 obix integration of a R2 station.  The writable proxy objects (ie: setpoint overrides) in the G3 station do not propagate the new value to the native object in the R2 station. Environment Niagara G3 Niagara R2 Cause This is a known issue with the G3 obix driver. Resolution Right-click the proxy object in the G3 station and do a 'forceUpdate'. If there are several dozen proxy objects affected, download this program object.  Paste it anywhere in the Obix Network and execute it.  A 'forceUpdate' will be done to all proxy objects. As of June 2013, these are the most up to date jar files for an obix integration:  2.301.535i.beta.jar, 2.301.535i.beta.jar.pc, and niagaraDriver.zip. Extraction password:  niagara (all lowercase)

Issue Need to know the connector genders to order the interconnecting ribbon cable. Environment DO-20 DM-20 DIO-20 Cause Not in the documentation for the DO-20. Resolution All three have a female DB25 connector. Also, the interconnecting cable from the DM-20 to the DO-20 or DIO-20 is a straight-through 25 conductor cable.

Issue b3 Schedules Environment StruxureWare Building Operation site with b3 controllers Cause What actually takes place within the system to ensure the current weeks schedule is downloaded to the controller periodically and can this be adjusted by the user? The Enterprise Server and Automation Server may not even need weekly downloads of a schedule as they are of course servers, but b3 controllers will most certainly still require some kind of period download as they can only hold one weeks schedule at any one time. Resolution B3 devices hold their entire schedule configuration. All weeks, and all exception schedule events. The entire configuration is of a schedule is written to the device when it is modified by the user. There may be several schedule objects in the b3. As such, there is no periodic download. Note that compared to Continuum which performs a default download every Saturday at midnight and updates the schedule whether needed or not.  

Issue User names and passwords are not accepted by the AS's. Environment Domain Password Users Cause A new Domain was configured on the ES, this configuration was then exported, the export was then imported to each AS. Resolution Note;- By importing and exporting copies of the Domain, Domains that are not related to each other, are created, which is unlikely to be the operational intent. Exporting/Importing will duplicate user accounts etc. Having multiple accounts with the same name (potentially with different passwords) throughout the system can lead to an overly complex and un-manageable configuration. To create a new Domain configuration, carry out the following. Add the Automation Servers (AS) to the Enterprise Server (ES) in the normal way. With the Workstation connected to the ES, select "Control Panel" and "Domains"     "Add" a new Domain, giving it a suitable name, and then select the AS's that will share this Domain with the ES.       Now Create the Domain. At this stage, if the AS's are reviewed, the New Domain can be seen, (Note - Nothing is shown in the Domain folder on an AS).                           If required, you can choose to set the new Domain as the default Domain,  this is achieved by right-hand mouse clicking on the Domain and selecting the option. This must be done on each Server.                                       Confirm that the ES IP address is correct in all servers.     Finally create the User Groups, Users, and Workspaces required for this Domain. Log off the Workstation, and restart  the ES. Once the ES has restarted, log back on using the new Domain information.   Log on to an AS using the new Domain information.     

Issue Are the Infilink and B-Link interchangeable or can they be converted? Product Line Andover Continuum, EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Infilink 200 B-Link Cause Both units are RS-485 repeaters; is there a difference? Resolution You cannot convert from an Infilink 200 to a B-Link. They are both RS-485 repeaters, but the circuitry is slightly different to handle the electrical requirements of the BACnet MS/TP and the Infinet. You must use the correct unit for the network type you have. The multiple ports on both repeaters (Infilink and B-Link) allow you to construct a star topology configuration, but note that devices in each spoke (port on the repeater) MUST be connected in a daisy chain topology. Neither product contains any firmware that can be changed.

Issue Previously the BACnet Device Id of the controller would default to the devices serial number, this is no longer possible due to the maximum BACnet Device Id being 4,194,303. Serial numbers greater than 800xxx can give an error 'Device Node id is out of range' (1 to 4,194,303) Environment Continuum BACnet Controllers Cause Concern about what the default BACnet Id will be set to a value higher than what is supported or to a value that has already been set to a previous controller. Will this conflict with existing controllers on a site when adding new controllers when all are using the default BACnet Device Id? Resolution There is an internal calculation done that uses the Serial number as a seed to then calculate the BACnet Device Id so that it falls within the 4,194,303 max. This calculated value will be unique to every other Continuum BACnet Devices default BACnet Device Id so you should be fine when newer controllers are being added to existing sites. If you want to ensure there are no address conflicts though you may want to set the value yourself when commissioning the controllers through creating the Device object manually and setting the BACnet Device Id at that time or if the device is already configured delete it from the BACnet side and then edit it from the Infinity side and enter a new and unique device id, then perform a find BACnet devices to bring the device back on the BACnet side with its new device id.

Issue If the WorkPlace Tech Tool application file has been modified when you attempt to monitor a controller containing that application, blank or incorrect monitor tag values will be displayed. Environment WorkPlace Tech Tool software versions 5.0 through 5.8.2 or 5.8.6 MNL or MNB controller loaded with an application downloaded from WPT Visio 2003, Visio 2007 or Visio 2010 Cause There are two causes: First, the WPT software, release 5.8.3, 5.8.4 or 5.8.5 will modify the application when it is opened making it appear to be different than the previously downloaded application Second, failure to observe the following three constraints, regarding the application .vsd file will make the application file appear different than the application previously downloaded: The application file (.vsd) must not have been modified and/or re-saved in any version of the WorkPlace Tech Software since the application was downloaded. The application file (.vsd) must not have been modified directly in Visio and re-saved. The application file (.vsd) must have been last saved, compiled and downloaded using any version of the WorkPlace Tech Tool software, 5.0 through 5.8.2 or 5.8.6, running in Visio 2003, 2007 or 2010.   Resolution An application downloaded to an MNL (or with the compatible WPT version, MNB) controller can be monitored provided that the application .vsd file has not been modified or re-saved after download and that the current version of the WorkPlace Tech Tool software, versions 5.0 through 5.8.2 or 5.8.6 (not versions 5.8.3, 5.8.4 or 5.8.5)  is being is being used with a compatible version of Visio (2003, 2007 or 2010). NOTE: For MNB controllers this applies only to WPT versions 5.7.0 through 5.8.2 and 5.8.6 as the earlier versions are not compatible with MNB application development.

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 1. Cyberstation PC Windows Application Event Logs showing SQL errors about being unable to allocate space for each of the event tables. Similar to the below errors. Could not allocate space for object 'dbo.AlarmEvent'.'PK_AlarmEvent' in database 'ContinuumDB' because the 'PRIMARY' filegroup is full. Create disk space by deleting unneeded files, dropping objects in the filegroup, adding additional files to the filegroup, or setting autogrowth on for existing files in the filegroup. Could not allocate space for object 'dbo.ExtendedLogReservation'.'IDX_EXTENDEDLOGRESERVATION' in database 'ContinuumDB' because the 'PRIMARY' filegroup is full. Create disk space by deleting unneeded files, dropping objects in the filegroup, adding additional files to the filegroup, or setting autogrowth on for existing files in the filegroup. 2. Controllers are online but unable to modify existing objects or create new ones. In addition; all events were not being logged to the database. This was seen by reviewing the AlarmEvent, ActivityEvent, AccessEvent, AlarmEvent, and ExtendedLog tables not having any new events being recorded at all. reviewing the distribution properties after performing tasks in Continuum showed no entries at all. Normally, user events initiated from the Workstation are shown in the distribution properties window as they occur. Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Continuum Cyberstation SQL Server Cause 1. One of the Database files is set to not grow with Autogrowth set to none. This stops any new data from being able to be entered into the database. One example of this is when the ContinuumDev file was modified by the end-user to inhibit its growth by changing this setting to none. Check all of the following databases files (both the DEV and LOG file) to ensure that they are all set to either autogrowth or to an adequate restricted value so that they are able to write new entries. ContinuumDB MSDB TempDB   2. The disk where the database resides does not have enough available disk space. Resolution 1. Change this database file growth setting to "by 10MB, unrestricted growth" or to an adequate restricted value. Use SQL Server Management Studio Express, see Move / Backup / Restore a database on a Single User SQL2005 Express system on where to get this if it is not already installed on your SQL Server. It is highly recommended to backup the ContinuumDB before attempting any changes to the database, steps on how to do this are in the above article. Start up SQL Server Management Studio, or in my example, Management Studio Express. Log in with your SQL SA password or windows administrator. Expand the server tree, expand the Databases tree. Right-click on ContinuumDB and select "Properties" from the menu; this will show the Database Properties window. Select the Files tab on the RH side of this window and you are now where you need to be to check the Autogrowth setting.   2. If the problem is due to disk out of space your options are; a) Make room on the disk, b) Shrink the ContinuumDB,  c) Install a larger disk in the machine.

Issue Import of BACnet/IP device is missing Device ID value. The device is indicated as offline and will not communicate. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Enterprise Server Building Operation Automation Server Building Operation Automation Server Premium Building Operation Automation Server Bundled Building Operation Edge Server - Standard Cause A device instance number is not preserved in an export. An imported BACnet device must be associated with a device.  Resolution Use the Associate with Device option on the BACnet/IP device object, refer to: Associating a BACnet Instance Number with a Device (se.com). Specify the device instance number.