Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Firmware version and bootloader version do not match Product Line Andover Continuum Environment BCX b3 Cause Verification required on why the two do not always match Resolution When firmware versions (application firmware files) are posted to the web, they do not always included the associated bootloader version. The reason for this is that rarely is a bootloader version changed. When bootloader versions do change it will be announced in the release notes for the particular firmware version.

Issue Get error message "OPC communication error" when trying to view Vista OPC server objects in OPC tool. Product Line TAC Vista Environment TAC Vista 5.1.X TAC Vista OPC server 1.6.1 Cause Incorrect version installed or DCOM settings. Resolution Confirm which version of Vista OPC server is installed. Go to control panel\add remove programs and double check that it is version 1.6.1. that is installed. Confirm that OPC server setup account settings aren't being saved. Go to Start\Programs\Schneider Electric\TAC Vista OPC server\Tac OPC Server setup. Under Login to TAC Vista server, change to Login using the following TAC Vista account and fill in the appropriate user details. Click OK and close the dialogue. Re-open the TAC OPC server setup dialogue and see if the account details added in b are still there. If so then there is probably a problem with DCOM settings (see TAC Vista OPC Server Technical Manual). If the option Login using the windows account which is running the TAC Vista OPC server is re-selected TAC Vista OPC server 1.6.0 must first be installed according to OPC server for TAC Vista will not keep the login settings in the TAC Vista OPC Server setup.

Issue What are the replacement for the M52R and the EM52R damper actuators? Environment Dampers Actuators Cause The M52R and the EM52R damper actuators are obsolete. Resolution When using either the M52R or the EM52R actuators to control dampers, the replacements are as follows; The M52R actuator is a 24 volt drive open / drive close type, and is replaced by the MD10B-24. The EM52R actuator is a 24 volt, 2 - 10 volt DC controlled  type, and is replaced by the MD10A-24. For data sheets select below. M52R / EM52R MD10A-24 MD10B-24

Issue When using DCT version 11.6, modifying the MSC-NCM schedule start-stop times do not save. The time reverts to the setting before the change was attempted. Environment MSC-NCM Cause Version 11.6 of DCT has an error in the compiled code. Resolution Instead of starting DCT from the desktop shortcut, launch it from the DCT folder (double-click DCTGL.EXE).

Issue How to install Vista/Xenta Language packs Product Line TAC Vista   Environment Vista Server TAC Xenta Server Vista Webstation Vista Workstation   Cause There are 4 different components that you can change the language on Vista server Vista workstation Vista webstation Xenta server's The files you need for this can be downloaded on Extranet, if your preferable language does not exist it might be because they are not done with the translation for that current version or the language does not exist. The most used one are Danish Finnish German Norwegian Polish Spanish Swedish The native language is English NOTE: Remember, in order to download the correct version, the language pack needs to be same version as the current software installed. Resolution There are 4 files that need to be downloaded and executed. The example below points to Swedish language pack files for version 5.1.6. To find the correct files search the download center for "Language Pack" as well as the desired language and version. The install order does not matter. TAC Vista Server 5.1.6 Language Pack Swedish TAC Vista Workstation 5.1.6 Language Pack Swedish TAC Web Applications 5.1.6 Language Pack Swedish TAC Xenta 700 5.1.6 Original Language Pack The first three files are straight forward.  After the install is complete, the language files have been changed and you can run the software with the new language (Vista software should be installed prior installing the language pack). The Xenta Server web interface will not change language until you download a project with the correct settings. When you do the download make sure you choose "Send all project and language files"  (see picture).     Note: For new Windows it sometimes require a multilingual file to be installed from Microsoft. Make sure the OS supports the language you want to install. After that file has been installed, change the Language for non-unicode program to the preferred language (requires a restart of PC).

Issue There are two sets of terminals on the Xenta Repeater that are labeled identically. Product Line TAC Vista Environment Vista Lon Network Cause The duplicate power supply and communications terminals are internally connected. Resolution The power supply and communication connections can be made either to the upper or the lower terminals as they are internally connected. The extra set of terminals is strictly for convenience purposes. One segment of the Lon network should be connected to the COM1 terminals and the other segment should be connected to the COM2 terminals. The only other wiring required is to connect the Xenta Repeater to a 24V power supply. Wiring Example #1 This is the most traditional wiring schematic used with a Xenta repeater. Segment #1 comes into COM1 and is the end-of-line for a bus topology. A terminator is placed at the repeater. Segment #2 continues on out of COM2, and represents the beginning-of-line for the next segment, thus is also terminated at the repeater. Wiring Example #2 This example is actually the same as Example #1, but is showing that the upper or lower terminals can be used for convenience, as they have electrical connectivity from top to bottom. Wiring Example #3 Example #3 shows Segment 1 coming into COM1 on top and carrying on out of COM1 on bottom. This segment does not get terminated at the repeater because it is not the end of line for this segment. However, COM2 does represent the beginning-of-line for the second segment, and is therefore terminated at the repeater.     For more information on how the Xenta Repeater works see the following article: The Xenta Repeater provides signal restoration and conditioning on LON networks.

Issue Controller buffering the access events as seen by the increment in the AccessLog system variables, the events stay in the controller's buffer and are not sent to Cyberstation. Product Line Andover Continuum Environment CyberStation CX9702 CX9900, CX9940 CX9680 ACX5740, ACX5720 Cause The most common cause of this problem is that the controller does not know who the primary/secondary access server is. Resolution Make sure a Cyberstation has been designated as primary access server (and a second one as secondary if applicable). Perform a teach on the primary/secondary access servers.

Issue Configuring a UNC 532 outstation. Environment BAS 2800+ UNC532 UNC 532 Modem Ports Cause When configuring a UNC 532 outstation to use a modem, it may not be possible to connect a BAS 2800+ terminal as well. Resolution The UNC 532 has a limited port configuration as it's comms UARTS are shared, and therefore it cannot have a modem and a  BAS 2800+ terminal configured together if the controller is communicating via the lan connection. If the controller is operating as part of a network, i.e. via the lan, then channel 3 cannot be used. The screen shot below shows how the comms UARTS are shared. Please note that PL3 is Port 3 and PL4 is Port 2 in the Node configuration window. If the UNC 532 is being used in a stand alone configuration, then the configurations below are possible.

Issue Not allowed to add a new event to a Xenta Time Schedule through Vista Workstation. One of the following errors results: The maximum number of total events is exceeded.   The maximum number of week events is exceeded. Only alternative events can be added.   The maximum number of alternative events is exceeded. Only week events can be added. Environment Vista Workstation Xenta Time Schedules Xenta programmable controllers Xenta 280, 281, 282, 283, 300, 301, 302, 401, 401:B Menta Cause The adjustable setting for the maximum amount of events allowed in a single Time Schedule object has been exceeded. Resolution Verify how many weekly and how many alternative events are allowed. This is available on the time schedule editing dialog in the lower right hand corner. Click the "All Events" button to display all previously defined events. Weekly events are displayed with a dash "-" in the From Date, To Date columns Alternative events will have a date in the From Date, To Date columns. The year may or may not be **** if this is a yearly recurring event.   Count how many weekly and how many alternative events are defined. If possible, delete unneeded events to clear space for new events. If a holiday is not set to occur yearly, then old events from years past may still be defined and can be deleted. If all of the events are required, then the capacity for the time schedule must be increased in Menta. Edit the Menta file Double click the TSCH block Increase the max for Week Charts, Holiday Charts, or both as needed.   Download the Menta changes to the controller and more events can be added.

Issue Can the 30 day demo period of an expired I/A WorkPlace Tech demo license be extended? Environment WorkPlace Tech 5.x Cause The 30 day demo period has expired. Resolution The utility called WIBDemoExtender.exe allows the WIB suite demo period to be reset. The WIBExtender is used for WorkPlace Tech 5.6 or older. The utility can not be used with version of WorkPlace Tech 5.7 and newer. Currently there is no provision for extending the demo period of WorkPlace Tech version 5.7 or newer.  To prevent abuse of the demo mode extension, the program will extend the demo period for a duration of half the previous demo period from the current date.

Issue The need to know What voltages will a BAS 2000/BAS2800/BAS2800+ outstation operate under. Environment BAS2000 BAS2800 BAS2800+ Power Voltage Input   Cause The need to know What voltages will a BAS 2000, BAS 2800, BAS 2800+ outstation operate under. Resolution For a BAS 2000/BAS2800/BAS2800+ outstation the specification for the power supply is shown as: - Power Supply: 220V (-15%) to 240V (+10%), 50Hz (-10%) to 60Hz (+10%) Consumption: 0.16A max @ 240V 50Hz Heat Dissipation: 25W max, 10W typical

Issue It may be desirable to change the default name of an NPR as it appears in I/NET (ie XentaXB2435) to something more descriptive. Product Line TAC INET Environment I/NET I/O Server Config Xenta 527, Xenta 527-NPR, Xenta 731, Xenta 913 Cause I/NET generates a unique default name for each NPR. While the default name differentiates the NPRs it may be helpful to have a descriptive and relevant name for each NPR. Resolution Open the I/NET IO Server Config. Select the IP Port connection of the NPR to be changed and select Modify to open the Configuration Profile. Click on NP Routers to open the NetPlus Routers Summary. Select the router that you want to change and click Modify to open the NetPlus Router Configuration. Enter a new name for the NetPlus Router and click OK. The NPR will now re-initialize and will have the new name. If you are still having issues, see How to change the name of a 527 Link or DLA site.

Issue When I/NET interacts with Endura/Digital Sentry, the Video Window can't pop up when swiping a card or an alarm happens. Product Line Pelco, TAC INET Environment I/NET Endura Digital Sentry Cause The Video Window only pops up in Alarm Window, not in Event or Transaction Window. Resolution For card entry, the Video Window needs to be popped up manually by right clicking in the Transaction or Event Window and choose Video. For alarms, the Video Window only pops up in Alarm Window when alarm is active. After the alarm returns to normal or is acknowledged, the video needs to be shown in Event Window.

Issue  The bCX and b3 controllers are BACnet compliant, why do they not support all defined BACnet object types? Environment Continuum BACnet 3rd Party BACnet Device Cause Misunderstanding of what BACnet compliant means and/or misinterpretation of BACnet Product Information Conformance Statement (PICS). Resolution BACnet compliant devices are not required to support all of the defined object types. However, if an object is supported it must comply with the standard object model for that object type. This includes a number of required as well as optional properties. The PICS for a BACnet device is used to define what LAN options the device supports as well as supported objects and optional properties (it’s implied that the required properties are supported and these may or may not be shown in the PICS). In our current products, we do not support some optional objects such as Life Safety Point and Life Safety Zone, this is clearly stated by the omission of  these objects in our device PICS. Looking at our bCX1-CR as an example, we support 19 of the optional standard BACnet object types. The list of those objects below was taken from our device PICS located here.

Issue Is there an object in I/A Series R2 (Niagara) that can make Enthalpy calculations? Environment I/A Series R2 (Niagara) station, build (X, to be determined) Cause Need enthalpy calculation. Resolution Consider the following two program objects: 1. tridiumx / lib/ programObjects / hvac/ Psychrometric Calculations.sns // Psychrometric Calculations // //   This object calculates enthalpy, wetBulb and dewpoint for //   inputs of dry bulb temperature and relative humidity. // //   NOTE: This object REQUIRES the lib.jar file be present. 2. tridiumx / lib/ energyManagement / OutsideAirOptimization.sns // Outside Air Optimization // //   This object uses the two sets of temperature and humidity inputs //   to find the air supply with the least amount of heat.  The freeCooling //   output will be set to false if outside >= inside //   and set to true if outside <= inside - (abs)thresholdSpan. //   The user can select temperature or enthalpy comparisons. //   There is also a low temperature check to protect against freezing. // // Revision History:

Issue Unable to add trend /extended trend logs after upgrading from SBO version 1.8 to 1.9 Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Upgrade from v1.8 or below to v1.9 or above Cause The number of trend log records in the server have exceeded the limit. No new trend log or extended trend log can be added to the server. See Architectural Guidelines v1.8 and Architectural Guidelines v1.9, The maximum number of trend log records in an Enterprise Server is 2.5 billion, and  SmartStruxure server device (AS, ASP,ASB) is 10 million In v1.8 and before, these trend record limits were soft limits. From v1.9, these are now hard limits. Thus it is not possible to save more than these amounts.  Resolution The logging numbers should be reduced below these limits 

Issue TAC Menta, Changing name on a HFB I/O-block in a HFB removes the connections Environment TAC Menta Hierarchal Function Block (HFB) Cause Then a HFB IO-block is renamed, it loses its connection to other blocks. Resolution Disconnect the connections from the HFB IO-output Place the connection next to the HFB block Rename the output of the HFB Re-connect the HFB IO-output.

Issue Reload fails during the programs portion with an error message similar to: Unable to reload attributes. OMS database is currently unavailable, backing up. Environment i2 bCX NC2 Cause A flash backup PE program is set to autostart. As soon as that program loads, it will start to perform a flash backup and any PE programs that have not loaded will not load and the reload will terminate. Resolution Make sure any programs set to automatically backup a controller cannot do so until after a reload is complete.

Issue A door configured for Entry/Exit reader gets error message "cannot reload remote attribute. Error: null"  & " Cannot set remote infinity object" when reloading the door object to the controller. Environment CX9900, CX9940 and CX9680 AC1, AC1A and AC1Plus Cause Different IOU module (AC1, AC1A and AC1Plus) cannot be used to configure for entry/exit readers for a door. Resolution A door with entry/exit readers should use the same type of IOU module ( AC1 , AC1A or AC1Plus ) for entry reader and exit reader.

Issue Which actuator is suitable to replace the Forta M750 actuator? Environment Forta M750 Forta M800 Cause Since the Forta M750 is no longer available, it needs to be replaced by a suitable actuator. Resolution The Forta M750 should be replaced by the Forta M800 actuator.