Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue ACX781's are still installed on some older sites but the cabinet keys cannot be found. Can these be replaced? Environment ACX781 Cabinet Enclosure Cause No one has the cabinet key and it needs to be replaced. Resolution The ACX781 controller has been discontinued since 2007. The stock on the cabinet lock/key assembly has been depleted since then and there are no replacements available.

Issue Need an alert message sent out to notify when a controller disconnects from the network Product Line Access Expert Environment Access Expert Controller Access Expert Premise Software Access Expert Hosted software Cause Controllers can potentially disconnect from the network. Knowing when can help troubleshoot the cause. Resolution Having an alert based on a long time disconnect event can help to prompt an investigation. The time considered for this disconnect event is adjustable within the instance settings. Right-click the event "Controller Disconnected (Long Time) in event definitions and select view event history Right-click any of the events and select add Email template Create an email template using the pre-canned expressions and plain text Create an Alarm Action, select Notification when adding the action Fill out the template with the Email Template and who the recipients should be Create an Alarm Definition Assign Event type: Controller Disconnect (Long Time) Assign Alarm Action: Alarm action created in step 5

Issue Is there a SmartStruxure specification that includes a piece for Network 8000 migrations? Environment Network 8000 Cause sales request Resolution The document is available on the Buildings Business Extranet, under Products > SmartStruxure solution > Sales > Guide Specification. It's a Word doc so it can be modified to suite the desired needs. The current version is 1.4 and is available here for convenience.

Issue After successfully logging on to the webclient server, there are no contents displayed under root. When clicking the "show contents" button on the top-right of the left pane, a prompt says, "There is no contents can be displayed in this container." Environment Webclient Windows 7 IIS 7.0 Cause IIS directory browsing feature is disabled for some unknown reason or wrong configuration. Resolution Go to Internet information server manager, click "sites" then "Default website" Double Click  "Directory Browsing" logo On the right "Action" pane, click "Enable", you will see it change to "disable" that indicates the Directory Browsing feature has been change to enabled Save and close IIS manager Try to log on again.

Issue How to change the Domain/Groups/Administrators setup Environment SmartStruxure Cause Domain/Groups/Administrators setup is grayed out and thus cannot be modified Resolution Domain/Groups/Administrators setup is grayed out and cannot be modified, this is to avoid major changes being made the Administrators Group such that everyone could be locked out of the system. This can be seen on the following screens           To change the Users or Workspaces within the Administrator Groups, go to Users or Workspaces modify the Group Membership here  

Issue Eventlist in StruxureWare workstation is filled very rapidly with the following messages: - * Modbus group re-factorized - * Modbus group factorized - * Modbus illegal data address Environment StruxureWare Building Operation 1.4.818 Cause The problem is that it is illegal registers in the Modbus register group or groups. Modbus is trying to resolve this by refactoring the factoring and refactoring but is not successful. Resolution The possible solutions are: Identify the illegal Modbus point in SmartStruxure and remove from the subscription. Solution Split the group in to two so that the illegal Modbus point is left out of the groups. Disable group poll and Force individual point polling by setting incorrect function code for the group.   If it is difficult to identify the illegal Modbus point then you can use solution 3 to do this.

Issue In SmartStruxure, how can Network 8000 objects be linked with non-Network 8000 objects?  For example, sharing an outside air temperature value from a LON integration on the same Automation Server with a Network 8000 integration Environment Network 8000 StruxureWare Building Operations Cause No outside air temperature reference is available in a Network 8000 integration.  Resolution Use APT (A=analog), DPT (D=digital), RnetAv, or RnetDv objects to bring non-Network 8000 data into the Network 8000 integration. These objects behave similar to a 'middle man'.  Each of these objects has a global reference on the 'Inputs' tab. Using the APT object as an example, the Inputs tab has an Analog Global Reference section with two settings: Analog global value & Analog global reference. Bind the output of a Function Block Program (for example) to the Analog global reference. Watch the Analog global value as it will display the value once the binding is done. The output of the APT object can now be linked to as many Network 8000 objects as required. Note: The Global Reference takes highest priority. Therefore, the order of input priority is as follows: 1st = global reference, 2nd = input constant, 3rd = input reference. The input constant and input reference are carry-overs from Network 8000 GCM blocks. The global reference was added for SmartStruxure integrations and took over 'top spot'. In order to use the input constant or input reference, the value of the global reference must equal NULL. This is only for inputs. Any output of a Network 8000 object can be bound directly to any non-Network 8000 object.  

Issue How many events can be saved in the Enterprise server version 1.4.1? Environment StruxureWare 1.4.1. Cause The number of events which could be saved in 1.4.0 was 200 000 which some customers have thought is too few. Resolution The number of events which can be saved in the ES version 1.4.1 is increased to 1,5 million.

Issue Is it possible to repeatedly send messages from the 911 to keep a connection thru a 3G Cisco access point open? Environment TAC Vista 5.1.8 TAC Xenta 911 Cause There is no function in the 911 designed to do this. But the 911 can get it's time from a NTP server so specifying a NTP server in the 911 will make it ask the NTP server for the time. But the minimum poll rate for the NTP server is 30 minutes. Resolution Go to the Webpage for the 911. Under the time settings specify an NTP server. Now the 911 will ask the NTP server for the time with the time interval specified in the time settings and keep the connection open.

Issue On a SE7600 controller, is the nciSccModel snvt read-only or will it modify the controller's profile?  Customer has replaced the HVAC equipment such that the existing profile does not match up with the existing SE7600. Environment SE7600 VT7600 Cause Mechanical equipment was replaced with a different design Resolution The nciSccModel snvt does not modify the SE7600 profile.  It is a read-only. A different model of controller is the best option for the new mechanical design. An external solution may also work (i.e. the use of a relay).

Issue How to identify when a record was edited for a specific individual is needed to be found in AMT events. Environment I/NET Cause Customer needs to filter out who and which Individual has been edited in their Access Control system. Resolution This can be realized by filtering in the Event Window in AMT 1. Create a new filter in the Event Window in AMT, name it and click OK. 2. In the Event Info column, Click on All No to uncheck all the event type to filter. Then only check on Edit-Indiv. to see the Edit Individual record. 3. In the Device Name field, enter the words following the rule Tenant Number-Individual Number. For example, the individual traced is in Tenant 1, and the individual number is 1, so just type 001-00001 here. Click OK after finished. 4. In the filter list window, click on the filter just defined and press Select. Then in the Event window, you can see all the events related with editing this specific individual.

Issue Is there a modulating output available in the SC3000 relay pack?  Environment SC3000 Cause In some applications, a modulating output is requested. Resolution Unfortunately, no such output is currently available in the existing version of the SC3000.

Issue The user is unable to log in to a WebClient session from a web browser even though the number of client session currently established is less than what the license provides for./p> After applying the Continuum Virtual License for WebClient, the ACCWebServerProxy indicates a maximum client seat count that is less than what the license specified.  Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Continuum WebClient Server Continuum Virtual Software License Cause In some cases, it is possible to apply two licenses to the same WebClient host.  When this happens the client seat count is dictated by the first license that was installed even though subsequent licenses may have a larger number of seats. Resolution If the license Key Type is SL Admin Rehostable, one of the licenses can be moved to another host temporarily while the remaining license is tested. Contact Schneider Electric Buildings Product Support for assistance in determining which license should remain on the machine and which should be moved to another host machine. If the license is not hostable contact Buildings Product Support.

Issue Is there a way to display the value of a doors ADA output or to use this value in a Plain English program? Environment ADA output Door attributes Cause Need to display and track the value of a doors ADA output. Resolution There is no sanctioned way to access or use the value of a doors ADA output.  While in some cases it may be possible to create a separate output object with the same channel number to track this value, this kind of configuration is known to have issues and it is not recommended.

Issue The column labeled "Name" in the BACnet device discovery window is mislabeled. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Workstation (All Versions) Cause BACnet device objects have two different names: An object display name that shows in WorkStation A BACnet name that represents the object in the device These names have different character and length restrictions. For example, when you create a point or value in a BACnet device, you are prompted to enter an object display name. You can enter more than 16 characters here and are not restricted to using only letters, digits, and underscores. For the BACnet name, you can enter up to 16 characters. The BACnet name specifies how an object is identified in a BACnet device and is composed solely of letters, digits, and underscores. If you leave the BACnet name box empty, the EcoStruxure Building Operation object name is truncated and spaces are removed for the name to fit in the box. The object display name and the BACnet name are not linked, so changing one does not modify the other. As a result, when you rename a BACnet device point or value, you need to change both the object display and BACnet names. You rename BACnet device points or values if you wish to change the name to something more specific, or if the point or value was initially named incorrectly. Because the binding templates require a naming convention, you may also need to rename a point or value to match a convention imposed after they were created. Instead of having to delete the point or value and configure a new one, you do a rename instead. Resolution The "Name" column within BACnet discovery actually reflects the BACnet Name and not the object display name.

Issue The Continuum Database Transition Tool does not transition the doors even though they are present in the Continuum database being transitioned   Product Line Security Expert Environment Security Expert Server Cause Incorrect configuration of the Continuum Transition Tool Resolution In the 'Record Types' tab of the Continuum Transition Tool, there is a checkbox labeled 'Include Anti passback Programming' If the doors on the Continuum system are configured for anti-pass-back then the checkbox has to be ticked to match the Continuum configuration of the doors.

Issue When you drag and drop and Xenta programmable controller in to a new folder it remains in the existing Xenta group. Environment SmartStruxure 1.5 Cause The drag and drop feature is not designed to make new Xenta Group bindings. The controller will be moved but remain in the existing Xenta Group membership. Resolution Two options exist to move a controller into a different Xenta Group  Make a new Xenta Group, save the existing Menta application out of the database and then delete the device.  Add a new folder then add the Xenta device into that folder and select the previously saved Menta file.  A new Xenta Group will now be created .  Select the controller you wish to move, using right mouse click, select Copy. In the new location use the right mouse click Paste Special command.  When finished delete the original controller.

Issue Once the controllers UTC setting is set and and committed in the Controller Configuration webpage, when they are rechecked they have returned to the default setting of 0. Product Line Andover Continuum Environment CX99xx CX9680 ACX57xx BCX9640 BCX9680 CX9702 Cause This is a known issue. Resolution Since the controllers UTC setting cannot be set properly from the controller web page, it must be set from a Plain English program in the controller.  See Set the UTCOffset of a controller using a PE program.

Issue From the Monitor (DEV100) it is possible to pick up values from other MPMs, by the use of an LUA script. Example: ME.AV1 = DEV200.AV1 But, it is not possible for another device to pick up values from the Monitor (DEV100) device. Environment MPM Cause The Monitor device (DEV100) could see all other MPM in the network, and therefore could get values from other devices. Other devices will only see devices that are below itself in the tree structure, and will therefore not be able to get values from the Monitor device. Resolution The Monitor device (DEV100) have to handle all the transfers of variables both from MPM below, as well as sending variables to MPM devices below in the tree structure. Example: ME.AV1 = DEV200.AV1 DEV200.AV2 = ME.AV2

Issue Can the remote sensor with override switch (SE3020W1045) be interfaced to a SE7600H5045B and be accessed via a BACnet integration? The override switch is a trigger to provide cooling to the area served. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Expert Environment SmartStruxure Lite Cause Provide end user a simple way to get comfort cooling Resolution Interface the override switch to DI 01 on the SE7600H5045B. It will then be accessible via BACnet to trigger comfort cooling.