Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue The notification Servlet does not work in the Enterprise Server station Environment Enterprise Server station Cause NotificationServlet settings and SWID to the output object. Resolution Double check to make sure the SWID to the output object is correct. Set the NotificationServlet - properties - config - "activeCommand" to emergencyActive or manualActive and the "inactiveCommand" to emergencyInactive or manualInactive. The "activeInactiveText" for the BO can be modified to make that more meaningful.   Reboot the UNC to make these changes take effect.

Issue How to change the default XBuilder project location. Environment XBuilder Cause The default XBuilder project location is in the hidden Application Data folder. Some would prefer to have this default to their usual projects folder on the hard drive. Resolution Go to Start > Run > and type 'regedit' Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > TAC > TAC XBuilder X.X.X >Options X.X.X is the version of XBuilder e.g. 5.0.3 Change the "ProjectLocation" key

Issue How can a Network 8000 GCM-84000 or GCM-86000 be connected to the Niagara R2 UNC-520 RS-232 port? Environment Network 8000 GCM-84000 GCM-86000 Niagara R2 Cause To use Network 8000 GCM-84000 or GCM-86000 with Niagara R2, connect using a pre-built adapters and silver satin cables. Resolution Pre-built adapters and silver satin cables for this type of connection are available for order.   The RJ-45 to DB-9 adaptor (UNCC-405) will interface to the GCM-86000. The RJ-45 to DB-25 adaptor (UNCC-430) will interface to a GCM-84000. A series of pre-terminated silver satin cables are available in three standard lengths: CBL-RJ45-4 Silver satin patch cable, 4 feet in length CBL-RJ45-10 Silver satin patch cable, 10 feet in length CBL-RJ45-25 Silver satin patch cable, 25 feet in length

Issue Unoccupied mode on an Xenta 102-ES is really shutdown mode. Unoccupied setpoints are not maintained in the unoccupied mode. Heat and damper are forced to 0%. Standby setpoints are used in the unoccupied mode. Environment Xenta 102-ES Cause The structure of SCPTsetpoints includes unoccupied setpoints. That is the only reason they are available for a Xenta 102-ES. Resolution If the controller is in occupied or bypass mode, it uses the occupied setpoints. All other modes use the standby setpoints. When unoccupied, all heat operations are forced to minimum (locked out) and so is the damper. In the end, standby mode may provide more desirable results than unoccupied.

Issue When filtering, column sorting or column selecting is made inside an Alarm or Event Viewer, the changes are not saved when the viewer is closed. Environment Vista Workstation Cause Changes made to the current view are considered temporary. Only changes made to the properties of the Alarm or Event Viewer are stored permanently in the database. Resolution To make your changes persistent, do the filtering, column sorting or column selecting by right clicking the Alarm or Event viewer object and select properties.

Issue Can a second space sensor be added to the Micronet 2000 MN-FLO or MN-FLO3T controller? Environment MicroNet 2000 MN-FLO / MN-FLO3T controller MN-S MN-SO MN-SDK Cause Two MicroNet Sensors to one MicroNet Controller won’t function if the second MicroNet sensors address is not set to 2. Resolution Yes. The MN-FLO and MN-FLO3T supports 2 MN-S / MN-SO / MN-SDK sensors connected simultaneously. Ensure the second sensor added is addressed as "2". The sensors come from the factory addressed as "1". To change the address, simply cut the Trace Foil. The sensor that is address 2 will only function as a temperature indicator. Review the MN-S/MN-SO/MN-SDK General Instructions Guide (F-25715), page 7 Figure 8.

Issue When releasing an override in a UNC station, the object with a "command priority" barnacle is not functioning properly in the controller.  It should go to level 0 control but it is going to level 16 where a constant is connected. Environment UNC station Cause Constants connected to Command Priority inputs during normal operation. Resolution As stated in the WorkPlace Tech Tool 5.7 Engineering Guide Supplement page 114 "do not leave constants connected to Command Priority inputs during normal operation". When the priority array is written via BACnet at a priority level corresponding to a Command Priority object input that is connected to a constant value, the controller responds to the BACnet service with a “property-error: write-access-denied” and does not write the value to the priority array, application RAM, or EEPROM.

Issue In Niagara R2, some GxPages and control objects are going to be duplicated many times. Each page and object will have many links. Is there a quick way of linking objects instead of the time intensive way of manually linking each individually? Environment Niagara  R2 Cause Graphics programming tip Resolution The Bundle container along with composites are used to expose control logic properties to a GxPage.  The properties, to be linked, would be composited for both the control objects and Gxpages.  Composite involves assigning the same name to both the GxPage object property and the control object property that are being linked.  Once composited objects properties have been named, it is simply a matter of clicking on the “Match” button in the Link Properties screen to complete the link. Objects with the same name are then automatically linked. The procedure for linking objects using Bundles and Composites can be located in Niagara Standard Programming Reference document. Note that only native Niagara objects should be placed in bundles.  Shadow objects should not be in bundles.

Issue Is the MSC-LIM-1 compatible with any DMS revision 9 Microsmart controllers? Environment Microsmart controllers revision 9, 10, & 11 Cause Need for a local controller connection Resolution No, it is only compatible with revision 10 & 11 Microsmart controllers. The earlier version (pre 08/96) of the MSC-LIM could only access Level 10 controllers addressed less than 99. To access controllers addressed higher than 99, the device had to be factory upgraded to 11.0A. The latest (and currently available) MSC-LIM (formally the MSC-LIM-1) is compatible with level 10 and 11 Microsmart controllers addressed up to 124.

Issue It is possible to edit a database offline using the MNet-CI that is installed as a part of PSI 4.1? Environment PSI 4.1 MNet-CI Cause The templates and default database files are not installed by the PSI 4.1 installer.  Resolution The templates and default database files, PSIv4.10_MN-CI_Templates.zip can be downloaded from Extranet. Install the templates in the "mnetci" folder and the database folder in the PSI parent folder.

Issue An attempt was made to create a connection between nodes on different channels, but no routers were available to complete a logical path between the channels. Environment LNS LonMaker Vista NL220 Cause This error can occur when attempting to remove or move a router which has connections across it, or a router which connects an NSI to either the LNS or another NSI Resolution Lon Maker will not allow the disconnection of a router if the logical path to the device is broken. To combat this you must be creative by adding temporary routers, moving the devices to the new temporary channel, which will create a new path to the devices. the old Routers can then be removed/replaced and the devices can now be returned. Delete any temporary routers/channels.

Issue Various error when trying to login, cant open graphics Environment Vista webstation Cause Java errors i.e. When opening graphic error "Error: Click for detail" or Dynamic mode not functioning. Resolution Dynamic picture not working are most likely caused by wrong Java version. Vista 5.1.4 uses Java 1.6-17 but installing this version afterwards might causes other problem like "Error: Click for detail (various java code errors). This can be resolved by reinstalling the webserver again or check for the following. IIS use the wrong version of .NET. - Go to administrator tool and choose Internet information services. - Choose Web sites then Default Web Site - Right click on Webstation and choose properties - Go to the ASP.NET tab and make sure the version specified are 2.0.... Address used  HTTP://IP/defaultpage.aspx when it should be using HTTP://IP/webstation/defaultpage.aspx - Go to same path as above but instead of right clicking the Webstation right click on the tree above "Default Web Site" and choose properties. - Go to the tab Home directory and check local path it should be directed to wwwroot (see attached) Then write in the address HTTP://IP/webstation/ (might work if you try directly) There have always been problem in which order you install programs, it has been noticed that sometimes java needs to be installed before webstation since webstation tries to reach components in java that do not exist else. So a try would also be to reinstall webstation now when the new Java version are already installed.

Issue Can I change the display of an attribute using the old Personnel Editor or in the Personnel template editor Environment Continuum Cyberstation Cause Change the display of a personnel attribute. Resolution The old personnel editor or the personnel template editor there is no way to change the attribute name. In the new Personnel Manager you can change the display of an attribute name. Example:  Changing attribute Info1 to BuildingNumber Open up a personnel record Select configure and select customize attributes Select the display name for the attribute to be changed Change the display name and select Ok.

Issue During an electrical storm, a component labeled MFC27 was damaged.  It is one of many similar components on the MNL-800 backplane or base circuit board.  What purpose does it serve and which circuit was it a part of? Environment MNL-800 Cause High voltage spikes from an electrical storm.  Sample of MFC damage in image below. Resolution All the MFC components on the backplane are Multi-Function Ceramic (MFC) protectors.  They are designed to absorb high voltage introduced into the circuit to which they are a part of.  In particular, MFC27 protects universal input six (UI 6).   See a sample image of MFC damage below. Although damaged, the backplane can still be used but that specific circuit won't have any further high-voltage protection.

Issue Can the RPTR-ECH-WW repeater be used on a TP/FT-10 LON trunk? Environment RPTR-ECH-WW; a wire-wire repeater for use with Echelon NIMs (GCM-ECH-001, GCM-ECH-001, or DMS-ECH-001) TP/FT-10 LON trunk ( under a UNC, ENC, or LNC-100, for example) Cause The RPTR-ECH-WW is for use on a trunk using the Echelon TP/XF-1250 transceiver, which use a different communications protocol than the TP/FT-10 transceiver does. Devices using different transceivers will not communicate with each other. Resolution No, the RPTR-ECH-WW cannot be used on a TP/FT-10 LON trunk such as the UNC, ENC, or LNC-100s support.

Issue How can it be determined what LonWorks Program IDs are supported by the Niagara G3 system? Environment G3 WorkBench (all builds) Cause N/A Resolution Create and install a test station on the localhost. Open the test station in WorkBench then add LonNetwork to Drivers from the lonworks Palette.   Double-click on the LonNetwork. Double-click on the Local Lon Device listed under Database and set the following properties Channel ID: 1 Subnet: 1 Node: 127 and click OK to accept changes. Right-click on LonNetwork and open the Lon Utilities Manager. Select the Local Lon Device then choose the Command of Reports and Sub-command of program Ids. Execute the command and a listing of all programIDs for the shadow objects found in the local My Module  library will appear. To save - highlight all program Ids and use “Ctrl C” to save to file.

Issue SMTP Copy to Blind copy to Reply to Environment Vista Xenta Cause In order to CC, BCC and the option to let a user reply to a sent alarm you need to configure the Xenta's SMTP settings Resolution There are 3 options under SMTP settings in Xbuilder   Copy to - The same as CC in outlook Blind copy to - The same as BCC in outlook (A copy of the email sent discrete to chosen email) Reply to - When a user gets an email about an alarm and clicks on reply, the address will become the same as the one specified here.  

Issue When an optimiser point is displayed the value minutes to next switch is large. Environment BAS, Sigma Cause The optimiser is unable to calculate minutes to next switch correctly. Resolution The time schedule may be in a "Manual" condition or The optimiser point has been correctly crossed referenced to a time schedule. However the time schedule has been crossed referenced to another point e.g. a programmable point either by the Low Action (LA) or High Action (HA) or the Holiday point where the holiday schedule is not a holiday point. Therefore the Optimiser is unable to calculate the next switch and applies a large value. Consider putting the overrides or actions at a lower level in the software. Example 1 Instead of: Holiday > Overrides (e.g. Prg points) > Time Schedule > Optimiser > Plant Level Consider: Holiday > Time Schedule > Optimiser > Overrides (e.g. Prg points) > Plant Level Example 2 Instead of:  Overrides (e.g. Prg points) > HA or LA xref > Time Schedule > Optimiser > Plant Level Consider:  Time Schedule > Optimiser > Overrides (e.g. Prg points) > Plant Level  

Issue Installing VisiView on Windows 7 Environment Windows 7 VisiView   Cause Supported operating systems Resolution VisiView will not work on Windows 7. Windows XP Pro is required. The upgrade path would be to use a Xenta 555 or Xenta 731.

Issue Customer wishes to shunt a motion sensor alarm during the day when the building is occupied. Does this require PE code or is there an easier way? Environment Continuum Cause Looking for an easier way than writing Plain English code to shunt a security alarm. Resolution Use an Alarm Point. In this example, attach the schedule occupancy point in the Alarms tab of the InfinityInput editor for the motion sensor. The alarm algorithm expression for the AlarmEnrollment object will be: Value = On and Point1 = Off (assuming AlarmPoint1 is used). In this way, if the motion sensor is on and the occupancy schedule is off, the above expression is true, and the point will go into alarm.