Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Need to delay an Input from going into alarm before sending that alarm to an email recipient. Product Line EcoStruxure Security Expert Environment Security Expert Cause Have a requirement to email alarms for Door inputs that are not actually tied to Door records. Resolution One method of configuring this is to use an Area: Add the Input to the Area to trigger an alarm Configure that alarm event into an Email using an Action.  See the following detailed steps:  Under Programming: Inputs Configure the Alarm Input Speed option for the Input. This will be the delay time before the input triggers an alarm event. Set this to how long the door needs to be open before the alarm is generated. Under Events Create an Event Filter and add Area <Area_Name> Alarm Activated Create an Alarm and add the Event Filter to it. Create an Action. Configure the Type as Send E-mail Configure the Event Filter to that created previously. Set the Email Settings as required. Under Programming Create an Area On the Configuration tab set all timings to 0. Within the Input On the Areas and Input Types tab add this new Area to Area 1 field Set the Input Type 1 to Instant. In the Options enable Log to Event Buffer so the activations are reported. This setting can be reverted after testing.

Issue Can the gaskets included in the connection kits be ordered / purchased separately? Environment V241 V241 Venta Connection kit gasket Cause Gasket replacement requested if lost or worn out. Resolution Unfortunately the gasket part of the connection kit is not available separately and this can only be ordered as a complete kit.  

Issue Bindings made under the Infinet interface using Import/Export system (IE) stop updating. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Automation Server Premium Continuum i2920 Controller Cause Objects under the Infinet interface sometimes lose their Object IDs for reasons that are not yet fully understood. The issue has been seen during up revision of the AS-P from 1.9x to 3.x Resolution Under the Infinet interface, right-click on the Application folder of the AS-P or Infinet device and select "Resolve object ids" The system automatically re-assigns the missing ids Download applicable i2 devices

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 On occasion IT Professionals may wish to know if Continuum can be installed/deployed via Microsoft System Centre Configuration Manager (SCCM). Product Line Andover Continuum Environment IT Installation/Deployment Cause Microsoft SCCM is a well-established platform for the deployment and management of installed software in an IT Environment, but since Continuum is now an older Legacy Schneider product it is unclear if it supports being deployed in this way. Resolution While Continuum 'may' work when deployed via SCCM, it is untried and untested at this time. Also given that Continuum is a Legacy product, there are no plans to test and support SCCM in the future.

Issue Can I edit the "covIncrement" of a BACnet point in a BACnet controller from the ENC? Environment G3 ENC's Cause This may be necessary to increase the covIncrement of a BACnet point if it is triggering excessive "cov notifications" to the ENC. Resolution In revision 3.2 and newer under the Device object a new selection called “Virtual” was added. BACnet virtual points are transient and are created and subscribed only when accessed. Expand Virtual and all the BACnet objects in the device are listed. Right click the object of interest and all of its properties are displayed, including covIncrement. Expand covIncrement and its value can be changed. When the Save is done the value is written to the controller.  

Issue On two occasions all of the scheduled periods disappear from the schedule. Environment AS Schedules Exception Schedules Cause Weekly scheduled times were entered as exception schedules. Resolution Recurring periodic scheduled event which occur week after week should be programmed as weekly schedules.  Exception schedules are used to override weekly scheduled events.

Issue A Niagara R2 / ASD integration has two ASD services but serial tunneling only works with one service. Environment Niagara 522 or higher Cause Both services cannot support tunneling simultaneously. Resolution Enable tunneling on one ASD service at a time.  Leaving both services enabled for tunneling will only allow the first ASD service to allow a tunnel connection.  A station restart may be required.

Issue What is a quick way to read a dynamic value from LNSDDE server? Environment InVue Cause Trying to confirm if the value of a snvt is updating and reading accurately - without using InVue. Resolution LNSDDE server and Microsoft Excel are both DDE compatible. Open a new sheet or book in Excel. Find the snvt in LNSDDE and copy / paste the link into one of the cells in Excel.  After hitting enter, the cell will display the dynamic value of the selected snvt. This is a good way to troubleshoot the LON programming and controller communication from the field all the way back to the server - without adding InVue programming to the troubleshooting process.

Issue When trying to open the schedule, the attached crash report occurs and shuts down workstation with the following Exception message. Object reference not set to an instance of an object Environment SmartStruxure 1.4.x Cause Menta application within the Xenta device has blank Exception Events defined with one or more Time Schedule blocks. Resolution This will be corrected in a future release but as a workaround simply remove any Exception Event within the Xenta Time schedule block (TSCH). Edit the block and set the Max. setting of the Exception Event to 0 (zero).  Save the application and download to the device.

Issue Can MOVs (metal oxide varistors) be installed on the main AC power connector of a MNL controller? Site has dirty power issues. Environment MNL controllers Cause Site has dirty power issues which are causing damage to the MNL controllers Resolution Although it's not a supported configuration, the MOVs are electronically capable of being installed on the MNL controller's main AC power connector.

Issue Does the MNL controller line have any built-in surge protection for main AC power? Environment MNL controllers Cause Design specification Resolution No main AC power surge protection is part of the MNL controllers' design.  It will have to be externally applied.

Issue Each time that a power failure happens on a sites MPM, the clock goes back to 1/1/2000. Environment StruxureWare Lite MPM Cause This is most likely due to the battery shelf life, this happens if the controller was purchased and left unused for over 5 months before being installed. Resolution ∙ BR1220 from Panasonic (Lithium Carbon-Monofluoride) ∙ nominal voltage 3V ∙ Capacity 35mAh ∙ Self-discharge 1%/year, under standard conditions ∙ Operating temperature range -30°C to 85°C Units manufactured after week 13 2016 have a super capacitor rather than a battery. The capacitor has a charge time of approximately 5 minutes after which it will provide backup for the RTC for approx. 48 hours

Issue When there are multiple displays, and the script editor is in the right window, the autocomplete popup window goes off-screen. *note* this only happens in full screen Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Workstation Cause The issue depends on which way you assign the two monitors in the Windows settings or how you have the monitor cables hooked in the docking station/laptop. Resolution Swap the physical monitor plugs on the PC or docking station, allowing Windows to recognize your monitors synchronously from left to right Go into your Windows monitor settings and drag each screen to its proper position and hit apply.

Issue Controller Health Status shows, "Controller (ID **) has too many Remote Controllers assigned." What does this message mean, and is it a cause for concern? Product Line Security Expert Environment Security Expert Client SP-C Controller Cause This error message is related to cross controller communication. When using cross controller communications, the maximum number of controllers that can be linked together is 64. For additional details on cross controller communications, see page 4 of AN 180 Security Expert - Cross Controller Operations - Integration Guide. Resolution The controllers that are not taking part in cross controller linking are the ones that are showing the "Controller (ID **) has too many Remote Controllers assigned." message. Evaluate what values/controllers are being shared to ensure your programming is performing as expected. See AN 180 Security Expert - Cross Controller Operations - Integration Guide for further details on cross controller communications and which values use this. Limit the number of sharing controllers to 64 or split the controllers up into two systems.

Issue User keeps getting re-prompted for login for each station even though using virtual domain. Each station file has been edited to include the cookieDomain slot.  Also, each station’s “hosts” file has mapped every station’s IP address in the virtual domain to their hostnames. Everything seems to be configured correctly. Environment Niagara R2 Cause Host (station) names contained underscores. The hostname cannot contain underscores. Resolution The station must be renamed without underscores. Change the hostname to match the new station name.

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 How to use Plain English programming to mirror the output controlling the door's striker to a second output on the Continuum controller. Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Continuum Net Controller II Continuum ACX 2 Controller Cause Sample PE program needed for guidance. Resolution Here are three samples of the same program for guidance on how to accomplish the desired application 'This program makes the Auxiliary output of the AC1 (Out chan 2) mirror the value of the output that controls the door 'striker (Out chan 1) 'Program is Looping/Autostart 'The MODE variable is used to control when Out2 should mirror Out1 as follows... ' '1=Always including manual override '2=On valid card or REX only Numeric MODE Line Init AuxOutput = 0 MODE = 2 Basedon MODE Goto Always, ValidAndRex Line Always AuxOutput = Door1 OverrideValue * 65535 Line ValidAndRex AuxOutput = Door1 * 65535 Line E If TS > 10 then Goto Init Program code has also been supplied in the attached dump file below.

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 Does the MPM have an internal power source to maintain the clock during an extended loss of power? Environment MPM Cause Clock maintenance during a loss of power Resolution The MPM has a Lithium battery that will keep the system clock online/accurate during a power loss. The battery life is very high, however leaving the MPM unplugged for many months will eventually wear out the battery. Units manufactured after week 13 2016 have a super capacitor rather than a battery. The capacitor has a charge time of approximately 5 minutes after which it will provide backup for the RTC for approx. 48 hours