Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue When trying to launch the Energy Expert Integration Utility (formerly the Power Manger Integration Utility) the following error is given. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Energy Expert Power Manager for SmartStruxure Integration Utility Cause This error message can be the result of different causes. Check the IntegrationUtility.log file found in the same location as the Integration Utility for more information.  Example of Integration Utility Log error: ERROR: Microsoft.Practices.Unity.ResolutionFailedException: Resolution of the dependency failed, type = "IntegrationUtility.Shell", name = "(none)". Exception occurred while: Calling constructor IntegrationUtility.Pme.Services.PmeUserDataStore(). Exception is: ConfigurationProviderException - Could not locate a connection string provider. Resolution NOTE: If you have already downloaded the software, you must first delete the folder you unzipped before doing the process below.  Unblock the Zip file The first thing that MUST be done after downloading the Power Manager software from the Exchange is to unblock the zip file. Right click on the zip file and select Properties. Under the General tab, towards the bottom click Unblock. Click Apply and close the properties window.  You can now unzip the software and use it as normal.  Compatible .Net Framework Versions Different versions of the Power Manager / Energy Expert Integration Utility require certain versions of Microsoft .Net Framework. Note: Having multiple versions of .Net Framework installed may cause issues.    Pease refer to the Energy Expert Compatibility Matrix for further detail.

Issue How to change the path of the points bound to for all bindings of a TMGL or OGC graphic simultaneously using the Change References command. Environment Vista Workstation TGML Graphic Cause There are many reasons why binding paths would need to be updated.  The network structure could have changed/been renamed.  Or it may be that a graphic has been copied, pasted, and renamed (say AHU1 to AHU2) and now all the points need to be redirected to another unit. Resolution Right-click on a graphic or a folder of graphics in the Folders pane of Vista Workstation, choose "Change References..." In the Change References window, hit the "Search" button.  This will populate all bindings and links in the graphics folder. There is no way to list just the bindings of a single graphic. The full folder is always displayed. Highlight the graphics points that need to be updated -- it is usually best to click on the "Name" header to sort the bindings by graphics pages. Then just one graphic page's links can be highlighted to edit. Hit the "Replace" button. Enter the "Search for:" and "Replace with:" strings.  It is often a good idea to include as many common characters as possible to prevent accidentally destroying bindings. Example:  Instead of search for "AHU1" and replace with "AHU2", search for "-LNS-AHU1-" and replace with "-LNS-AHU2-" If the desired string was found, the "New" column will now be populated with the new path.  Review the newly formed path to ensure no mistakes were made. When verified, commit the changes to the database by pressing the "Save" button at the bottom of the window.  References have been changed in the database.

Issue Moving from SBO 1.9 to EBO 2.0 and above does not allow the Tech Tool to be used on SmartX Displays. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment EBO 2.0 Cause The SmartX Display Tech Tool is being discontinued in EBO 2.0 in favour of a completely overhauled Webstation which is now designed for use on Tablets and Smart Phones as well as PCs. Resolution Tablet used here is the T580 First of all, the tablet itself will need to be brought up to Android OS 7 minimum (OS 8 works as well). Depending on how long it has been since the tablet was last connected online, the Android OS may require a number of updates before it reaches Android OS 7. Most importantly, when finished the tablet must have a firmware number ending with T580XXU2BQL1 or above.  (E.g. T580XXU2BQI9 is lower than T580XXU2BQL1). If for some reason this is not the case then please manually update the software instead. Next contact the Schneider Electric Global Expert Support Team, to obtain the latest versions of SmartX Kiosk and AD-Link application. One visible change in the Kiosk is that it now includes a Chrome shortcut as standard. The AD-Link is still required to establish the connection between the Tablet and the SmartX Server over USB using IP address 192.168.42.116. It is only the Tech Tool itself, that is discontinued. Once the AD-Link has been opened and connected, Chrome can then be used to connect to the SmartX Server using the same 192.168.42.116 Address. Successful logon can then be achieved using the same Username and Password as the Tech Tool. The new and improved Webstation interface can be accessed that is optimised for Tablet and Smart Phone screens In some cases, the customer may not want Chrome's open browser interface and may instead wish to lock down the appearance of the browser to be closer to that of the older Tech Tool. If this is the case, please refer to 'Locking Down' Chrome and Webstation in EBO 2.0 for SmartX Displays.

Issue What are the basics steps when setting up the Engage Mobile application to use it for the first time? Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Room Controller (RPC) Cause The Engage mobile application enables control of room temperature, fan speed, lights, and blinds/shades directly from a smartphone. A user can manage these settings when the application is connected to the RP-C controller. Resolution Below are the basic steps when setting up the Engage Mobile application to use it for the first time:  First create and configure the Occupant App Menu object. Make sure Bluetooth is enabled for the RP-C. Download the Engage mobile application and connect to the RP-C Available on App Store and Google Play To see details for every step please see video:  

Issue Alarms with an invalid Source path cannot be removed from ES or AS Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Workstation Building Operation 3.0 and higher Cause The invalid path prevents alarms from being deleted. In earlier releases of EBO, there was an issue whereby an error could occur in the source path of an alarm if the Automation Server was renamed. Most invalid alarms observed originate from this type of error. Resolution Use Alarms Integrity Check in the following steps.  Automation Servers first, then Enterprise Server, and finally, if installed, Enterprise Central last. See Alarm Cannot be Acknowledged Due to Invalid Paths for additional details.   Expand System, Right-click the Alarm Control Panel,  Choose Advanced - Alarms Integrity Check.   The command runs quickly. There is no confirmation that the check has run, but a review of the alarms will show that the invalid alarms have been removed.

Issue The outputs of three kitControl objects - Maximum, Minimum, and Average - will all go to Nan if any of its inputs are Nan. Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series G3 (Niagara) station Cause The internal logic of these blocks is set to pass Nan through if all inputs are not valid for comparison. Resolution There are two potential work-arounds: Pass the inputs through some intermediate logic to ensure that a Nan value is never passed to the Minimum, Maximum, or Average blocks. Null values are valid and will allow the internal logic of the block to proceed. Use the MinMaxAvg block instead. It is located in the kitControl > Util folder. The internal logic of this block will ignore Nan inputs.

Issue When EcoStruxure Building Operation (EBO) is installed after TAC Vista on the same PC, changes to the national character set in the OP Configuration Tool in Menta cause an error preventing the generation of the MTA file. The error appears when the Generate command is selected in Menta. Depending on the combination of versions of EBO and TAC Vista, the error message is: "National character set not selected" "Cannot open file: struxureware path\ national.dec" (where struxureware path is the location of the Schneider Electric StruxureWare\ Building Operation 1.x installation folder) "ERROR! Failed to create OLE dispatcher: GraphOP.Application.320, GraphOP.Application.NSP" Product Line TAC Vista, EcoStruxure Building Operation   Environment Building Operation Workstation Vista Workstation Cause The installation of EBO overwrites settings in Menta regarding character sets. When Menta is opened with normal user rights, changes to character sets in the OP Configuration Tool are not saved due to the OS user security settings. Resolution Right-click on Menta in the program list and select "run as administrator". Then select your required character set in the OP Configuration Tool ("Formats | Character set file"). The changes can now be saved and Menta will generate successfully. This procedure is only required the first time you run Menta after installing EcoStruxure Building Operation. Normal user rights can be used for subsequent editing sessions.

Issue Webclient currently unavailable Error 80070005 Check your DCOM permissions when launching webclient or webclient is currently unavailable. Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Webclient Windows XP Windows 7 Windows Server 2003 Windows Server 2008 Cause A remote reboot will not write DCOM permissions the same way a local reboot does. Other Server configurations can cause this. Resolution A webClient installation was performed using Windows Remote Desktop or some other remote access software and the reboot after the webclient install was executed using the remote software. To fix this, reboot the Webclient server directly from the server itself. There are security permissions that do not get written properly when rebooting remotely and a direct reboot corrects this problem. Start Continuum on the Webclient PC locally, not remotely. Be sure Continuum has been started on the webclient PC. Also see, Webclient unavailable error when attempting to logon which mentions making sure the Network Service is selected for the default app pool. 64-bit OS will cause this error as well. Webclient versions pre 1.94 are not supported on any 64 bit platform. If that doesn't work then a complete reinstall and reboot on the server will be required. Remote installs are typically problematic. If changes were made to .net try the following steps: Start> Run> cmd (Enter)  To get to a DOS prompt cd\Windows\microsoft.net\framework\v2.0.50727 (change directory to this folder) run the command aspnet_regiis.exe -i (It will say installing .net, this re-registers .net with IIS) Restart Windows on the webclient PC and restart Continuum

Issue What kind of controller can be used to get values from a Modbus device into TAC Vista? For example, getting data from a Modbus meter into a BMS system running Vista. Product Line TAC Vista Environment TAC Vista TAC Xbuilder TAC Xenta server 731/913 Cause TAC Vista can not talk Modbus directly so you need to use a gateway controller. Resolution Xenta firmware version 5.1.4 and earlier only two controllers had Modbus communication capabilities: Xenta Server 731  For details see TAC Xenta 711/731 Web Server and Controller Xenta Server 913 For details see TAC Xenta 913 LonWorks Gateway Starting with Xenta firmware version 5.1.5, all Xenta Servers are now capable of communicating on a Modbus network both via TCP/IP and RS-485.  This includes Xenta 511, 527, 701, 711, 721, 731, 913. Note: Older Xenta Server devices built before firmware 5.1.5 have the capability of using Modbus over RS-485 once they have been upgraded even though the terminals are not labeled on the device. For information on how to wire these devices to reference a newer Xenta Server that does have the RS-485 A terminals labeled or see Xenta Server wiring and pinouts.

Issue Configuring the Xenta 102-AX to accept a 4-20mA CO₂ sensor input on Universal Input 3. A negative value is required on the CO₂ offset value, but it is not possible to enter a negative value. Product Line TAC Vista, EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Xenta 102-AX 4-20mA output CO₂ sensor Cause The Xenta 102-AX universal inputs are designed to work with a 0-5V input. The best option is to always buy a CO₂ sensor that is compatible. However, if 4-20mA CO₂ sensors have already been purchased and installed, they can be made to work. Resolution In this example, a 4-20mA CO₂ sensor with a 0-2000ppm range is assumed. In the Xenta 102-AX Plug-In > Hardware Configuration Tab, set Input 3 Selection to CO₂ Sensor Wire a 250Ω resistor across U3 and M. This converts the 4-20mA signal to 1-5V. In Vista Workstation, navigate to the 102-AX > UnivIn3_Sense. Open SCPToffsetCO2. This value needs to be -500, but negative values cannot be entered. To get around this: Change Value to 0 Change Scaling > Offset to 500. This alters the display of the offset value. Click OK. Open SCPToffsetCO2 a second time. The value is still 0, but it is being displayed as 500, due to the scaling offset. Change the value to 0 (because of the offset, 0 represents -500). Click OK Open SCPTgain. Set multiplier to 2444 Set divisor to 1000 Click OK. This value comes from 2000 (range of sensor) + 500 (offset) / 1023 Note: An input of 0V (a sensor that has not been wired yet) will result in an nvoCO2sensor value of 65535 (invalid). Also see Using a 0-10 volt CO2 sensor with a Xenta 102-AX to configure the Xenta 102-AX to accept a 0-10 volt CO₂ sensor input on Universal Input 3.

Issue Wants to know the correct termination specification for each different I/O modules and different IOU networks. Environment NC1 - CX9900, CX9940 NC2 - CX9680 IOU modules Cause Different type of terminations are required for different type of I/O modules (ACC-LON and FTT-10A) and different topologies (Bus topology, Free topology and Doubly terminated Bus topology). Resolution ACC-LON  requires two 120 ohm resistors at both ends of the bus. One between pin 1&2 of the I/O module on the NetController side and the other one between pin 1&2 of the I/O module at the last node of the bus. FTT-10A Free topology requires one 52.3 ohm resistor between pin 1&2 at any place on the bus. FTT-10A Doubly terminated bus topology requires two 105 ohm resistors.  One between pin 1&2 of the I/O module on the NetController side and the other one between pin 1&2 of the I/O module at the last node of the bus.

Issue The V321 globe valve is described as a "Mixing valve", but  a diverting application is required. Environment Valves Actuators Diverting application. V321 VTRE Cause The incorrect positioning of the V321 globe valve in the flow pipe work will lead to water hammer. Water hammer can lead to bad vibration and potential damage to the valve and pipe work. Resolution The V321 is a globe valve, and this style of valve must be fitted so that the water flows proportionally across the valve seats. This is achieved when the valve is fitted into the system return pipe work. In the above drawing, it can be seen that the valve is fitted in the system return with its common port (AB) connected directly to the main system. Port A of the valve is connected to the heat load, and port B of the valve is connected to the bypass connection. This means that water will flow through ports A - AB if the valve is open, of ports B - AB if the valve is closed. I must fit my valve in the system flow, what can I do? If the valve must be located in the system flow, then this valve type is not suitable, and a different valve must be chosen. The most logical choice of valve suitable for location in either the flow or return is the VTRE It must be noted that this valve only has a rating of PN6 as opposed to the V321 which is rated PN16. For the VTRE data sheet please click HERE. Suitable actuators for the VTRE are either the M9B or EM9. For the data sheet for the 24 volt / 230 volt M9B click HERE. For the data sheet for the 0-10v DC EM9 click HERE.

Issue Need to purchase and replace the battery for the IAC-TS and IAC-600. Product Line Satchwell MicroNet Environment IAC-600 IAC-TS Cause The battery has failed and requires replacement. Resolution The battery is a lithium crystal SNAPHAT M4T28-BR12SH1 These are available from RS Components. The RS Components stock number is 189-1239. Manufacturer name: STMicroelectronics Manufacturer's part number: M4T28-BR12SH1 Specifications Category Detachable Lithium Power Source Maximum Operating Temperature 70°C Minimum Operating Temperature 0°C Mounting Through Hole Pin Count 4 Product Height 8mm Product Length 21.84mm Product Width 18.03mm Supplier Package SNAPHAT   Documentation M4T28-BR12SH M4T32-BR12SH TIMEKEEPER SNAPHAT (battery and crystal) Data Sheet.pdf Statement of conformity.pdf

Issue How to clear all block programming and set the device EEPROM back to factory-default condition. Environment Network 8000 GCM, LCM, LNC or SIM controller including all 84xxx series, 85xxx series or 86xxx series devices. Cause It is sometimes necessary to manually clear the controller EEPROM. Resolution Clear the controller's EEPROM. This is accomplished by pushing the reset button and the EE CLR button and holding both for at least 20 seconds before releasing. The reset process is complete when the top two red LEDs on the right edge of the controller begin blinking in their normal sequence (second LED blinks twice as fast as top LED). This process will clear the user programmable memory (including all block programming), returning the controller to its original factory condition. The procedure above is excerpted from Technical Bulletin 99-27 , steps 1 and 2.

Issue Check the host and intermediate certificates with a CA certificate to verify the authentication chain before importing them into EBO servers. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Enterprise Central Enterprise Server Automation Server Edge Server Cause Certificates are provided and can be assigned incorrectly or to the incorrect server; therefore, they do not function as expected. Resolution Verify you have the following: Host certificate in PEM file format Intermediate Certificates in one pem file, not including Certificate Authority (CA) cert CA Certificate where Issuer and Subject Name are the same, indicating it is self-signed. OpenSSL is installed on the computer with the files. Use OpenSSL installed with EBO or install as mentioned in Ensuring the SSL Host Certificate and key file are a matching pair Use this command:  openssl verify -CAfile ca.pem -untrusted intermediate.pem server.pem​ The explanation of the command is as follows: openssl verify: This initiates the certificate verification process. -CAfile ca.pem: Specifies the path to the PEM file containing the trusted CA (Certificate Authority) certificate. -untrusted intermediate.pem: Indicates the path to the PEM file containing the intermediate certificates. They are marked as untrusted because the system does not directly trust them, but their validity will be checked against the CA certificate. server.pem: Specifies the path to the PEM file containing the host server certificate you want to verify. The expected responses are:  server.pem: OK: Verification successful, indicating the server certificate is valid and its chain of trust is established. Error messages: If any errors occur during verification, they'll be displayed in the output. Common errors include certificate expiration, invalid signatures, or missing intermediate certificates Additional information: Ensure the file paths are correct and the certificates are in PEM format Ensure the host and intermediate certificates are installed on the server device and the CA Certificate on the client device. If you encounter issues, double-check the validity of the file permissions and certificates. For more detailed output, add the -verbose option to the command. To check expiration dates, use  openssl x509 -in server.pem -noout -dates

Issue In a web graphic hosted on a Xenta Server, clicking to change a value displays the dialog momentarily, then it immediately disappears. Product Line TAC Vista Environment Xenta server Cause The Java version is too new or too old. Resolution Make sure The java versions installed have been tested against the installed Xenta version. A Compatibility Matrix can be found on The Exchange Download Center. Or see Software and Firmware compatibility matrix for older versions of the traditional product lines. If the wrong versions are installed, download the correct version and install it.

Issue LON Network - Cable Transient Suppression Product Line EcoStruxure Building OperationTAC IA Series, TAC Vista Environment LON networks that extend beyond the walls of a single building Cause Surge arrestors dissipate transient energy before the cable can provide a low resistance path to the building ground, preventing potential electrical damage. Resolution Click here to download the white paper on this topic: Cable Transient Suppression It is recommended that a Transient Suppression protection device be installed on the LON communications cable at any point where the cable enters or exits the building. The LON is frequently used to connect a collection of controllers in one building with a collection of controllers in one or more other buildings in a campus. The LON may also extend outside the protection of an office building when servicing communications to roof-top equipment and/or outside monitoring equipment. At any location where the LON cable penetrates and extends outside the building compartment, it is recommended that a gas discharge type lightning arrestor be installed across the LON conductor pair and earth ground as shown below. This should be positioned as close as possible to the wall penetration location. The objective is to keep the cable distance as short as possible before the cable suppression is provided. It is important that a heavy gauge earth ground connection be provided to the gas discharge protector with as short a length as possible. Here we want to dissipate the transient energy as soon as possible before the cable extends on into the facility and provide a low resistance path to the building ground. SA2-U8 Surge Arrestor TAC provides a Model SA2-U8 Surge Arrestor which can be used for this purpose. This SA2-U8 device is a gas discharge arrestor packaged in a small DIN rail mountable enclosure. The SA2-U8 is UL864 listed and is the only device that can be used on TAC UL864 listed system. It must be installed on the LON cable at any entry/exit locations. Other Gas Discharge Suppressors On non-UL864 systems, the SA2-U8 may also be used, or the installer may use any one of a number of available 90V gas discharge tube devices. These are typically tubular shaped components and since you need two tubes (one for each of the two LON conductors) a dual element three lead discharge tube is recommended. The device’s leads may be attached to a standard screw terminal block and mounted in most any size electrical box. A collection of some of the suitable gas discharge devices that could be used is as follows: Manufacturer Part Number Bourns 2026-09-C Epcos B88069X8440B202 Citel BTS-90 SRC Devices PMT-090-14   There are other acceptable part numbers available from each of these manufacturers with variations provided in the lead configuration and lengths while maintaining the same 90V protection rating. Devices To Avoid It is not recommended that you use any semiconductor type (Transzorb / TVS / Diode) protection devices. Their higher speed and lower clamping voltage characteristics is not necessary with the inherent protection offered by the FTT-10 and FT-X1 LON transceivers. Such semiconductor based transient suppression devices frequently add some undesirable capacitance to the network which impedes communication performance and most inject signal clamping at voltage levels much lower than necessary or desirable for the Free Topology FTT-10 and FT-X1 based LON networks. The common mode noise immunity of the FTT LON should be much better than that provided by the typical RS485 network. This should provide more tolerance for electrically noisy environments. However, it has been observed that some semiconductor based network protection units have been used that can drastically degrade communications performance. One such device is the Model 91287 from Atlantic Scientific Corp. which was identified by the manufacturer as a LON System protector. This device clamps the signal at one diode drop below ground level which virtually destroys the LON’s common mode noise tolerance. The presence of one of these devices has been found to be the cause of communications problems in a system operating is an electrically noisy environment. This type of communications impairment may be encountered immediately. In other instances, LON retries may cover the problem and the system may operate for extended period of time before environmental or equipment changes raise noise levels above the tolerable threshold. This threshold is now much worse than RS485 networks. This device, and any similar, should be avoided on any LON systems.

Issue In WorkPlace Commissioning Tool, the following error message appears when browsing a BACnet/IP network: "A critical error occurred in the communication server rtmonitor.exe. Please shutdown this application and the communication server then try again." Product Line TAC IA Series Environment WorkPlace Commissioning Tool Cause There could be a Niagara R2 station running on the computer configured for BACnet/IP. Since the Niagara station also uses UDP port 47808 by default, the Niagara service prevented WorkPlace Commissioning Tool from "binding" to the UDP port. Resolution There are two ways to resolve this issue: Disable the Niagara service when using the WorkPlace Commissioning Tool In Workplace Pro, stop the station that has the BACnet/IP service enabled, and configure it so that it does not auto-start. NOTE: If this procedure does not correct the issue and the WorkPlace Tech Tool software is being run on the Windows 7 operating system, refer to WorkPlace Commissioning Tool Windows 7: "A critical error occurred in the communication server rtmonitor.exe" for information on how to correct what may be a program security settings issue.

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 After an uninstall of I/NET Seven and MS SQL, you might verify in the Windows Registry that all the items were deleted. Having issues installing I/NET what can I look for. Product Line TAC INET Environment I/NET all 2.4X versions Cause In some cases when re-installing, installing I/NET after a failed attempt or upgrading I/NET you may want to start fresh. After an uninstall of INET Seven and MSDE if items remain in the registry they will cause issues with future installations. Resolution Go to the bottom Task Bar and choose the “Start” button. Select the “Run” option and enter “Regedit” Once in the Windows registry go to “HKEY_CURRENT_USER, if the “CSI” entry is present delete this entry While still in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER look in the Microsoft File Folder for any “SQL” entries and remove them if they are present. Minimize the HKEY_CURRENT_USER folder and open up the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE File Folder, if the “CSI” entry is present delete this entry. While still in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, go to the Microsoft File Folder and look for any “SQL” entries. If you find any delete then from this file folder. Caution:  Before editing the SQL registry items you should ensure that no other software using SQL is still installed - all software that is installed should be uninstalled prior to modifying any registry entries. See also, MSDE and Windows 7.

Issue Advice on adding a persistent route to the Sigma server PC. Product Line Satchwell Sigma Environment Sigma Server PC Cause General advice Resolution On a Sigma server connected to a "Flat" Ethernet network, where the system is using Ethernet or Arcnet communications via DNN's, and where it is not possible to run RIP on the DNN's, then it will be necessary to add a persistent route or routes to the Sigma server. A "Flat" Ethernet network, is a network that does not contain any subnets, for instance a network who's address is 10.158.0.0 Mask 255.255.0.0 will contain network addresses 10.158.0.1 to 10.158.255.254. To add a persistent route you must go to the Windows command prompt. This is achieved by selecting the Windows "Start" button, then the "Run" command and enter "CMD", a DOS window is now opened. At the DOS prompt type ROUTE ADD -P "Subnet address" "Mask" "DNN Ethernet IP address". So if the DNN Subnet was 192.168.1.0 mask 255.255.255.0 and the Ethernet IP was 10.158.1.6 then the persistent route would be added as below ROUTE ADD -P 192.168.1.0 MASK 255.255.255.0 10.158.1.6 To check that this has been correctly added enter "Route Print" at the command prompt, the route should have been added at the bottom of the list. Add a route for each DNN.