Point Program Screen Description

The Point Program Screen shown below allows the user to program a selected point and view its properties. The options displayed vary based on the properties of the selected point. This makes it easier for the user by limiting the choices to only those features that are relevant to that particular point type.

The Point Program Screen is divided into four sections shown here:

Name and Status

•Name: To change the name (AUTO POINTS FOR AHU 10 TO 28), click it and type the new name.

•Status: Displays the current status of the Point (OFF).

History and Display Options

•History: CBAS records changes in point status over time based on parameters set by the user. The History function allows you to set the criteria for recording history and view the history of a selected point. If this button is labeled “Start Saving History”, then you might need to enable History saving for the whole database. Do this from History Maintenance on the System Menu.

•Show Point Relations: Lists all points that are related to the selected point by Logic, PID, etc.

•Create Note Pad: Provides a journal for each individual point to record any information about that point.

•Text View Point Positioning: Lists all points and allows for changing the order in which they are displayed in the Text View. When you select this feature, click the position from the list that appears and it is moved.

•Text View Display Options: Helps you organize the layout of the text view. You can place a bar above a point or bold a point. This can also be done with the F3 or F4 keys, respectively. The bars help to group points, and bolding highlights frequently used points.

•Link to Binary Input: Allows you to display a Binary Input and Binary Output as one point.

•Create Runtime Point: Creates a point which tracks how long a binary point has been in a specified status.

Programming

All programming for an individual point can be done from this section of the Point Programming Screen. Below, each button is displayed and described briefly. Not all of these buttons appear on all point types.

Note: The button to the left is displayed before any programming has been done. The button to the right is displayed after you program the feature.

Program Alarm: Program an audio and visual alarm to indicate when a point is functioning differently than you would like.

Program Schedule: Program a weekly time schedule for automatically commanding a binary point.

Program Overtime Schedule: Extend or adjust weekly schedules by programming overtime schedules for a specific date.

Program Optimum Start/Stop: Program the system so that equipment runs for the least amount of time while maintaining desired conditions.

Program Logic Sequence: Use English-language, If / Then statements to customize the sequence of operations.

Points can be configured as Binary Outputs, Binary Inputs, Analog Outputs, or Analog Inputs. The point in the example is a Software Binary Output. The buttons listed below are found only on certain point types.

•Software/Hardware: Indicates whether points are software or hardware. Hardware points are physically wired to the controller. Software points include information that affects the functioning of hardware points. Clicking this button tells you where a point is physically located and how it is configured.

•Relay On/Relay Off: Allows you to view and change the units of measurement for the point. Click the button with the existing unit of measurement. A window with a list of measurement options from which to select will appear. The buttons will look different for various point types. These buttons are found on Binary Outputs only.

•Switch Contacts: For Binary points, you can reverse the relationship between the position of the dry contact (relay) and the status of the point you are controlling. For example, a relay is normally wired to turn an AHU on when the relay is commanded on. If instead, the relay is wired in a way that the AHU turns off when the relay is commanded on, you can click this button to inform CBAS that the relationship is reversed. Found only on Binary Output points.

•Copy To: Copies all the Programming and parameters from this point to another point of the same type. Click the button and you will see a list of similar points in the database.

•Immediate ON/OFF: Allows you to delay the starting and stopping of equipment in order to spread out the energy consumption. Applies to Binary Output points only.

•More: Gives you more options based on the properties of the point so that you can customize the properties of the point. Only found on Analog Input points. From here you can add an offset to the status of a sensor if you believe it is inaccurate.

•DEG F: Allows you to change the units of measurement and the parameters of the point. Found on Analog points.

•Change Setpoint to Reset Schedule: Allows you to change a Setpoint to a Reset Schedule, and vice versa.

Recording Histories

Recording and viewing histories lets the user know how the status of a point has changed over time. By knowing what has happened in the past, you can better understand what will happen in the future, and set baselines to know when the equipment is functioning properly. Troubleshooting is more manageable with a good understanding of how points have reacted to past changes in the environment.

To begin recording history:

1.From the Point Program Screen, click the History button to view histories or set the parameters for saving histories.

2.Begin saving new data by enabling the history. This can be done by clicking the Disabled button under the History button in the Point Program Screen or by clicking the History button, then checking the History Enabled box in the Point History screen. To disable history, uncheck the History Enabled box.

3.To change History Saving parameters, click the History Button, then click the “Modify History Saving Settings for this Point” button.

For analog points, history is recorded based on parameters set by the user. In the History Settings screen, you can define how often data is recorded. Both of the conditions below must be met in order for data to be saved to the history file.

•Minimum Report Time: Sets the least amount of time that must pass before data is saved to the History file. Click 00:15:00, then use the arrows to make adjustments. In the example on the previous page, 15 minutes must elapse before a temperature is recorded.

•Minimum Analog Counts: Sets the minimum change in status that must occur before history is recorded. Click 3.0 DEG F, then, type in your desired minimum change. In the example on the previous page, temperature must change by 3 Deg F before a point in time is recorded.

In the above example, the temperature must change by 3 Deg F within 15, 30, 45, etc. minutes for a history save to occur. To get the most realistic looking graph, lower these settings to 1 minute and 1 degree. Do this only on points that you need to keep an accurate history of. Otherwise, the History file will become bloated with unneeded data, which could lead to problems. Also, histories need to be purged of old data regularly. This can be done through the History Maintenance function on the System Menu. System Menu items are discussed in detail in Chapter 5.
Note: When History is enabled, the defaults are 15 Minutes and 3 Deg F (or 30 analog counts).

Graphing Histories

To graph a Point History:

1.From the Point History screen, click to display a graphical representation of a point’s history. The window below will appear:

2.In order to make comparisons, up to 4 points can be chosen to graph at the same time. For example, you can see when a unit came on by choosing the Start/Stop point, and see how the supply air and space temperatures change as a result, by choosing those points for the same graph. Click “Select Points for Graph”, choose your points from the list, and then right click.

3.Choose a time period for the graph by checking one of the boxes on the left. Above is an example with Enter a Starting and Ending Date checked. Click on the Starting or Ending Date and a calendar will appear.

4.To change the Month, click the month and choose from the list. To change the year, click it then the up and down arrows. Or, you can use the left and right arrows to change the month and year.

5.Today’s date will be circled in Red. Right-click anywhere on the calendar to select today’s date, or click on another date to choose it.

6.Click on the Start or End Time to change. Move the time forward and backward by clicking the up and down arrows next to the time.

7.Click the Display Graph button to open a History Graph. The resulting graph displays the history for the points and time frame selected in step 2.

The points are listed at the top of the screen and are color coded to match the units of measurement on the left side of the graph (Y-axis). Across the bottom (X-axis) are the dates. Each point has a unique colored line to represent the change in its value over time. When you move the cursor, you will notice lines pointing to the X- and Y-axis, where the date and value are displayed.

•Zoom In: Allows you to closely view a section of the graph. Click a location on the graph as the starting point and then click an ending point. The space between the two points will be displayed when you zoom in.

•Zoom Out: Displays the graph from which you zoomed in.

•Print: Sends the displayed graph to the printer.

Point Relations

Let’s say that you have a point that is being commanded by LOG1, but there is no logic programmed on that point. Go to Point Relations and you will find what is commanding the point.

The Point Relations window shows you what other points are related to this point by way of Logic Statements, PIDs, Alarms, etc. There is no configuration necessary. However, if you click on a line, CBAS will show you the Logic Statement, Schedule, etc. that references the point name.

Here is an example of the Point Relations Screen:

Another feature of Point Relations is the *, which denotes items residing in the “Child Panel.” First of all, any controller programmed in CBAS is a Child Panel. In addition to the Parent Database that you see in CBAS, there is a Child Database that is downloaded to the controller whenever changes are made. The Child Database is kept separate in order to facilitate the download to the correct address.

Usually, Logic is programmed on a Point, which resides on a Controller (Child Panel). But, sometimes Logic may be programmed on a point that resides on the head-end (Server). If the * is not present, either the point resides on the head-end by choice, or the Logic has not yet downloaded to the Child Controller (Database Scaling may be necessary).

Display Options

In this feature, there are some other tools for organizing and grouping points in Text View. When you click on the Display Options button, the following box appears:

•Click once on the top button to add a dark bar above the point. Click once more to remove it

•Click once on the bottom button to change the name to a bold font. Click once more to change it back to a normal font.

These options can also be changed in Text View by using the following function keys:

•F3: In Text View, you can add bold lines between points by highlighting a point and pressing the F3 function key. This will add a bold line above the point. Press F3 again to remove the line. This feature is good for creating groupings of related points.

•F4: Also, you can bold the name of a particular point by highlighting it and pressing F4. Press F4 again to return to normal font.

Text View Point Positioning

This menu item allows the user to change the position of the point in Text View, so points that need to be viewed more often can be placed at the top of the list and associated points can be grouped together. When you click on this button, the following window appears:

The point you are repositioning will have a green background. Place your mouse pointer where you want the point moved to and a red line will appear. Click there and the point will be moved. If you have a hard time finding the location, you can search by typing the name or part of the name and hitting the + or – signs on the 10-key pad of your keyboard. Multiple points can be positioned at the same time by going to Position Points on the System Menu.

Note Pad

Note Pad is used as a place to store information about a point. It could be information about the programming of that point or the actual equipment that the point controls. By checking the box in the bottom right, the Note Pad is displayed first when the point is selected. This feature is used to remind users of changes in programming or problems with equipment.

Because Note Pad is a text editor, some text editing command buttons are provided as well as a print button and a button which copies the text to another point’s Note Pad. Just click on this button and choose the point or points that you want to copy to.

Linked Points

Only Binary Input and Output points can be “Linked” together, mainly for the purpose of Alarms. For example, an Alarm has been setup on the point, with the following configuration.

It is set to Alarm when “Input Fails” for 3 minutes, meaning that it will Alarm when it is commanded ON and the status of the Input is OFF for 3 minutes. The Input is based on Logic that says:

If CH 1C1 SF AMPS is greater than 10.0 AMPS

then CH 1C1 SF S/S is ON

else CH 1C1 SF S/S is OFF

So, 3 minutes is there to give the unit a chance to start and get up to the expected amperage draw, in case there is a built-in delay. You know there is a problem, such as a broken drive belt, if it goes into alarm.

When you click “Show Point Relations” on a Linked Binary, the relations for the Output point are shown first, then the relations for the Input point.

Linking Points

Like everything else in CBAS, linking and unlinking points is easy. In the Point Program screen shown at the beginning of this section, there is a button that says “Link to Binary Input”. To link, go to the Point Program screen on a Binary Output and click the button labeled “Link to Binary Input.” (Linking can be done from the Input point also) Select the related point from the list, which has been narrowed down intuitively by CBAS. The points will now be linked and only the Status point will be listed in Text View. In Hardware View, you will see both points listed, but when you click on one, you will see both points in the Linked Point Program screen. The “Link” button has now changed to “Separate”. Click the Separate button to unlink the points.

Note: When writing logic that involves Linked Points, you may want to separate the points in order to differentiate between Input and Output points.

Note: In Configure Workstation, on the System Menu, you can choose to show, in Text View, both the Input and Output points of a linked pair. However, when you click on one of the two, you will see the two points in one Program screen.

Alarms

Program alarms so that the system will alert the user when the value of a particular point is not in its desired position. If an alarm is triggered, the point’s status will turn red. CBAS can also provide an audio and visual indication (the bar across the top of the screen will turn red and the server will beep). To acknowledge the alarm (and stop the beeping), press the F1 key or click the Alarm Bar at the top of the screen. Checking Silence Alarms, under Configure Workstation on the System Menu, can silence all alarms. For instructions on setting the alarm sound to play through a sound card, see Alarms Through Sound Card.

Programming an Alarm

To program an alarm, click the point onto which you want the alarm programmed. If it is an analog point, the Point Program screen will open. If it is a binary point, you must first click Program to open the program screen. Click Program Alarm to open the Alarm-Programming screen for the selected point.

Alarm Reaction: This section includes a drop-down menu (Automation Alarm) and check boxes.

The drop-down menu provides the options for setting the priority of the alarm. Priorities are listed in order from lowest (Automation) to highest (Fire). In the event that two or more alarms are triggered simultaneously, the alarm bar will display and acknowledge those with the highest priority first. Click Automation Alarm for a drop-down list that allows you to set alarm priorities.

Check the first box to force users to acknowledge whenever the alarm is triggered. Users may be required to log in to acknowledge an alarm. Check the second box to prompt the user when a point returns back to normal following an alarm condition. The third box should be checked when you would like to print a copy of the alarm. The fourth is for printing when the point returns back to normal. More than one, or all boxes can be checked at the same time.

Analog Alarm Limits: In the fields provided, set the Low Limit, High Limit, and Dead Band. The low and high limits are the set points at which alarms are triggered. For example: If you want the temperature of a space to remain between 65°F and 77°F, set the low limit to 64°F and the high limit to 78°F. When the temperature reaches either limit, CBAS will trigger an alarm.

Dead band: A buffer zone that prevents points from bouncing into and out of alarm. Without the 1 degree Dead Band, if supply air in the example above fluctuated between 77.5°F and 78°F, the alarm would turn on and off. With a Dead Band set at 1, when an alarm is triggered, it will remain in alarm until the value reaches either 77°F (the High limit minus the Dead Band, or 78-1), or 65°F (the low limit plus the Dead Band, or 64+1).

Binary Status Information: Some Binary Output points are linked to Inputs and some are independent.

Independent Points

Here is an example of an independent Binary. You can choose to have an alarm condition when the status is On/Off, Open/Closed, etc. You can also choose how long the point must be in that state before an alarm happens.

Linked Points

Here is an example of a linked point:

Input Fails: Means that if there is a difference between the status and the command given, for 00:20:00 (a specified amount of time), sound an alarm. For example: Suppose you command an AHU to start, and it should take a current transducer 2 minutes to indicate that the unit is on. If the transducer does not indicate that the unit is on 2 minutes after the AHU is commanded to start, CBAS will sound an alarm to indicate that the AHU is not working properly.

Alarm Lock Out: Allows you to disable an alarm under a certain condition. When that condition changes, the alarm is enabled after a specified amount of time. For example: Suppose an alarm is set to go off when the pressure in a duct drops below a 3” water column. However, if the AHU for that duct is commanded off, the pressure will naturally drop below 3”, so you can disable the alarm when the AHU is set to stop. When the AHU comes back on, it may take 2 minutes to reach and maintain the desired pressure range. In that case, command CBAS to wait 2 minutes after the AHU starts before enabling the alarm.

Delete Lockout: Used to turn an Alarm Lock Out off.

Show Downloads in Alarm Bar

There is now a checkbox in the Alarm screen for controllers now, that when checked, would cause an alarm to show in the Alarm Banner when the controller downloads. This can come in handy if you are not sure whether your changes are getting to the controller when you edit the database.

Schedules

Schedules allow the user to easily set up a daily time schedule for commanding the status of a binary point. To apply a schedule, click on the point you wish to schedule then choose Program. This will take you to the Point Program screen where you should select the Schedule button. Now you are ready to schedule the point.

•Edit: For each day, you can schedule 24 different commands. Each command is called a Cycle. Begin with Cycle 1 for the day you wish to control. Do this by clicking Edit then choosing the cell that corresponds to that day and cycle. In the example above, the first cell in the top left corner that reads Scheduled ON indicates Sunday, Cycle 1. Once you choose the cell, you are prompted with options for controlling that particular point. Repeat this process for the remaining Cycles and for each day to complete the schedule.

•Copy A Day: If your schedules for many days are identical, you can copy a day’s schedule to any of the remaining days. Select Copy a Day, and then follow the directions displayed at the top of the schedule screen.

•Delete A Day: Allows you to delete all cycles for a particular day. Click the button, and then click the day you would like to remove.

•24 Hours: Useful for equipment that you would like to run continuously, or if you want to put an Overtime Schedule on a point that is always off. Overtime will not work if there is no Schedule for the same point, so give the point a 24 Hours Off schedule first. To do this, click the 24 Hours button, and then choose Off.

•Delete All: Removes the schedule for the week from the selected point.

•Copy Schedule To Another Point: For similar devices that should run on the same schedule, you may copy a complete schedule from one point to another. Click Copy Schedule To Another Point, and then select the points to which you want the identical schedule applied.

•Edit Holidays: If you have scheduled holidays when you do not want regularly scheduled equipment to run, click Edit Holidays to Create, Edit or Delete a holiday. This Holiday list will affect every point in the system that has a schedule and will follow the schedule on the Holiday line. If you have some points that you don’t want to follow the Holiday Schedule, program an Overtime Schedule for that day.

•Undo All Changes: If you make an error while editing a schedule, click this button to revert back to the schedule that existed before you began editing.

•Use Graphical Editor: An alternative way to schedule is to use the Graphical Editor. The screen capture below is an example of the Schedule Graph. Notice when you move the cursor over the graph, a small time window |Tue @ 09:00 | indicates the day and time which corresponds to that cursor position.

First, set a range of time that you would like to manipulate. To do this, use the time window to position the cursor over the day and time at which you wish to begin a range, then left-click and drag the cursor to the end of the time range and release. There are two choices for the range of time selected. Choices vary based on the binary units of measurement chosen earlier in the program screen for that point. For example, if the units of measurement for the point are ON/OFF, your choices will be Off and On. If there is an Optimal Start Schedule for the point, there will also be an Opt Start button.

•OFF: Sets the point to OFF for the selected time range.

•ON: Sets the point to ON for the selected time range. In the example above, the AHU is scheduled to be on Mon-Fri. from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm.

•Opt ON: The objective of Optimal Start/Stop is to start a unit as late as possible (in order to save the most energy) while reaching a desired setpoint by a desired time. This feature can only be used after a schedule has been set. Although it is not limited to any specific application, it is generally used for starting and stopping.

•Optimal Start: Drag the mouse over the time range you would like CBAS to begin calculating optimal start/stop. The beginning of the range indicates when to turn optimal start/stop on. The end of the range indicates the time by which set point should be reached. Example: If a room is set to 72°F, and you want it to reach that setpoint by 9:00, then end the time range at 9:00. The longer you give CBAS to find the optimal start time, the more accurate the result will be. However, if you know that it never takes longer than three hours to cool a building to the setpoint and begin Opt start less than three hours before the setpoint is desired.

•Snap Minutes: Choose the intervals of time for setting schedules. Ex: a Snap Minutes of 30 means that you can set schedules in half-hour intervals.

•Clear All: Clears all existing schedules for this point.

•Clear Hol: Deletes the schedule for the holidays on this point.

•Copy To: Copies this schedule to another point. Click this button, then choose the point to which you want this schedule applied.

•Copy From: Copies a schedule from another point to this one. Click this button and choose the point from which to copy a schedule.

•24 Hour: Commands the point ON at all times.

•Undo: Deletes all changes made since you entered the schedule graph screen.