Best Practices and Troubleshooting Guide: Bacnet MS/TP Wiring and Link Performance

Best Practices and 
Troubleshooting Guide
BACnet® MS/TP Wiring and Link Performance
Unit Controller
BACnet
Terminator
Tracer SC
SAFETY WARNING
Only qualified personnel should install and service the equipment. The installation, starting up, and servicing
of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning equipment can be hazardous and requires specific knowledge and
training. Improperly installed, adjusted or altered equipment by an unqualified person could result in death or
serious injury. When working on the equipment, observe all precautions in the literature and on the tags,
stickers, and labels that are attached to the equipment.
January 2016 BAS-SVX51D-EN

Proprietary and Confidential
Introduction
Warnings, Cautions, and Notices
Safety advisories appear throughout this manual as required. Your personal safety and the proper
operation of this machine depend upon the strict observance of these precautions.
The three types of advisories are defined as follows:
Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in

WARNING death or serious injury.
Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in
CAUTIONs minor or moderate injury. It could also be used to alert against unsafe practices.
Indicates a situation that could result in equipment or property-damage only
NOTICE accidents.
WARNING
Proper Field Wiring and Grounding Required!
Failure to follow code could result in death or serious injury. All field wiring MUST be
performed by qualified personnel. Improperly installed and grounded field wiring poses FIRE
and ELECTROCUTION hazards. To avoid these hazards, you MUST follow requirements for field
wiring installation and grounding as described in NEC and your local/state electrical codes.
Failure to follow code could result in death or serious injury.
WARNING
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Required!
Installing/servicing this unit could result in exposure to electrical, mechanical and chemical
hazards.
• Before installing/servicing this unit, technicians MUST put on all PPE required for the work
being undertaken (Examples; cut resistant gloves/sleeves, butyl gloves, safety glasses, hard
hat/bump cap, fall protection, electrical PPE and arc flash clothing). ALWAYS refer to
appropriate Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)/Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and OSHA
guidelines for proper PPE.
• When working with or around hazardous chemicals, ALWAYS refer to the appropriate MSDS/
SDS and OSHA/GHS (Global Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of
Chemicals) guidelines for information on allowable personal exposure levels, proper
respiratory protection and handling instructions.
• If there is a risk of energized electrical contact, arc, or flash, technicians MUST put on all PPE
in accordance with OSHA, NFPA 70E, or other country-specific requirements for arc flash
protection, PRIOR to servicing the unit. NEVER PERFORM ANY SWITCHING,
DISCONNECTING, OR VOLTAGE TESTING WITHOUT PROPER ELECTRICAL PPE AND ARC
FLASH CLOTHING. ENSURE ELECTRICAL METERS AND EQUIPMENT ARE PROPERLY RATED
FOR INTENDED VOLTAGE.
Failure to follow instructions could result in death or serious injury.
© 2016 Trane All rights reserved Proprietary and Confidential, Do Not Distribute Outside Trane BAS-SVX51D-EN
Introduction
Copyright
This document and the information in it are the property of Trane, and may not be used or
reproduced in whole or in part without written permission. Trane reserves the right to revise this
publication at any time, and to make changes to its content without obligation to notify any person
of such revision or change.
Trademarks
All trademarks referenced in this document are the trademarks of their respective owners.
Revision History
BAS-SVX51D-EN:
• Changed the Latency Timer to 2 Ms in step 4 c, “Set Up the USB Adapter and Serial Port,” p. 25.
• Updated the BACnet Device ID section.
BAS-SVX51C-EN:
• Additional information added on wire and network configuration for 2-wire and 3-wire
networks.
BAS-SVX51B-EN:
• Best practice added for 3-wire non-isolated devices.
• new information on using SerialSpy with Tracer SC.
BAS-SVX51D-EN Proprietary and Confidential © 2016 Trane, Do Not Distribute Outside Trane 3
Table of Contents
Summary List of Best Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Symptoms of Poor Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Common Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Before You Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
How a BACnet MS/TP Link Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Best Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Configuring and Wiring the BACnet MS/TP Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Wire and Network Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Understanding Non-isolated and Isolated MS/TP Device Types . . . . . . . . 9
Network Wiring Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2-Wire Mixed Device Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3-Wire Mixed Device Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Network Wiring Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Setting the BACnet Device Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Rotary Switch Values and BACnet Device ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Setting Rotary Addresses on the Tracer SC System Controller . . . . . . . . . . 16
BACnet MS/TP Device ID Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Device ID Assignment for BACnet/IP Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Device ID Assignment for Base Tracer SCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Device ID Assignment for Wireless Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Customizing Device IDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Total Number of Trane and Non-Trane Devices on a BACnet Link . . . . . . . 21
Custom Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Custom Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Controller Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Trane SerialSpy Protocol Analyzer Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Using SerialSpy With the Comm4 USB Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Set Up the USB Adapter and Serial Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Install and Start SerialSpy Protocol Analyzer Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Use SerialSpy to Capture Link Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Evaluate the SerialSpy Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Total Communication Failure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Partial Communication Failure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Troubleshooting Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Divide and Conquer Troubleshooting Technique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Appendix A: Using SerialSpy with Tracer SC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Modes of Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
4 Proprietary and Confidential © 2016 Trane, Do Not Distribute Outside Trane BAS-SVX51D-EN
Capturing to SerialSpy by USB or IP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Using Tracer SC SerialCapture to Capture to an SD Card . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Summary List of Best Practices
Use the following summary list of best practices to quickly locate a specific topic that interests you.
Configuring and Wiring the BACnet MS/TP Link
1. “Do not mix isolated and non-isolated device types on a single link.,” p. 10
2. “BACnet wiring must use a daisy-chain configuration.,” p. 12
3. “Observe the maximum link length recommendation,” p. 12
4. “Use a Tracer BACnet terminator at each end of the link.,” p. 12
5. “Use the built-in terminator on the BCI-R when the BCI-R is the last node in the network.,” p. 13
6. “Maintain consistent wiring polarity between devices.,” p. 14
7. “Observe network cable and conductor termination best practices during installation.,” p. 14
8. “Avoid sharing 24 Vac power between unit controllers.,” p. 14
9. “Ensure that 24 Vac power supplies are consistently grounded.,” p. 14
10. “Meet requirements when adding zone sensor communication stubs to a Tracer UC400.,” p. 15
Setting the BACnet Device Addresses
11. “Set the rotary switch address on all unit controllers.,” p. 20
12. “Ensure no duplicate rotary switch addresses exist on a BACnet MS/TP link.,” p. 20
13. “Ensure no duplicate rotary switch addresses exist on a BACnet MS/TP link.,” p. 20
14. “Sequentially address BACnet MS/TP devices; leave no gaps.,” p. 20
Total Number of Trane and Non-Trane Devices on a BACnet Link
15. “Limit the quantity of devices on a link when there are both Trane and non-Trane devices on the link.,” p. 21
16. “Populate BACnet links evenly when 30+ devices are present.,” p. 22
17. “Take advantage of the new expanded communication options offered in Tracer SC 3.5 and higher.,” p. 22
18. “Place Trane Communicating Thermostats on a separate link.,” p. 23
Custom Programming
19. “Limit Tracer SC TGP2 run frequency.,” p. 23
20. “Use event triggered TGP2 to reduce execution frequency.,” p. 23
21. “Use Tracer SC System Applications for common calculations.,” p. 23
Custom Graphics
22. “Limit number of points displayed on a Tracer SC Custom Graphic.,” p. 23
Controller Software
23. “Update all UC400 controllers to Version 4.15 firmware (or higher).,” p. 24
24. “Update Tracer SC to Version 3.5 (or higher).,” p. 24
Tools
25. “Prop400 to update Tracer UC400 firmware on multiple devices.,” p. 24
26. “Trane SerialSpy Protocol Analyzer Software to troubleshoot communication links.,” p. 24
27. “High-performance volt meter.,” p. 24
Introduction
This guide is intended to help you in two ways; first, it contains the best practices for configuring
and wiring a BACnet MasterSlave/TokenPassing (MS/TP) link. If you follow these techniques and
best practices when the link is installed initially, you will have fewer problems with the link.
However, when you do have problems, this guide also contains methods for figuring out what the
problem is, where it is, and what you need to do to fix it.
Symptoms of Poor Performance

Symptoms of poor BACnet MS/TP performance include, but are not limited to:
• Slow Tracer SC screen data fill
• Comm loss alarms in the alarm log
• Delayed alarm enunciation between unit controllers and Tracer SC
• Slow Tracer TU service tool performance when connected through the SC or using TU Single
Link
• Degradation of building control
• Slow Tracer ES screen data fill
Any of these conditions, or other strange conditions not listed here, are reason to troubleshoot the
network wiring and device network configurations.
Common Problems
The most frequently encountered problems that can cause poor performance, or non-
performance, on a BACnet MS/TP link are:
• There is an open circuit
• There is a short circuit
• The link is not configured using a daisy-chain topology
• The wire used for the link does not meet specifications
• There are too many devices on the link
• Tracer BACnet terminators are not installed at each end of the link
• The wiring polarity is reversed on the comm link
• The wiring polarity is reversed on the 24 Vac power wiring from the transformer to the devices
• There is a duplicate rotary switch address (duplicate rotary address on the unit controller)
• The rotary switch addresses for the devices are not between 1 and 127
• There are unit controllers that are not addressed (0,0,0 on the unit controller’s rotary switches)
Before You Start

Before troubleshooting the link, know the answers to the following questions (if you call technical
support, they will ask you many of these same questions):
• Do you have a valid set of prints for the project that show you how the devices are wired on
the link along with their addresses?
• Do you know what kind of wire was used to wire the devices together on the link?
• Are there Tracer BACnet terminators installed at each end of the BACnet link?
• Do you know if your link is configured in a daisy-chain topology? (The project prints will help
here.)
• Are there any non-Trane devices on your link?
Introduction
• What firmware versions are loaded on your UC400 controllers?

• What software version is loaded on the Tracer SC?
• Are the rotary switches on the Tracer SC set to something besides 0? Acceptable addresses are
from 1 to 419.
• Are the rotary switch addresses given to the other devices on the link between 1 and 127?
Addresses higher than 127 will cause communication problems.
• Do you have the SerialSpy program?
• Do you have a volt meter?
Having answered these questions, you have probably discovered that you either have a problem
with the initial configuration of the BACnet MS/TP link, or that you have done everything correctly
and need to do more troubleshooting to isolate the problem.
How a BACnet MS/TP Link Works

A Master Slave/Token Passing (MS/TP) link is a type of Local Area Network (LAN) with a set of rules
that control communication traffic. To initiate communications on the network, a node (or device)
must have the electronic “token” (actually a small packet), which is passed from one device to
another around the network. Master devices are allowed to have the token, whereas slave devices
are allowed only to respond to requests from master devices. Trane’s BACnet MS/TP links only
support master devices so each device can send data when it has the token.
Each device on the link has a specific and unique address (rotary switch address). The link is
established within a few seconds of power-up as all the devices on the link discover their neighbors.
Each device tries to find a successor device at the next highest address. They find the successor
by sending a polling message. If there is no response from the next highest address, they will poll
for one higher address, and so on until they either find another device and pass the token, or return
the token to the device that sent it to them. This is how the token rotation circuit is established.
Address zero is always the Tracer SC on a Trane system. The Tracer SC will request data from or
write data to, other devices on the link when it has the token. When it is finished it passes the token
to the device at the next address on the link in sequential order. If the next device has data to send,
it does so and then passes the token on. The token passes from device to device very quickly; it
completes the circuit several times per second.
As troubleshooters, we can use Trane’s SerialSpy software to look at all the messages and activity
on the BACnet MS/TP link. The ability to view the token passing is very useful for discovering link
problems. Refer to “Trane SerialSpy Protocol Analyzer Software,” p. 25 for more information on
setting up and using SerialSpy.
Best Practices
The following sections contain the best practices for various elements of the BACnet MS/TP link.
Configuring and Wiring the BACnet MS/TP Link

This section describes the best practices for configuring and wiring a BACnet MS/TP link. Follow
these recommendations and techniques to get the best results.
Wire and Network Characteristics

Does the wire that has been strung through the building have the correct physical characteristics?
All wire is not created equal and is designed to fulfill a specific application. In this case, the wire
is being used to convey information via small changes in voltage that occur at specific time
intervals. Wire that has the wrong characteristics may result in failure of the network. The wire used
must have the following physical characteristics. This information is typically marked on the label
of the wire spool or contact the supplier for this information.
• Style—Braid or foil shielded, twisted pair wire
• Impedance—100 to 130 ohms
• Capacitance—between any two conductors, less than 100 pF per meter.
• Capacitance—between any conductor and shield wire, less than 200 pF per meter.
• Maximum Length—4000 feet with 18 AWG conductor wires.
• Maximum Length—2000 feet with 22 AWG conductor wires.
Understanding Non-isolated and Isolated MS/TP Device Types

All BACnet MS/TP devices are designed to communicate via either a two-wire (plus shield) or three-
wire (plus shield) communication cable. A device that requires two wires is a non-isolated device.
A device that requires three wires is an isolated device. The terms isolated and three-wire, or non-
isolated and two-wire are used interchangeably in the field. Trane BACnet MS/TP devices are
largely non-isolated.
The term isolation refers to the electrical design of the EIA-485 transceiver on the device. With an
isolated device design, the input signal circuitry is completely separate from the rest of the circuitry
on the device. Power and ground are not shared and the transceiver input "floats" at some unknown
voltage. In order to guarantee that two or more isolated devices can communicate, a common
reference voltage is needed between the input circuitry of all devices. The third wire of a 3-wire
cable is used to provide this voltage reference. The reference wire is not grounded anywhere in the
system. See Figure 2, p. 10.
A non-isolated device design shares the power and ground between the input signal circuitry and
the rest of the circuitry on the device. In this case, the reference voltage is provided by grounding
the device to the enclosure. The ground wire of each enclosure will run back to a common, Earth
ground somewhere in the building.
Table 1. Trane non-isolated and isolated devices
Non-isolated Trane Devices Isolated Trane Devices
• Tracer UC400 • Trane Communicating Thermostats

• Tracer UC600 • TR200
• Tracer UC800
• Tracer SC
• BCI-I, BCI-R, BCI-C
Network Wiring Configurations

To insure proper network communication, the selection of the appropriate cable and length
limitations must be considered. The following figures describe network wiring configurations that
Best Practices
are acceptable, depending on the type and number of devices that are being connected together
on a MS/TP link.
Best
Practice Do not mix isolated and non-isolated device types on a single link.
Trane recommends that isolated and non-isolated device types are not mixed on a single link. Run
separate 2-wire and 3-wire MS/TP links. Figure 1 and Figure 2 describe the correct method to wire
each network type.
Note: End of link terminators have been omitted from the drawings. End of link terminators are
required.
Figure 1. 2-Wire MS/TP Network
Figure 2. 3-Wire MS/TP Network
2-Wire Mixed Device Networks

There are cases where it is not practical to separate isolated and non isolated devices to separate
links. Typical cases include retrofit or system expansion applications where existing wiring will be
used. Figure 3 describes the method for connecting one isolated device to a 2-wire link. Figure 4,
p. 11 describes the method for connecting two or more isolated devices to a 2-wire link.
Figure 3. 2-Wire Network with Isolated Device
Best Practices
Figure 4. 2-Wire Network with Multiple Isolated Devices
3-Wire Mixed Device Networks

Figure 5 describes the method for connecting one or more non-isolated devices to a 3-wire link.
Notice that the reference wire is not connected to any terminal of the non-isolated device.
Figure 5. 3-Wire Network with Non-isolated Device
BAS-SVX51D-EN Proprietary and Confidential © 2016Trane, Do Not Distribute Outside Trane 11

Best Practices
Network Wiring Details

Best
BACnet wiring must use a daisy-chain configuration.
Practice
Follow these steps to connect communication wiring as shown in Figure 6.
1. Review the wiring diagram and determine which BACnet MS/TP link is being wired.
Note: It is not necessary to place the Tracer SC at the end of the of the communication link.
However, a Tracer BACnet Terminator must be wired at each end of the link.
2. Attach the communication wire between two adjacent devices on the link and verify that
polarity of the wires is maintained.
3. At each unit controller, join the shield wires together and insulate the connection with electrical
tape to prevent accidental shorting of the wire.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each unit controller on the link.
Note: For more information about the specific unit controller you are wiring, see the installation
guide for the specific controller.
Important: Tracer UC400 and UC600 controllers are not grounded on the DIN rail. It is necessary
to ground each controller to a good earth ground.
Figure 6. Daisy-chain configuration for BACnet wiring
Twist wire and Tape back

tape shields
24
VA
Unit Controllers
C
+
(Power Side)
(Each UC should be
Tracer BACnet terminator grounded to a good earth Tracer BACnet
ground.) terminator
Note: The Tracer UC800 cannot power a BACnet terminator.

Observe the maximum link length recommendation
Best
Practice The maximum length of a 18 AWG network wire is 4,000 feet. The maximum lenght of a 22 AWG
network wire is 2,000 feet. Wire runs longer than recommended may experience communication
issues.
Note: There is no support for repeaters on BACnet MS/TP links.
Use a Tracer BACnet terminator at each end of the link.
Best
Practice Because the amount of communication signal degradation increases as the length of
communication wire increases toward the maximum of 4,000 ft. (1,219 m), Trane requires that a
Tracer BACnet Terminator (TBT) module (PN: X13651524-01) be connected at each end point of the
network. For correct termination placement, follow these guidelines:
• All BACnet MS/TP links must be properly terminated. Use a Tracer BACnet terminator at each
end of the link.
Best Practices
• Connect the communication wire shield to the ground terminal of the link termination block at the
Tracer SC as shown in Figure 7. The Tracer SC provides the ground for the BACnet MS/TP link. This
is the only place on the link that the shield wire should be grounded.
• Tape back the shield at each of the Tracer BACnet terminators to prevent accidental contact with
metal components.
Note: If a Tracer UC400 is at the end of the link, the process is the same. The Tracer SC provides
the ground wherever it resides on the link.
• During installation, compile a set of as-built drawings or a map of the communication wire
layout. Sketches of the communication layout should feature the Tracer BACnet terminators.
• The Tracer BACnet Terminator is a powered device and it will not work without a power source.
Connect TBT power terminals to a 24 Vac/Vdc power supply.
Note: Some third-party devices have a network terminator built into the device. The use of the
terminator is usually controlled by a jumper or switch on the device itself. Verify that the
terminators on each device are disabled, so that only the TBT are biasing the network.
Figure 7. Terminating BACnet links using BACnet terminators
Communication wire Power wire with

IMC connector
Connect communication wire

BACnet+ Ground
shield to the Tracer SC ground
terminal BACnet- 24 Vac/Vdc
Tape back
shield
(Top view)
Tracer BACnet terminator
Best
Use the built-in terminator on the BCI-R when the BCI-R is the last node in the
Practice network.
The Trane BCI-R has a built in BACnet terminator. If a BCI-R is the last node on the network, this
terminator should be installed as shown in the BCI-R installation guide (RF-SVN03). For other BCI-
R devices that are not the last node on the link, verify that the terminator has not been wired to the
network.

Best Practices
Maintain consistent wiring polarity between devices.

Best
Practice BACnet links are polarity sensitive. Mixing plus and minus terminals between devices will cause
network communication failure. Designate one color as positive and consistently use this color for
all positive link terminals on the site.
Best Observe network cable and conductor termination best practices during installation.
Practice
The following wiring practices are recommended:
• Trane purple wire is acceptable 2-conductor cable and it is best practice to use this wire for
non-isolated device network communications. 3-conductor cable is required for isolated device
network communication. See Table 1, p. 9 for a list of non-isolated and isolated Trane devices.
• Connect the shield portion of the communication wire to the ground terminal of the link
termination block at the Tracer SC. The Tracer SC provides the ground for the BACnet MS/TP
link.
• Splice and tape the shield between wire segments at each unit controller connection point in
order to maintain a continuous shield and avoid connection to ground.
• Consider labeling the communication links at each device to make servicing easier. For
example, when at device #10, the two comm wires could be labeled “From device 39”, and “To
device #11”.
• Do not run BACnet MSTP cable:
– in the same conduit as 24 VAC power.
– alongside 24 VAC power, which is not contained in a conduit.
– alongside conductors being driven by binary outputs.
– in the same conduit as conductors be driven by binary outputs.
– near electrical motors or variable frequency drive modules.
• Strip no more than 2 in. (5 cm) of the outer conductor of shielded wire.
Best Avoid sharing 24 Vac power between unit controllers.
Practice
Important: If sharing a transformer with multiple controllers is necessary, verify that polarity
has not been mixed. 24 Vac hot/ground polarity must be maintained.
Best Ensure that 24 Vac power supplies are consistently grounded.
Practice
If grounds are not maintained, intermittent or failed communication could result.
Best Practices
Meet requirements when adding zone sensor communication stubs to a Tracer UC400.
Best
Practice The wire that runs from a zone sensor to a unit controller is commonly referred to as a
communication stub. Figure 8 shows an example of communication stub-wiring to a BACnet
device. The stub is not part of the BACnet link; it is a wire that runs from the Tracer UC400 IMC link
down to the zone sensor. Ensure that the zone sensor includes the optional communication
module.
Any or all of the Tracer UC400 unit controllers on a link can be wired with a communication stub.
Unlike LonTalk links, there is no limit on the number of Tracer UC400 unit controller communication
stubs. Polarity must be maintained and the length limit is 600 ft (183 m).
For ease of use, the wire for the communication stub can be the same as that used for BACnet
communication link wiring as described in “Configuring and Wiring the BACnet MS/TP Link,” p. 9.
Figure 8. Zone sensor communication stubs on Tracer UC400s
The zone sensors are wired

into the IMC terminals on
the Tracer UC400s
+ IM + IM
VDC VDC
BI LINK IMC BI LINK IMC
+
AI AI AI AI AI AI AI AI AI AI
P P P P
LINK IM LINK IM
TX TX
RX RX
SERVI SERVI
SERVICE TOOL SERVICE TOOL
Tracer UC400 Tracer UC400

Tracer SC
Tracer BACnet Terminator
Zone sensors

Best Practices
Setting the BACnet Device Addresses

This section describes the best practices for setting the rotary switch values on a BACnet MS/TP
link.
Rotary Switch Values and BACnet Device ID

Rotary Switch Values
The rotary switch value is the physical address of a device on a network. It is often referred to as
the MAC address. The term is generic and is used to denote the physical address of many types
of networks. For example, the rotary switch value of a BACnet MS/TP network has a valid range of
zero (0) to 255 and can be represented by a single byte. The rotary switch value of an Ethernet
network is six bytes in length. Each device must be assigned a unique rotary switch value. Failure
to assign a unique address to each device will result in communication errors.
BACnet Device ID
The BACnet Device ID uniquely identifies each BACnet device as a logical address. The valid range
of this address is 0 to 4194303. The logical address in an Internet Protocol (IP) network is the IP
address, which is four bytes in length and is typically written in the format of 192.168.1.125. Failure
to assign unique address to each device will result in communication errors.
Setting Rotary Addresses on the Tracer SC System Controller

The Tracer SC has a set of three rotary switches on the front of the device, which are used to set
the BACnet Device ID. The rotary switch range is 1 to 419. Zero (0) cannot be used because it is the
default value assigned to the device at the factory.
Note: If you set the rotary switch values to a number between 001 and 419, the Tracer SC device
ID and the BACnet MS/TP numbers will be calculated from that number.
To set the rotary switch values, use a small screwdriver to turn the three rotary switches on the
Tracer SC to a unique number between 001 and 999.
BACnet MS/TP Device ID Assignment

Each unit controller must have a unique BACnet device ID. Tracer SC automates the process by
calculating a unique device ID for each unit controller and then saving the device ID to memory in
each device.
BACnet MS/TP device IDs are calculated using the following three sets of values:
• The Tracer SC rotary switch value (1 to 419)
• The Tracer SC BACnet MS/TP link number (1 to 2)
• The unit controller rotary switch value (1 to 127)
The three values are joined together to form the BACnet device ID for the unit controller.
The following example in Table 2 illustrates this process.
Table 2. Calculating the BACnet device ID

Tracer SC rotary switch value (21) 0 2 1
Tracer SC BACnet MS/TP link number (1) 1
Unit controller rotary switch value (38) 0 3 8
BACnet Device ID: 211038 0 2 1 1 0 3 8
Best Practices
Device ID Assignment for BACnet/IP Devices

For devices connecting over BACnet/IP, Tracer SC calculates the device ID with the following:
• The BACnet network number for Ethernet 1. (This number can be changed by the user).
• The unit controller rotary switch value. (The Tracer SC rotary address is not used to calculate
BACnet/IP device IDs).
The following example in Table 3 illustrates this process using a Tracer UC600 controller.
Table 3. Calculating the BACnet/IP device ID
BACnet network number Eth port 1 (1) 1
Unit controller rotary address (42) 0 4 2
BACnet/IP Device ID: 01042 0 1 0 4 2
Device ID Assignment for Base Tracer SCs

For unit controllers installed using a Base Tracer SC, the Application Tracer SC calculates the device
ID using the BACnet network number of the Base Tracer SC MS/TP link and the rotary switch value
of the unit controller.
Table 4. Calculating the base Tracer SC device ID
BACnet network number of Base SC MS/TP link 1 (22) 2 2
Unit controller rotary switch value (001) 0 0 1
Unit controller device ID set by Application SC: 22001 2 2 0 0 1
Device ID Assignment for Wireless Devices

For devices connecting over a wireless network, Tracer SC calculates the device ID using the
BACnet network number and the rotary switch value of the wireless device.
Table 5. Calculating the wireless device ID
BACnet network number of Tracer SC wireless network (13) 1 3
Wireless unit controller rotary switch value (001) 0 0 1
Wireless unit controller Device ID set by Application SC: 13001 1 3 0 0 1
Customizing Device IDs

For complex BACnet addressing schemes or prescribed job specifications, custom device IDs may
be required. You can customize the device IDs of Tracer unit controllers by using the Tracer TU
service tool. During the device installation process in Tracer SC, select the "Preserve the predefined
BACnet device ID of the unit controllers being installed" checkbox (Figure 9, p. 18). As a result, the
installed devices will retain their device IDs. This feature applies to Trane and non-Trane BACnet
devices.

Best Practices
Figure 9. Customize device IDs (Tracer SC device discovery page)
Example: Figure 10, p. 19 provides an example of how the rotary switch address and BACnet
device IDs work together. The result is a unique BACnet Device ID for each device.
• In a three-story building, there is a Tracer SC installed on each floor.
– The rotary dial setting on the Tracer SC on the first floor is set to 001.
– The rotary dial setting on the Tracer SC on the second floor is set to 020.
– The rotary dial setting on the Tracer SC on the third floor is set to 300.
• Each Tracer SC has two BACnet links with two UC400 controllers wired to each link (four UC400s
total on each floor). The rotary dials on the UC400 controllers are set to 001 and 002.
Best Practices
Figure 10. Rotary switch addresses and BACnet device ID example
Link 1 UC400 UC400 BACnet device IDs

001 002 3001001 and 3001002
Tracer SC
300
3rd Floor UC400 UC400 BACnet device IDs

001 002 3002001 and 3002002
Link 2

001 002 201001 and 201002
Tracer SC
20
2nd Floor UC400 UC400 BACnet device IDs
001 002 202001 and 202002
Link 2

001 002 11001 and 11002
Tracer SC
1
1st Floor UC400 UC400 BACnet device IDs
001 002 12001 and 12002
Link 2

Best Practices
Set the rotary switch address on all unit controllers.

Best
Practice All Trane BACnet unit controllers use the same method to set the rotary switch address of the
device. On the front of the unit controller are three decimal rotary dials labeled with the word
ADDRESS. Rotate the dial and position the arrow of each dial to point at the preferred number.
Figure 11, p. 20 shows two examples how to set a rotary switch address for preferred address of
63 and 103.
Figure 11. Rotary switch address settings
63 103
All devices regardless of manufacturer must have a rotary switch address. Third-party BACnet
devices will use a different method to set the address that is specific to the manufacturer. Consult
the appropriate documentation to determine how to set the address.
Best Ensure no duplicate rotary switch addresses exist on a BACnet MS/TP link.
Practice
All BACnet devices on the same MS/TP network must have a unique rotary switch address.
Best Sequentially address BACnet MS/TP devices; leave no gaps.
Practice
Important: When there are two links used on a Tracer SC, each link should start with controller
rotary address 1.
Sequential rotary addressing is very important for BACnet MS/TP links. The BACnet MS/TP
communications mechanism polls devices at each address between the lowest and the highest
address found. If a device rotary address is skipped, additional, unnecessary messages will be sent,
which will consume additional bandwidth.
Note: BACnet MS/TP controllers can be addressed independent of where they are located on a
link, as long as all devices wired on a link are addressed sequentially without gaps. For
example, a link of devices could be addressed “1, 3, 5, 2, 4, 6" where all addresses
sequentially from 1 to 6 exist despite their physical location. Conversely, addressing devices
“1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11" would have 5 skipped addresses which would adversely impact link
performance unnecessarily.
When multiple Tracer SCs are used on a project, each Tracer SC must have its rotary switch address
set to a unique address, starting with 1. This is critical to avoid duplicate BACnet Device IDs on a site.
Note: Max Master is a MS/TP configuration property that may be used to define the highest rotary
switch address that is currently in use on the network. For most devices this value is fixed
at 127, which is the highest rotary switch address that may be set on the network. Some
third-party devices allow this value to be modified.
A situation can exist where a device is being added to the MS/TP network at a rotary switch address
that is higher than the Max Master value set in the device with the next highest rotary switch rotary
switch address. If this is the case, the token will not get passed to the new device until the Max
Master property of other device is increased equal to or greater than the rotary switch address of
the new device.
Best Practices
Total Number of Trane and Non-Trane Devices on a BACnet Link

This section describes the best practices when there are only Trane devices on a BACnet link, and
when there are both Trane and non-Trane devices on a BACnet link.
Important: In an all-Trane device network, the maximum number of devices on a BACnet MS/
TP link is 60. Each Tracer SC supports two BACnet MS/TP links.
Best Limit the quantity of devices on a link when there are both Trane and non-Trane
Practice
devices on the link.
BACnet MS/TP is not implemented consistently amongst controller manufacturers. Verify that the
third-party device has BTL certification.
• Baud Rate: BACnet MS/TP link baud rate must be set to the same value for all controllers on
the link, which is defined by the device with the slowest baud rate. For example, a third-party
device that is capable of only 19.2k baud will require all BACnet MS/TP devices on the same link
be set to 19.2k baud. Baud rates that are lower than the Trane default of 76.8k baud will adversely
affect the performance of the entire BACnet MS/TP link.
Note: Third-party devices may support auto baud functionality. Trane recommends that the
auto baud feature of a device not be used and the baud rate be manually set to the
appropriate value. Consult the appropriate documentation to determine how to verify
and modify the baud rate as needed.
• If you are connecting BACnet MS/TP devices that do not support 76.8k baud, you have two
options: 1) Isolate the slow devices on their own link, with a limited number of devices, 2) Limit
the number of devices on the link based on the available baud rate.
• Object Lists: The BACnet 2008 standard specifies that an object list is required for all BACnet
devices. Some non-Trane controllers do not contain a BACnet Object List. Tracer SC requires
an object list to exist in a BACnet controller in order to discover the points that reside in the
BACnet MS/TP device.
• Impedance: Trane controllers allow for more controllers (60) to reside on a link, compared to
the BACnet MS/TP standard (32). The addition of non-Trane controllers to a BACnet MS/TP link
may reduce the number of devices below the Trane limitation (60). Some non-Trane controllers
may be limited to a quantity of 32 based on their device impedance.
• Integrating non-Trane devices may require a separate link, potentially limited to 30 devices.

Best Practices
Populate BACnet links evenly when 30+ devices are present.

Best
Practice Split BACnet MS/TP links of more than 30 devices equally between the two links on the Tracer SC.
Table 6, p. 22 contains some criteria to use. The fewer devices there are per link, the better the
communication performance will be. For example, if link 1 has 45 devices and link 2 has 15 devices,
we recommend moving 15 devices from link 1 to link 2 so that each link has 30. The quantity does
not have to be exactly the same - equal is optimum but not always practical.
Note: It is not necessary to change links that contain less than 30 devices. Doing so will not
significantly improve performance and may result in unnecessary wiring.
Note: When possible, place non-Trane devices on their own link.
Table 6. Criteria useful in determining when to divide a link
When to divide the link

Divide slower baud rate devices from standard Trane
Baud rate
76.8 Kbaud link
• Isolate critical devices to their own link
Critical devices • A critical device is performing intense data logging or TGP2, or
displaying lots of data on Tracer ES graphics
Non-Trane devices Isolate non-Trane devices to contain possible performance issues
• Equally load non-critical links
• There is less value in dividing links when there are fewer than 30
Device count greater than 30
devices
• Performance is proportional to # of devices
Take advantage of the new expanded communication options offered in Tracer SC 3.5
Best
Practice and higher.
Starting with Release 3.5, Tracer SC provides new communication options that allow for improved
performance, job layout options, and non-Trane integration. With these expanded communication
options, you can interact with a single Tracer SC to view and service all BACnet MS/TP devices, even
though the BACnet Unit Controller (UC) devices may be physically connected to other Tracer SCs.
Figure 12, p. 22 describes the method when a router is used.
Note: The maximum device count for a Tracer SC installation is determined by the Tracer SC
application license.
Figure 12. Improved Performance Options
Use these communication options to plan and implement a solution that balances performance
and cost (both product and commissioning) for each job.
Best Practices
To learn more about the expanded communication options, refer to the Tracer SC System
Controller Installation and Setup Guide (BAS-SVX31).
Best
Practice Place Trane Communicating Thermostats on a separate link.
Trane Communicating Thermostats (TCTs) may have communication issues when mixed on a link
with Trane UC devices that use the 76,800 baud rate. To prevent this, place all TCTs on a separate
link with a baud rate of 76,800.
If the TCTs cannot be isolated on a separate link, reduce the baud rate of all devices on the mixed
network to 38,400 baud to eliminate this issue. Although the slower baud rate will affect the
bandwidth, in most cases the slower rate will have no significant effect on performance. Data
intensive operations such as harvesting trend logs will experience some slower performance.
Note: : The Tracer SC has a default baud rate at 76,800 baud. If using TCTs, the Tracer SC and all
MS/TP devices on the same physical MS/TP link must be set to the 38,400 baud rate.
See HVAC Knowledge Center wave97681 for the latest information.
Custom Programming
Best Limit Tracer SC TGP2 run frequency.
Practice
Very few supervisory control routines require calculations or updates more frequently than once
per minute - and often can be executed at a much slower rate (such as every 5, 10 or 15 minutes).
Tracer SC TGP2 routines that read values from controllers on BACnet MS/TP links will load the MS/
TP link with their requests and impact performance. Therefore, if it is possible to accomplish the
required control function without reading data directly from unit controllers, it will improve overall
performance. (See below for suggestions.) If it is necessary to read data from unit controllers in
TGP2, choose the slowest possible execution frequency to optimize performance.
Best Use event triggered TGP2 to reduce execution frequency.
Practice
Best Use Tracer SC System Applications for common calculations.

Practice
Tracer SC System Applications (Area, VAS, Chiller Plant Control) perform calculations using data
from their controller members. These calculated values are available to TGP2 as “properties” of
the TGP2 Applications Blocks. Using the already calculated values will avoid additional
unnecessary link loading. For example, Area performs group calculations for min, max, and
average space temperatures. VAS also has a number of group calculations for all of its member VAV
controllers.
Custom Graphics
Best Limit number of points displayed on a Tracer SC Custom Graphic.
Practice
Custom graphics with many point values from unit controllers on a BACnet MS/TP link will take
time to load and present the data on the screen. Use these data points wisely. If a graphic is loading
slower than desired, consider reducing the number of data points, or use multiple graphics to
distribute the data points. For example, instead of a single floor plan graphic with 40 space
temperature values, two floor plans (east wing and west wing) each with 20 space temperatures
will give better performance. In any case, Trane recommends an upper limit of 90 data points.

Best Practices
Controller Software
Best Update all UC400 controllers to Version 4.15 firmware (or higher).
Practice
The latest Tracer UC400 Firmware Version 4.15 (or higher) includes changes that improve BACnet
MS/TP performance. UC400 firmware is the same regardless of application (VAV, Field
Programmable, etc.). UC400 firmware can be updated with any of the following methods:
• Tracer TU direct connect (USB) - individual controller update
• Tracer TU Single Link connection - individual controller update
• Prop400 via Tracer SC connection - multiple controller update
Note: See the “Tools” section of this guide for details on service tools for BACnet MS/TP
controllers.
Best Update Tracer SC to Version 3.5 (or higher).
Practice
The latest Tracer SC software updates include improvements that affect the performance of the
BACnet MS/TP links. Ensure that you are running the latest Tracer SC software at the time of the
installation.
Tools
The following software and hardware tools are available to help you troubleshoot your BACnet MS/
TP link.
Best Prop400 to update Tracer UC400 firmware on multiple devices.
Practice
Use Prop400 to update Tracer UC400 firmware on multiple devices. Knowledge Center Wave 
ID# wave60039 provides a link and instructions.
Best Trane SerialSpy Protocol Analyzer Software to troubleshoot communication links.
Practice
This software is available on the Controls Download page.
Best High-performance volt meter.
Practice
If possible, use a high-performance meter for best results.
Trane SerialSpy Protocol Analyzer Software
The SerialSpy Protocol Analyzer software was developed internally at Trane and is designed
specifically for troubleshooting communication links. The interface between the communication
link and the SerialSpy software is a USB adapter equipped with wires and alligator clips, which
allow you to tap into the link at the wire terminals of any device.
This section explains how to use SerialSpy with either the Rover Service Tool Comm4 USB Adapter
or the Tracer SC.
Using SerialSpy With the Comm4 USB Adapter

SerialSpy works with the Rover Service Tool Comm4 USB adapter. There are a set of dip switches
on the adapter. Leave the dip switches in the Comm4 position (Dips 1 and 4 ON, and Dips 2 and 3
OFF).
Note: The PCMCIA adapter will also work for this purpose. Contact Technical Support in St. Paul,
if you need instruction.
Set Up the USB Adapter and Serial Port

1. Plug the adapter into a USB port on your laptop.
2. Select Start>Control Panel>System. The System Properties dialog appears.
3. Click on the Hardware tab and click Device Manager.
4. Navigate to “Ports” in the tree and check to see what comm port the adapter is using.
Note: The adapter will only read the link every 16 Ms at the default setting. Adjust this setting
to increase the accuracy of the time stamp given to the MS/TP messages.
a. Right click on “USB Serial Port” in Device Manager navigation tree. The USB Serial Port
properties dialog appears.
b. Click the Port Settings tab and click Advanced.
c. Change the Latency Timer to 2 Ms. Adjusting the timing to this level of detail might be
critical to troubleshooting.
5. Use the alligator clips, provided with the Rover Service Tool Comm4 USB adapter, to connect
the laptop to the MS/TP link.
Notes:
• Ensure that you are not connected to a live link when you plug in the USB adapter; the laptop
might recognize it as a mouse device.
• The connection is polarity sensitive; ensure that you connect the appropriate terminals.
Install and Start SerialSpy Protocol Analyzer Software

The application is available to Trane technicians only on the Trane Commercial Downloads page
under Tracer SC (https://home.ingerrand.com/sites/softwaredownloads/SitePages/SC.aspx). If you
have the Trane Updater Tool running on your PC, you can also use it to install Serial Spy.
Important: If you have licensing issues with running SerialSpy on a Windows 7.0 PC, contact
Technical Support. You may want to install the software in your office to verify before
taking it to a job site.
Once the SerialSpy software is installed, you can start it as follows:
1. From the Start menu, choose All Programs>Trane>Serial Spy.
Note: SerialSpy might not work if your laptop is running on battery power, because BACnet
signals require a ground reference. You can run on AC power or attach a ground wire
to terminal 3 on the USB dongle.
2. Click Port (see Figure 13, p. 26).
3. From the Communications Port list, click the comm port to match that for the USB Serial
Adapter.
4. From the Baud Rate list, choose the baud rate for the MSTP link. Trane devices have a default
baud rate of 76800. Ensure that you choose the rate used by the controllers or you will not obtain
a quality screen capture.
Figure 13. Port settings inside SerialSpy
Use SerialSpy to Capture Link Messages

Figure 14, p. 26 shows the buttons available oon SerialSpy. Follow the steps below to initiate a
capture. The descriptions following Figure 14, p. 26 explain what will appear as you monitor the
MS/TP link, and the function of the buttons on the user interface in relation to the capture.
1. In the drop-down list, select Show all.
2. Click Capture (when clicked, the Capture button becomes the Stop button).
3. Allow the capture to run 3-5 minutes.
4. Click Stop.
Figure 14. SerialSpy function buttons
• Blue lines — You will probably see a couple of lines in blue. These are diagnostics and are
normal every time you start SerialSpy. If the link has problems you will see lots of diagnostics
shown in blue. A typical 5-minute capture of a clean link has 85,000 messages with six blue
diagnostics. The error rate is incredibly low. The same link with a problem, such as a duplicate
address for example, has 9,000 blue diagnostics with 82,000 messages. Problems like these are
not subtle or difficult to detect. Unless you are dealing with an intermittent problem, a 5-minute
capture is usually enough for troubleshooting.
• Gray lines/token passing — You should then see an orderly series of token passing
messages, which are gray. These should be error-free (uninterrupted by blue lines), and there
should be thousands of them every minute. You should be able to see every address on the link
passing the token along in order by address
• Black lines — There should be occasional larger messages in black if there is a Tracer SC or
other front end on the link. These are data requests or data writes.
• Capture button — Clicking this initiates a capture on the BACnet MS/TP link.
• Triggers button — Use this button to initiate or end a capture based on an event or
circumstance occurring on the link.
• Statistics button — Refer to “Statistics Summary,” p. 36 for details on how this button is used.
• Port button — Refer to “Trane SerialSpy Protocol Analyzer Software,” p. 25 for details on how
this button is used.
• Log button — The Log button allows you to continuously save a capture to a specified file
location.
• Save button — The Save button saves the current capture to a specified file. These saved files
can be emailed to Tech Support. Longer saved captures of an hour or more make very large files
that are difficult to email.
• Load button — The Load button allows you to open a previously saved capture file.
• Tail button — When you click the Tail button, you see a very fast scroll of messages flashing by.
When viewing the tail you can begin to get some notion of how fast the token is being passed
from device to device, and how many thousands of times this happens in just a few minutes. Click
the Tail button again to stop the scrolling and look more carefully at the messages.
• Show Diagnostics Only — To filter the messages, click the pull-down list and select Show
diagnostics only or Show data and diagnostics. Because of the continuous token-passing
activity on the link, diagnostics will often reveal a problem.

Evaluate the SerialSpy Output

Typically, there are two types of BACnet link problems:
• Total failure, where there is no communication on the link.
• Partial failure, where there is some communication on the link, but it is impeded.
Total Communication Failure

Total communication failure can be caused by short circuits, shorts to ground, and reversed comm
link polarity. In these cases SerialSpy shows nothing but blue diagnostic messages or no messages
at all (see Figure 15, p. 28).
Figure 15. Typical SerialSpy output when connected to a link with a short circuit, short to ground, or reversed polarity
Once you know there is a physical problem with the link, you can use two tools to help locate the
problem:
• A voltmeter measuring dc volts
• The link LEDs on the Trane devices
You can use the “Divide and Conquer Troubleshooting Technique,” p. 38 to narrow the search for
a bad segment of wire. Table 8, p. 39 shows some particular characteristics that will identify specific
faults.
Partial Communication Failure

In cases where there are some good messages getting through the comm link, you can use
SerialSpy to help pinpoint communication problems. Observing the token-passing allows you to
identify every device that is communicating on the link. SerialSpy can also help to find some
common problems, such as duplicate addresses, and to determine which addresses are the likely
source of trouble.
Figure 16, p. 29 shows an example of a capture with a single Trane BACnet device on the link. You
can see that even with only one device on the link, the device will eventually start polling and try
to find other devices on the link.
Figure 16. One device polling
After polling to the last

address on the link,
device 60 begins again
at device 0

Gaps in Rotary Switch Addressing

BACnet devices use a set of token-passing rules that allow them to get organized within seconds
of power-up. Figure 17, p. 30 shows token-passing and data requests on a clean link. Note that there
is a gap between address 3 and address 49. The device at address 3 will poll each time it has the
token. Each time it polls it will look for the next highest address. You can see the fist poll for address
37, the next for 38 and so on. Polling results in an unnecessary additional message on the link, which
will reduce performance. For this reason, Trane recommends that addresses be set up sequentially
when possible.
Note: Once the device has polled the last address in the gap, it will stop polling for new devices
for the next 50 token cycles. After 50 cycles, it will try each address again.
Figure 17. Device 3 polling
Data Request Details

Serial Spy captures are most useful for determining which addresses are communicating and if
there are specific patterns of diagnostics. So for the most part, that is what you will be looking for
when you evaluate a SerialSpy capture. However, there may be occasions when you will want to
look at data requests and replies in some detail.
Figure 18, p. 31 shows the Tracer SC (address 0) requesting data from device 52. When you
highlight the line in the left panel of SerialSpy, you can see the details of the request listed in the
right panel 
(i.e., which properties and which objects in the device are being read).
Figure 18. Details of a data request from the Tracer SC

Duplicate Addresses
A common problem is two devices on the network set to the same rotary switch address. At first
glance, the SerialSpy capture looks pretty chaotic with lots of blue diagnostics (see Figure 19,
p. 33). However, on closer inspection, you can see that one particular message repeats, “Retry of
Token from 40 to 41”. This is much easier to see clearly if you select “Show Diagnostics Only” in
the list box (see Figure 20, p. 34). Inspection of the token passing messages around this error
reveals that the device addresses are in sequential order. However, the device at address 39 is not
present.
In this example you can see the token passing along normally until it reaches device 40. Since there
are two devices addressed 40, they both respond by passing the token. This triggers a “Retry”
diagnostic from SerialSpy. Now there are two tokens bouncing down the link and chaos ensues.
However, BACnet is pretty robust and recovers quickly...only to be derailed the next time the token
gets to address 40. This condition will not necessarily result in a comm down state at the Tracer
SC, but communication will be very slow on the link and the Tracer SC performance will suffer.
Figure 19. Duplicate address at 40

Figure 20. Same capture with “Show diagnostics only” selected.
Power Polarity Reversal

Many jobs have a single transformer powering multiple Tracer UC400s. Strict polarity of the power
wiring from the transformer to the Tracer UC400s must be observed in these cases. It is very easy
to inadvertently switch power polarity by simply offsetting the power plug on the Tracer UC400 by
one position. This condition might result in a very chaotic SerialSpy capture.
Figure 21, p. 35 shows a very simple link with a Tracer SC at address 0 and Tracer UC400s at
addresses 1, 2, and 3. The three Tracer UC400s share a transformer. When power polarity is
reversed on device 1 it begins polling and gets a reply from address 0, but continues polling
endlessly as if unaware of the reply. Sometimes when this happens, an entire group of devices that
share a transformer will not communicate and the link looks clean otherwise.
Figure 21. Power polarity on device 1 reversed

Statistics Summary
There are two ways to view and gather statistics; The first is to use the Statistics button, which is
useful for tracking stats during a live capture session. The second is to use the Stop button, which
will append the statistics to the end of the captured file. You should always use the Stop button at
the end of a session, particularly when you intend to send the file to Tech Support. The statistics
report contains the following information.
• Header — This is a summary of the link activity during the capture. The average frames and
bytes per second indicate general bandwidth utilization. The average time, in milliseconds,
required for the token to complete the circuit is the Token Rotation Time (TRT). TRT will increase
on a bigger, busier link and a very large value might indicate bandwidth saturation.
• Node — These are the addresses of the devices on the link.
• Nfrom — This is the number of messages from the device. You can see that where there is a
gap in the sequence, from device 3 to device 31 for example, device 3 has delivered about two
thousand more messages than the other devices. These are polling messages, seeking a device
in the gap. Polling adds to the communication overhead on the link, which is why sequential
device addresses are recommended.
• Nto — This is the number of messages to the device. Note that on a clean link like this one they
are pretty uniform from one device to another.
• FramesFrom — This is the number of data messages being sent (excluding token passing and
polling). The Tracer SC at address 0 is sending many more frames than any other device.
• BytesFrom — This is the number of data bytes sent from the device. The Tracer SC is sending
many more bytes than any other address. On this site only devices 31-71 have been installed
on the Tracer SC. Devices 1-3 and 50-59 have not been installed on the Tracer SC, and therefore
have much smaller values in this column.
• Usage% — This is the percentage of times that the device used the token to pass data. Again
the Tracer SC wins.
• TokenRetry — This is a typical clean link with very few retries. If there were duplicate
addresses, there would be a very large number at the duplicate address.
• TokenFail — This shows the number of times the device failed to pass the token to a polled
address.
• Token Min/Max/Avg — This is the time, in milliseconds, taken for the token to complete the
circuit of all devices on the BACnet MS/TP link.
Figure 22. Statistics Summary
Troubleshooting Options
Use Table 7, p. 37 to quickly identify the symptom and some possible causes, then refer to the best
practices section of this document for information on fixing the problem.
Table 7. Troubleshooting Quick Reference
Symptom Possible Causes
Intermittent communication or communication is • Using the wrong type of wire

down • Wire run is too long
• Too many devices on the link
• Wrong wire topology
• Problem with Terminators (i.e., missing, too few, too many, not powered, etc.)
• Improper wire connections at the terminals on the device
• Bad ground connection at the device
• Both ends of the shield wire not grounded
• Open connection of shield wire
• Short in communication wire to ground
• Short between communication wires
• Baud rate mismatch
• Duplicate rotary switch address
• External electrical interference
Device not found • Non-conforming third-party device, or device is not using BACnet protocol
• Reverse ground at a device (swapped 24 Vac wire with ground wire with a common
power transformer) Transformer shared with device and other non-controller devices
in an enclosure
• Reverse ground at a device (swapped 24 Vac wire with ground wire with a common
power transformer) Multiple unit controllers sharing a transformer
• Bad ground connection at the device
• Loose terminals
• Device not configured for BACnet communications
• Rotary dial error (address set to “0” with dials)
• Trane rotary dial value set to zero
• Max master property set to low
• Device powered down
Tracer SC cannot install devices above 60 devices • Too many devices on the link
All down-stream devices not found • Break in wire (both wires)
• Break in wire (one wire)
• Loose terminals
• Bad wire connection at the device
• Reverse polarity of +/- communication wires
• Incorrect connector placement(a)
Two devices not communicating • Duplicate rotary switch Address
• Link data traffic overload
Communication time-outs, slow data response to • TGP2 data requests are too frequent
query • Data log requests are too frequent
• Too many data logs gathering information
(a) In the UC400 and UC600 controller design, there is a female terminal connector that the MS/TP and IMC communication buss share. It is common to
miss-align the MS/TP connector and connect one line of the network to an IMC terminal.
Divide and Conquer Troubleshooting Technique

Physical problems require some trial and error monitoring at various points on the link to isolate
the location of the problem. Use this procedure, your volt meter, and Table 8, p. 39 to help you find
the problem.
Important: Before troubleshooting the link, you should have a valid set of prints for the project
that show you how the devices are wired on the link along with their addresses.
The following steps define the divide and conquer technique for troubleshooting BACnet links.
1. From the Tracer SC, verify the following:
a. The SC is grounded properly.
b. Rotary address setting on the SC
Note: Ensure that the rotary switches match the submittal documents. If you change the
rotary switches, verify the Tracer SC BACnet configuration by using the Tracer SC
(Installation > Identification and Communication > BACnet Configuration).
c. Shield wires are properly terminated.
d. Communication wiring terminal is fully seated on the controller.
e. Polarity of the comm link is maintained.
f. Both the in and out wires are properly terminated (tug test each).
2. Verify that a Tracer BACnet Terminator is properly installed on each end of the comm link.
3. Go to the device in the middle of the link and check the following items:
a. Rotary address setting on the unit controller.
Note: Make sure its rotary switches match the submittal documents. If you find switches
set incorrectly, you must change the rotary address and then cycle power on the
unit controller.
b. Shield wires are properly terminated.
c. Communication wiring terminal is fully seated on the controller.
d. Polarity of the comm link is maintained.
e. Both the in and out wires are properly terminated (tug test each).
If you find any of these items to be improperly installed, correct them and run a SerialSpy
capture. If the problem persists, go to step 4.
4. Disconnect the wire going to the outward part of the link (away from the Tracer SC). Connect
the alligator clips from the USB Comm4 adapter to the plus (+) and minus (-) terminals on the
device and run a SerialSpy capture.
If all devices are communicating and passing the token properly with no errors or diagnostics
shown, the problem exists on the outward side (away from the Tracer SC) of the broken link.
If you see errors and diagnostics, go to step 8.
5. Perform a voltage check. Voltage should be between 0.3 V and 0.5 V. See Table 8, p. 39 for more
information.
6. Reconnect the link and move half-way farther out on the link and break the link there.
If all devices are discovered, the problem exists on the outward side (away from the Tracer SC)
of the broken link.
8. Repeat step 6 and 7 until the trouble is isolated.
9. If you see errors and diagnostics, there is an issue with the BACnet link on the inward side of
the broken link.
10. Reconnect the link and move to the device that is half-way back toward the Tracer SC.
12. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the trouble is isolated.
Network Voltage Measurement

The general procedure is to measure the dc voltage across the plus (+) and minus (-)
communication terminals at any device on the network. With terminators, the normal operating
range that provides good communication is .3V to .5V. Less than .2V is inadequate.
Note: You can make this voltage measurement with all devices on the link powered up and
running.
Table 8. Characteristics associated with specific problems on the BACnet MS/TP link
Condition Vdc LEDs Serial Spy
Normal Normal(a) Normal Normal
Two powered Trane BACnet terminators Min = .33 Tx = quick flash Clean token pass 
Max = .60 Rx = almost solid on No (or few) blue diagnostics or errors (c)
Avg = .45
(refer to Note (b))
Min = .35 Normal Normal
Max = .60 Tx = quick flash Clean token pass 
One powered Trane BACnet terminator
Avg = .45 Rx = almost solid on No (or few) blue diagnostics or errors(c)
(refer to Note (b))
Min = .003 Normal Normal
Two unpowered Trane BACnet terminator
(refer to Note (b))
Min = 1.1 Normal Normal

No Trane BACnet terminators Max = 2.2 Tx = quick flash Clean token pass 
Avg = 1.5 Rx = almost solid on No (or few) blue diagnostics or errors(c)
Normal Normal Normal

Min = .33 Tx = quick flash Clean token pass 
Max = .60 Rx = almost solid on No (or few) blue diagnostics or errors(c)
Cut the minus (-) comm wire
Avg = .45 However, all units past the wire break
(refer to Note (b)) stop communicating — looks like two
separate links, each intact
Normal Normal Normal
Min = .33 Tx = quick flash Clean token pass 
Max = .60 Rx = almost solid on No (or few) blue diagnostics or errors(c)
Cut the plus (+) comm wire
Avg = .45 However, all units past the wire break
(refer to Note (b)) stop communicating — looks like two
separate links, each intact
Min = .54 For units on the same

Max = .64 transformer  All units sharing a transformer with
Minus (-) comm wire grounded Avg = .58 Tx = quick flash grounded units are comm down. The
(voltage range is very Rx = almost solid on rest of the link is normal.
flat) Other units are unaffected
Min = –.50 Normal Normal
Plus (+) wire grounded
(voltage goes negative)
.60 V 
Tx = off
Comm polarity reversed (very steady, no Junk during idle — framing errors
Rx = Weak flashing
fluctuation)

Table 8. Characteristics associated with specific problems on the BACnet MS/TP link (continued)
Condition Vdc LEDs Serial Spy
Tx = weak solid on Junk during idle — framing errors
Dead Short across the comm link 0V
Rx = off or very weak Bad header, fast scrolling
Min = .59 Tx = off

Max = .61 Rx = solid on Junk during idle only. No other
Plug comm link into IMC Avg = .59
diagnostics
(voltage range is very
flat)
Normal Units with duplicate addresses Junk during idle — framing errors
Min = .33 have a normal interval then: Bad Header
Duplicate rotary switch address Max = .60 Tx = off Retry of token from X > Z
Avg = .45 Rx = flashing for several seconds, X is the duplicate address
(refer to Note (b)) other units are normal (refer to sample capture)
Normal Dominant speed units normal The baud rate of the first units that
Min = .33 Tx = quick flash power up will dominate communication
Max = .60 Rx = almost solid on on the link. SerialSpy shows a clean
Mixed baud rate Avg = .45 Quiet units capture with no (or few) blue
(refer to Note (b)) diagnostics or errors.(c) However,
Tx = off
devices communicating at a different
Rx = almost solid on baud rate will be silent—no Tx.
Min = .10 Tx = inconsistent, sometimes
Chaos. Sometimes you see one device
Max = .20 normal flash, sometime off
or more that is constantly polling, but
Avg = .13 Rx = almost solid on
Power polarity reversed on shared never finding another device.
(very low reading with
transformer It also might appear to be normal, but
an occasional spike to
.60) with all the devices on that shared
transformer down.
(refer to Note (b))
(a) A properly terminated and powered link typically shows voltage measurements between .30 and .60 with an average voltage of .45
(b) These readings are typical for ordinary meters. Very good meters (Fluke) with Min/Max recording capability will detect very transitory spikes of much higher voltage
(c) There may be one blue diagnostic message every 10,000 lines (12-30 in a 3-5 min capture). This would still represent a normally functioning link.
Appendix A: Using SerialSpy with Tracer SC
Special software is available that allows a Tracer SC to function as a capture device. As discussed
earlier in “Using SerialSpy With the Comm4 USB Adapter,” p. 25, you can use a PC running Serial
Spy software and the Rover Comm4 adapter to capture BACnet MS/TP traffic on the link. This
special software allows you to use a Tracer SC rather than Rover comm 4 adapter. Instead of
connecting alligator clips from the Rover adapter to the MS/TP link, you can use the existing MS/
TP link connected to a second, spare Tracer SC running the special software.
Using the Tracer SC gives you the benefit of remote access to the link if the capturing SC is set up
with an IP address that is accessible remotely. When a customer complains of a problem on the link,
you could connect from wherever you are and start capturing, rather than driving to the job site
and connecting your Rover Comm4 hardware to the link.
The Tracer SC can also be used for very intermittent problems where a capture is needed for hours
or even days to find an infrequent problem. Rather than leaving a laptop on the job with serial spy
running all weekend, you could put a capturing SC on the job with an SD card installed to capture
for long periods of time. The files could later be analyzed with Serial Spy software.
If you have questions, please contact Controls Technical Support.
Note: Your Tracer SC must be running version 3.0 or later. If it is not, you must update it before
continuing. Older versions of Tracer SC will ignore your attempts to install the capture
software.
Perform the following steps to install the enabling software:
1. Obtain the update file SerialCapture.scfw. This should normally be included with your
SerialSpy installation, or you can download it. Go to the Controls download page, click Tracer
SC, then Archived Downloads.
2. Use the Tracer TU File Transfer Wizard to upgrade your Tracer SC with SerialCapture.scfw.
After the file is uploaded to the Tracer SC, the Tracer SC will restart. It should show the normal
“UPd.” sequence on the 7-segment display during the updgrade, then go back to the dancing
dash.
3. Power down Tracer SC and change the rotary address to 998. Power up Tracer SC. The display
should now show “CAP”.
Note: The Tracer SC will not accept the new firmware if the rotary address is already set to 998.
Choose any other address when doing the firmware upgrade.
Modes of Operation
The SerialCapture software has four modes of operation:
• Normal Tracer SC operation
Tracer SC operates normally when it is powered up with the rotary switches set to any value
other than 998. Changing the rotary switches between their normal Tracer SC settings, and 998
allows use of Tracer SC as a “part-time” capture device. The seven-segment display will show
one of the following scenarios.
• Tracer SC capture (USB)
Tracer SC sends data and timing information to SerialSpy through a USB connection. To use
this mode of operation, your PC must have Tracer TU installed, or you must install the Tracer
TU drivers manually. While such a capture is in progress, the 7-segment display on the Tracer
SC will show “CAP-USB”.
• Tracer SC capture (IP)
Tracer SC sends data and timing information to SerialSpy through an IP connection. While such
a capture is in progress, the 7-segment display on the Tracer SC will show “CAP-IP”.
• Tracer SC capture (SD card)
Tracer SC writes data and timing information to an SD card. While such a capture is in progress,
the 7-segment display on the Tracer SC will show “CAP-FILE”. For more information on this
option, please read the section “Using Tracer SC SerialCapture to Capture to an SD Card,” which
follows later in this section.
Capturing to SerialSpy by USB or IP

1. Run SerialSpy.
2. Click the Port button on the toolbar.
3. Select the type of interface you are using as shown in Figure 23.
A. SerialCapture Device on USB
B. SerialCapture Device on IP
Figure 23. SerialSpy Interface Selection
A B
4. Select the appropriate port.

• For a USB Capture Device, the list includes the common TCP ports used by the Tracer TU
interface, with 44789 being the most common value.
• For an IP Capture Device, you must enter the IP address of the SerialCapture device.
5. Select the baud rate (usually 76800 for BACnet MS/TP) and click OK.
6. From the Options menu, click Select Analyzer and select BACnet MS/TP.
7. Click OK.
8. If necessary, change the drop-list on the toolbar to Show All.
9. Click Capture.
The Capture button should change to a depressed red button labeled “Stop”.
You should see a stream of messages, many of them TOKEN or POLL, but also with some
BACnet messages:
4864 15:53:39.062832 6->1 POLL
4865 15:53:39.067849 1->6 POLL-RPY
4866 15:53:39.068002 6->1 TOKEN
4867 15:53:39.068107 1->255 DST=65535/broadcast WHO_IS
You may see a few initial lines labeled “JUNK”, until SerialSpy synchronizes with the link. If you
continue to see JUNK, and not TOKEN, POLL, or DATA, you may have SerialSpy set to the wrong
baud rate, or you may have the connection polarity reversed. If this happens, press Stop to stop
the capture. Correct the problem and try again.
Using Tracer SC SerialCapture to Capture to an SD Card

Sometimes problems on MS/TP links are intermittent, occurring only a few times a day, or only
once every few days. It is often not practical to leave a PC on a job site to do a long-term capture
to diagnose such problems.
You can use a Tracer SC running SerialCapture software to capture MS/TP link traffic to files on an
SD card. These files can then be analyzed with SerialSpy.
Perform the following steps to use the Tracer SC SerialCapture device for capture to an SD card:
1. Install the SerialCapture software as described above.
2. Obtain an empty SD card, or delete the files on a used SD card.
Since capture files can be quite large, we recommend that you use a card with a capacity of 2
Gigabytes (GB) or larger
3. Insert the SD card into your PC’s SD card reader, and copy the file SerialCapture.ini onto the
SD card. If SerialCapture.ini is not included in your SerialSpy installation, you can download it
from https://home.ingerrand.com/sites/softwaredownloads/SitePages/SC-archive.aspx.
4. Edit SerialCapture.ini as necessary.
The baud rate must match the baud rate of the link being captured. On most Tracer SC
installations, this will be 76800 baud. To prevent confusion, you may wish to change the file
name to the name of the job, or something else that will help you identify the files when you
find them a few months later. For example:
; This file configures SerialCapture for stand-alone operation
; Base filename into which to capture
FILE: capture.scap
; Baud rate of the link
BAUD: 76800
Note: If you insert an SD card that does not contain the SerialCapture.ini file, the Tracer SC
SerialCapture will still capture to the card, using a default baud rate of 76800, and a
default filename of SerialCapture.scap.
5. Click the up arrow icon (Show hidden icons) near the digital clock (located down in the lower
right end of the taskbar) and then click the Windows Safely Remove Hardware icon
6. Select the SD card from the device list to remove it from the PC.
7. With the Tracer SC turned off, set its rotary switches to 998, and insert the SD card.
8. Connect the communications link to be monitored to the Tracer SC’s Link 1.
9. Power up the Tracer SC.
It should go through the normal count-down, but instead of “dancing dashes”, it should show
“CAP-FILE”, indicating that it is capturing data to the SD card.
To keep the file sizes manageable, SerialCapture breaks up a long capture into files of about 30
Megabytes (MB) or less. If the file name specified on the SD card is “capture.scap”, that file will
be filled to 30 MB. Then a file called “capture_2.scap” will be created and filled to 30 MB,
followed by “capture_3.scap”, and so on.
Note: If the Tracer SC loses power during the capture, it will begin capturing again when power
is restored, starting a new file with the next consecutive number. In some cases, all or
part of the file that was being written when power was lost may be missing or
unreadable.

10. When you have captured enough data, press the power button on the Tracer SC once.
11. Wait for the 7-segment display to go dark, indicating that power-down is complete. Then
remove the SD card.
Important: NEVER remove the SD card while the Tracer SC is powered up. Doing so may
cause the SD card to become corrupted.
12. Read and analyze the retrieved files.
You may use your PC to read the data files from the SD card.
a. Be sure to copy all of the files that are part of the capture.
b. To analyze the files, click the Load button on the SerialSpy toolbar, or File > Load…
The contents of the file are loaded just as if you were performing a live capture. You can
adjust the settings of the Trigger Configuration dialog and reload the file to analyze it with
different thresholds, and so on.
Note: If you need to e-mail the files, remember that some e-mail systems restrict the
maximum size of an e-mail attachment. This restriction may force you to e-mail each file
separately. In very restrictive systems, you may not be able to e-mail them at all.
Trane optimizes the performance of homes and buildings around the world. A business of Ingersoll Rand, the
leader in creating and sustaining safe, comfortable and energy efficient environments, Trane offers a broad
portfolio of advanced controls and HVAC systems, comprehensive building services, and parts. For more
information, visit www.Trane.com.
Trane has a policy of continuous product and product data improvement and reserves the right to change design and specifications without notice.
© 2016 Trane All rights reserved

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Best Practices and 

BACnet® MS/TP Wiring and Link Performance

January 2016 BAS-SVX51D-EN

The three types of advisories are defined as follows:

Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in

Symptoms of Poor Performance

Before You Start

• What firmware versions are loaded on your UC400 controllers?

How a BACnet MS/TP Link Works

Configuring and Wiring the BACnet MS/TP Link

Wire and Network Characteristics

Understanding Non-isolated and Isolated MS/TP Device Types

Table 1. Trane non-isolated and isolated devices

Non-isolated Trane Devices Isolated Trane Devices

• Tracer UC400 • Trane Communicating Thermostats

Network Wiring Configurations

Figure 1. 2-Wire MS/TP Network

Figure 2. 3-Wire MS/TP Network

2-Wire Mixed Device Networks

Figure 3. 2-Wire Network with Isolated Device

Figure 4. 2-Wire Network with Multiple Isolated Devices

3-Wire Mixed Device Networks

Figure 5. 3-Wire Network with Non-isolated Device

BAS-SVX51D-EN Proprietary and Confidential © 2016Trane, Do Not Distribute Outside Trane 11

Network Wiring Details

Figure 6. Daisy-chain configuration for BACnet wiring

Twist wire and Tape back

Note: The Tracer UC800 cannot power a BACnet terminator.

Figure 7. Terminating BACnet links using BACnet terminators

Communication wire Power wire with

Connect communication wire

Tracer BACnet terminator

BAS-SVX51D-EN Proprietary and Confidential © 2016Trane, Do Not Distribute Outside Trane 13

Maintain consistent wiring polarity between devices.

The zone sensors are wired

SERVICE TOOL SERVICE TOOL

Tracer UC400 Tracer UC400

Tracer BACnet Terminator

BAS-SVX51D-EN Proprietary and Confidential © 2016Trane, Do Not Distribute Outside Trane 15

Setting the BACnet Device Addresses

Rotary Switch Values and BACnet Device ID

Setting Rotary Addresses on the Tracer SC System Controller

BACnet MS/TP Device ID Assignment

Table 2. Calculating the BACnet device ID

Device ID Assignment for BACnet/IP Devices

Device ID Assignment for Base Tracer SCs

Device ID Assignment for Wireless Devices

Customizing Device IDs

BAS-SVX51D-EN Proprietary and Confidential © 2016Trane, Do Not Distribute Outside Trane 17

Figure 9. Customize device IDs (Tracer SC device discovery page)

Figure 10. Rotary switch addresses and BACnet device ID example

Link 1 UC400 UC400 BACnet device IDs

3rd Floor UC400 UC400 BACnet device IDs

Link 1 UC400 UC400 BACnet device IDs

Link 1 UC400 UC400 BACnet device IDs

BAS-SVX51D-EN Proprietary and Confidential © 2016Trane, Do Not Distribute Outside Trane 19

Set the rotary switch address on all unit controllers.

Figure 11. Rotary switch address settings

Total Number of Trane and Non-Trane Devices on a BACnet Link