BACnet Integration Guide

For Automated Logic LGR,

LGR ME-LGR, or ME812u-LGR control modules
.
 Contents
I. Basic hardware/point allowance Overview .................................................................... 3
II.
III. Before-you-begin checklist ............................................................................................ 5

IV. The Preferred Method of Integration...............................................................…......….. 6

V. Create a control program in EIKON LogicBuilder .................................……........…....... 7

VI. Formatting a BACnet address ....................................................................................... 8

VII. Editing a microblock address ........................................................................................ 15

VIII. Setting up network inputs ............................................................................................. 16

IX. To speed detection of a dead device ........................................................................... 21

X. Connect the third-party device to the ALC control module ..................................... …..22

XI. To wire a BACnet/ARC156 device ............................................................................... 22

XII. To wire a BACnet MS/TP device .................................................................................. 22

XIII. To wire a BACnet PTP device ...................................................................................... 23

XIV. Download the BACnet driver ........................................................................….........….24

XV. Verify the control module is set up correctly ......................................................…….... 25

XVI. To discover BACnet networks, devices, and objects ..................................…................27

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 Basic Hardware/Point allowance Overview
ALC Side
ALC Control modules required for a LGR25 (supports up to 25 Third Party
Third party Integration points)
LGR250 (supports up to 250 Third
Party points)
LGR-1000 (supports up to 1000 Third
Party points)
ME-LGR25 (supports up to 25 Third
Party points, and has I/O points)
ME-LGR200 (supports up to 200 Third
Party points and has I/O points)
ME812u-LGR (supports up to 200
Third Party points and has I/O points)
Read/write capability Can read from and write to the third-
party equipment

Third Party Side

Supported equipment Any device that supports the BACnet
protocol
Supported media IP, (Bacnet/IP)
Ethernet, (Bacnet/Ethernet)
ARCNET, (Bacnet/Arcnet)
MS/TP (9600, 19200, 38400, or 76800
kbps) (Bacnet/MSTP)
PTP, (Bacnet/PTP)

• The point allowance of a control module that provides third-party points applies
only to itself. For example, if you purchase an LGR1000 that provides 1000 third-
party points and you download control programs that use 500 third-party Network
I/O points, you cannot apply the unused 500 points to a different piece of
hardware.

EXAMPLES of third-party BACnet integration hardware

With this hardware... Use...
LGR25 SE6104 UNI M4106
• The LGR25 for the first 25 third-
party points.
• You can add third-party points
with: Additional control modules
that provide third-party points

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With this hardware... Use...
ME-LGR200
• The ME-LGR200 for the first
200 third-party points.
• You can add third-party points
with additional control modules
that provide third-party points.

LGR1000
• The LGR1000 for the first 1000
third-party points.
• You can add third-party points
with:
○ Additional control modules that
provide third-party points.

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 Before You Begin Checklist

The ALC control module's Technical Instructions. (Attached CD has

documents included)

The system's SiteBuilder database.

The third-party device's:

• BACnet network number
• MAC address
• Device Instance
• Points List including BACnet object ID’s (object type plus point
instance)
• If this information is not supplied by the third-party vendor, use
WebCTRL's auto discovery tool. See pg27

The baud rate of the third-party device if running MS/TP

Verification that all communication settings have been set on the third-
party device

Experience creating control programs with EIKON LogicBuilder

Experience installing, wiring, setting up, and downloading memory to the

ALC control module

5
 The Prefered Method of Integration
This highlights the preferred method of integration to be used when interfacing to
a third party device via BACnet

Method :

You can use a Network I/O microblock to read from or write to any single
property in a third-party BACnet object.

You must use Network I/O microblocks if any of the following apply:

• An ALC control program must read from or write to third-party BACnet points
for automatic control

• You want to trend values from a third-party device that does not support
BACnet trends

• You want to display third-party values that require unit conversion or other
math processing

**NOTE Each Network I/O microblock that is addressed to a third-party object

property uses one third-party point provided by a control module (see: Basic
Hardware/Point allowance Overview beginning on pg 3)

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Create a control program that will be your third party
interface in EIKON LogicBuilder
• A control program must be created in EIKON LogicBuilder.

• This control program is graphical user interface that is to be used to

monitor and control the Third party device

• This control program will contain all required control that is to be used on
you WebCTRL system

• This control program must be downloaded into a third party capable

Automated Logic control module (see: Basic Hardware/Point allowance
Overview beginning on pg 3)

• When you create your control program, use a Network I/O microblock for
each third-party point.

• Each third party point must follow proper formatting to allow

communication between WebCTRL and the third party device.

• Although most parameters within microblocks are editable within

WebCTRL, the control program itself can only be edited in EIKON
LogicBuilder.

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 Formatting a Bacnet Address

Use the following information to format a valid address in each microblock that
you use to read or write a third-party point.

CAUTION!!!
 When integrating third-party devices into a WebCTRL system, most
communication problems are caused by incorrect data or typing errors in
the microblock's Address field.

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 Typical BACnet Address (URL)

Items:

(third party identifier) Required for communication

(Device) Required for communication

(Object) Required for communication

(Property) Optional

(Priority) Optional

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 Typical BACnet Address (URL)

This is the third party identifier, some examples are:

bacnet://, Modbus://, N2://

There are several others but for this manual we will only be using: bacnet://

Device:

Use one of the following: EXAMPLES

Device instance number bacnet://2010/…

BACnet device name bacnet://MyDevice/…

Network number: MAC bacnet://1234:35/…

address (of third-party bacnet://1234:0x23/…
device)

The word "this" if a bacnet://this/

network point requests a
value from another control
program in the same ALC
control module. Avoids
network traffic. Requires
v2.05 or later control
module driver.

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 Typical BACnet Address (URL)

Object:

Use one of the following: EXAMPLES

Object type: Instance bacnet://…/ai:2

number (See NOTES or
below) BACnet object bacnet://…/MyObject
name

NOTES on Object above:

For object type, you may type the abbreviation (not case sensitive), the full name, or the object
type number. Some standard BACnet object type numbers are listed below. See the BACnet
standard for a complete list. For proprietary BACnet objects, see the object's manufacturer

USE: Or: Or:

ai analog-input 0
ao analog-output 1
av analog-value 2
bi binary-input 3
bo binary-output 4
bv binary-value 5
dev device 8
msi multistate-input 13
mso multistate-output 14
msv multistate-value 19

• Every object in a control module has a unique instance number, regardless of

its control program.

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 Typical BACnet Address (URL)

Property (optional):

If you want to read or write a property other EXAMPLES

than present_value, type one of the
following:
BACnet property identifier BACnet property bacnet://…/…/cov_increment
identifier # Property identifier (with index) or
bacnet://…/…/22
or
bacnet://…/…/priority-array(12)

Property identifier # (with index) bacnet://…/…/87(12)

Note: TIP For standard BACnet objects, see the BACnet standard for property
identifiers and property identifier numbers. For proprietary BACnet objects, see
the object's manufacturer.

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 Typical BACnet Address (URL)

Priority (optional):

By default(if no priority is entered into the bacnet url string) the priority will be
16. If you want to write at a priority other than 16, type @ followed by a priority
number between 1 and 16 (bacnet://…/…/…@9). See below table for specific
priority levels

NOTE 1: Priority levels 1 and 2 are reserved for manual and automatic life safety
commands.

Prioity Level Priority Type

1 Manual Life Safety (Highest Priority)
2 Automatic Life Safety
3 Unspecified
4 Unspecified
5 Critical Equipment Control
6 Minimum On/Off
7 Unspecified
8 Manual Operator
9 Unspecified
10 Unspecified
11 Unspecified
12 Unspecified
13 Unspecified
14 Unspecified
15 Unspecified
16 Lowest (default)

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 Typical BACnet Address (URL)

Examples of Valid BACnet addresses:

• bacnet://MyDevice/ai:2

• bacnet://1234:0x23/analog-input:2/priority-array(12)@8

• bacnet://2499:0x00E0C90047CA/bi:3

• bacnet://2436:192.168.47.36:47806/0:2

• bacnet://192.168.168.5/ai:s231

• bacnet://164128/av:3810

Below is an example of an actual properly bound BACnet point

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Editing a Microblock Address:

You can edit a microblock address (BACnet URL Address string) in any of the
following places.

 In EIKON LogicBuilder in the Property Editor(double click on a microblock

In EIKON LogicBuilder to bring up the Property Editor)(see image below)

 In WebCTRL on the microblock's Properties page > Details tab

 In WebCTRL on the control program's Properties page > Network Points

tab (see above image for actual bound network point)

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 Setting up Network Inputs

WebCTRL uses two different methods to communicate to third part network

points; Polling and BACnet COV (change of value)

If a Network Input or Total Analog microblock's Address field references a

BACnet object property, the microblock reads the property's value using one of
the following methods.

• Polling—The microblock reads the property at the Refresh Time interval using
the BACnet ReadProperty or ReadPropertyMultiple service (see "Method 1:
Polling" below).

• BACnet COV (Change of Value) subscription—The microblock subscribes with

the target BACnet object. An analog target notifies the microblock if the target's
value changes by more than the target's BACnet COV_Increment. A binary target
notifies the microblock when it changes state (see "Method 2: BACnet COV
subscriptions" below).

Method 1:

Polling Benefits
• Allows rapid detection of a dead device or of network
problems
• Does not require additional memory

Drawbacks
• Generates unnecessary network traffic if a value does
not change frequently
• Misses value changes that occur between pollings
• Can overwhelm the target's control module if many
microblocks request the same property value (such as
outside air temperature). The BACnet object must send
the value to each microblock that polls for that data.

To set up Set the microblock's Refresh Time to 30 seconds or less.

NOTE: The ALC microblock will not poll at a Refresh Time interval smaller than 1
second.

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Method 2:

BACnet COV subscriptions Benefits • Can decrease network traffic by

preventing unnecessary updates if
the target's COV_Increment is set
appropriately. See step 2 in "To set
up" below.

Drawbacks
• Can generate excessive network
traffic if the target's COV_Increment
property is too small. See step 2 in
"To set up" below.
• Can delay detection of a dead
device or of network problems

To Set Up:

1) Set the microblock's Refresh Time to 31 seconds or more.

2) If the microblock's Address field references an analog property, set the

target's COV_Increment property to the smallest amount by which the
value must change for the target to notify its subscribers. The optimal
COV_Increment is large enough to prevent unnecessary updates but
small enough to be useful to the control program(s) receiving the updates.

NOTE: If COV subscription fails, the microblock reads the value at the Refresh
Time interval using the BACnet ReadProperty or ReadPropertyMultiple service.
See "Method 1: Polling" above.

COV subscription details

When an input (Network Input or Total Analog microblock) subscribes with a

BACnet target (object property), the input sets a 21-minute subscription Lifetime
in the target. The target responds with a COV notification that includes the
target's value and time remaining from the original subscription Lifetime
(TimeRemaining). The input resubscribes with the target every 10 minutes to

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keep the target's BACnet subscription service active. The Next Subscription field
on the input's Properties page shows the time remaining until the input's next
subscription.
The target also sends a COV notification that includes the target's value and
subscription Lifetime TimeRemaining when the target's value changes by more
than the target's COV_Increment.
If the ALC target has one subscriber, the target sends COV notifications directly
to that subscriber. If the ALC target has more than one subscriber, it broadcasts
its COV notifications to optimize network traffic. A third-party subscriber can
participate in this broadcast scheme by subscribing for Unconfirmed COV
notifications with a Process ID of 0. Otherwise, the ALC target maintains and
responds to the third-party subscription separately with its own Lifetime timer.
The ALC input compares the TimeRemaining value in each COV notification
broadcast the target sends to its (Next Subscription time + 11) to determine
whether another input has subscribed since it did. If another input has subscribed
more recently, the input adds 10 minutes to its Next Subscription time. This
allows the COV Subscription request from the last subscribing input to keep the
subscription service active for all subscribers to the same data.

See examples on next page

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 EXAMPLES and explanation of COVs within WebCTRL

Input 2 keeps the subscription service active at the target with a minimum of
network traffic.

NOTE: If an input receives COV notification with a target time remaining < 11,
which could happen if the last subscribing input loses communication with the
target, the input re-subscribes immediately.

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COV notification rate:

COV notifications from a BACnet object property are controlled by that property's
BACnet COV_Increment. When the absolute value of the difference between the
property's Present_Value and the value sent in the last COV notification is
greater than the COV_Increment, the object broadcasts a COV notification. For
ALC control modules, the rate of notifications is further limited by two internal
processes:

1.) The control program's execution rate determines how often the check against
COV_Increment is performed.
2.) The control module's pending COV Notification task has built-in delays to
prevent COV notifications from consuming the control module's CPU processing
time.

The built-in delays are as follows:

If more than 15 COV notifications are pending delivery, the control module
inserts a 50 millisecond delay after each set of 15 notifications. Once the entire
list of pending notifications is serviced, the control module inserts another 50
millisecond delay. This results in a maximum COV notification rate of 300 COV
notifications per second per ALC control module.

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To Speed up detection of an unresponsive BACnet Device

If a BACnet object's device loses network communication, a network input

reading the object's value does not detect the failure until :

• the network input's next subscription (up to 10 minutes) if using BACnet COV
subscription,
or
• the Refresh Time expires, if polling

You can use a small Refresh Time to poll more often, but this can generate
unnecessary network traffic under normal conditions.

WARNING: Exxcessive network traffic can slowdown a system and can create
realtime control issues especially if network points are directly linked to critical
control points, an example could be…a PID loop control based on a network read
value compared to a network read setpoint.

To use the benefits of BACnet COV subscription, but overcome the potential
delay in detection of a dead device, send a constantly changing value from the
BACnet object’s control program to a network input using BACnet COV
subscription. If the value stops changing, the network input’s control program
generates an alarm.

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 Connect the third party device to the ALC control
module
Note: there is supplemental material(both documents and video) about bacnet
wiring and communication standards on the included CD on the back cover of
this document.

To wire a BACnet/ARC156 device:

1) Turn off the control module's power.

2) Check the communications wiring for shorts and grounds.

3) Connect the third-party device's communications wiring to the control

module's screw terminals labeled Net +, Net -, and Shield.

4) Use the same polarity throughout the network segment.

5) If connecting to an ME812u-LGR, set the BACnet Mode jumper to

ARC156.

6) Turn on the control module's power.

To wire a BACnet MS/TP device:

1) Turn off the control module's power.

2) Check the communications wiring for shorts and grounds.

3) Connect the third-party device's communications wiring to the control

module (see below table)

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 4) NOTE Use the same polarity throughout the network segment.

5) Turn on the control module's power.

6) To change the port's baud rate, see "To set a port's baud rate using
HyperTerminal" in the control module's Technical Instructions.

NOTE: Use the same baud rate for all devices on the network segment.

To wire a BACnet PTP device:

1) Turn off the control module's power.

2) Check the communications wiring for shorts and grounds.

3) Connect the third-party device's communications wiring to the control

module. (see below table)

NOTES :
○ Jumper the DTR and DCD terminals.
○ Use the same polarity throughout the network segment.

4) Turn on the control module's power.

5) To change the port's baud rate, see "To set a port's baud rate using
HyperTerminal" in the control module's Technical Instructions

NOTE :Use the same baud rate for all devices on the network segment

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 Download the BACnet driver

Get the latest BACnet driver

If you do not have the latest version of your ALC control module's driver, follow
the steps below.
NOTE If your ALC control module is using a driver for another protocol, that
driver will also allow you to integrate with BACnet points.

1) Get the latest module driver drv_melgr_vanilla_<latest version>.driver

from the an ALC Dealer

2) Download the driver, saving it in

WebCTRLx.x\webroot\<system_name>\drivers.

3) On SiteBuilder's Network tree, open the Device Properties dialog box for
the ALC control module.

4) Select the ALC control module in the Device Definition drop-down list,
then click OK.

5) On the Network tree, expand the control module, then double click on
Driver

6) Select drv_melgr_vanilla_<latest version> in the driver definition drop

down list, then click OK.

Download the driver and control programs :

1) In SiteBuilder, assign the equipment to the control module by dragging the

equipment from the Geographic tree and dropping it on the control module
in the Network tree.
2) In WebCTRL, download memory to the ALC control module.

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 Verify the control module is set up correctly

To verify correct setup of network points:

1) On WebCTRL's GEO tree, select the control program for the ALC control
module.

2) Select the Properties page > Network Points tab.

25
If the above solutions do not resolve the problem, gather the following
information for technical support prior to calling your support representative:

• A screenshot of the driver Properties, IP Addressing, and Protocol pages

• A screenshot of the Properties page > Network Points tab showing

addresses and errors

• All information from a Modstat copied into a text file. Right-click the
Modstat, then select Select All. Press Ctrl+C to copy the information, then
open Notepad and paste the information into a text file.

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 To discover BACnet networks, devices and objects
using WebCTRL’s built in Discovery tool

WebCTRL’s Discovery tool locates all accessible BACnet networks, BACnet

devices, and BACnet objects (including devices in your WebCTRL system) on a
BACnet network. The information gathered in this process is typically used to
incorporate third-party BACnet devices and their BACnet objects into the
WebCTRL database.

To use the Discovery tool:

1) On the WebCTRL CFG tree, select System Settings.

2) On the Communications tab, clear the Use Static BACnet Bindings

checkbox.

3) On the WebCTRL CFG tree, select Connections.

4) On the Configure tab, enter or verify the server's IP Address and Subnet
Mask for the BACnet/IP connection.

5) Restart the connection or the WebCTRL server.

6) On the NET tree, select the system level item.

7) Click Discovery.

8) Click Go to discover BACnet sites for the system. An item called

Discovered Networks appears in the tree. When all sites are found, close
the status dialog box.

9) To discover BACnet networks, select Discovered Networks, then click

Go. A list of all BACnet networks appears in the NET tree. When all
networks are found, close the status dialog box.

TIP: Use the commstat manual command to determine which device routes to
each network.

10) To discover BACnet devices on a network, select the network on the NET
tree, then click Go. Click the plus sign beside an item to expand the list of
devices. When all devices are found, close the status dialog box.

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 11) To discover BACnet objects on a device, select the device in the NET
tree, then click Go. A list of all BACnet objects in this device appears on
the NET tree. When all objects are found, close the status dialog box.

TIP: Make sure you are discovering objects in the correct device. It may take
some time to discover objects in devices with more than 100 objects.

12) Open SiteBuilder. If SiteBuilder was open during discovery, close, then
reopen SiteBuilder to view the discovered items under the Discovered
Site. Use the information you discovered to establish communication with
the desired third-party objects using Network I/O or Display microblocks,
then delete Discovered Site.

13) In WebCTRL, on the Communications tab, select the Use Static

BACnet Bindings checkbox.

14) Restart the connection or the WebCTRL server.

NOTES :
• Some third-party BACnet devices may not be discovered because they do not
support the BACnet methods required for auto discovery.
• If the discovery process returns ambiguous information, such as multiple points
with similar names, contact the third-party manufacturer's representative for
clarification.

End Of Document

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