Programming Units off site

Hi Guys

As I'm in the UK, I'm hoping you chaps in Oz can help me out overnight.

I have just had all my units delivered along with a Wiser Control unit. There is plenty of information on the internet regarding the difficulty of getting the Wiser up and running and I think I have achieved that. I have both the Router and the CNI identified and accessible from a browser or the CBusIP Utility program.

What I can't do, however, is to get a CBus network identified. I have seen it written that units don't need a power supply in order to be programmed off site and I have plugged an 8 way dimmer unit into the C-Bus data cable connected to the Wiser CNI. However, no C-Bus network appears in Toolkit.

My question is: How do you set the system up to program? Does the Wiser CNI act a a C-Bus power supply, or do I need to provide a 240v supply to the dimmer unit to get power to the CBus network?

Many thanks from a Newbie

Duncan

 

You can use the C-Bus Toolkit to program all the C-Bus units on your network, using the Wiser as the C-Bus network interface. This bit should not be a problem.

It sounds like you don't have any power on your C-Bus network. DIN mounting dimmers and relay can be purchased with or without an integrated 200mA power supply. A 350mA power supply can also be purchased separately.

If your dimmer does not have an integrated C-Bus power supply then you will need to find yourself a unit that does, or use a C-Bus stand-alone power supply. If your dimmer does have an integrated power supply then you will need to connect the dimmer to your mains connection for the power supply to operate.

True, but not the whole picture. The in-built power supply in a dimmer/relay does not need to be connected to mains to allow you to program the unit BUT the C-Bus network that it's connected to still needs to be functional, and if you've got no power to the C-Bus network you've got no network.

The CNI on the Wiser does not provide power to the C-Bus network.

 

Newman

Thank you.

That is exactly the answer I was looking for.

I want to program all the input and output units off site, label them and have them installed ready to go. I will obviously need to power up the data bus before the network will respond.

Thank you so much for your response.

 

In recent times I have been testing a product called TEAMVIEWER.

It allows me to operate any PC in any location that is connected by the internet. Un/fortunately it requires the 5500CN to be reliable. Not because of any restriction but rather the 5500CN can be reset with a browser and rebooted remotely over telnet etc. On the very remote chance that you need to reboot the C-Bus computer interface it helps if the unit is Ethernet.

I recently started to move in this direction myself and with the falling cost of computing I have no problems finding a PC for $400 that is the latest high-end system running i3 or i5 Intel CPU which may be hidden some place on the site. Some of the better paying clients have used MacMini running Windows XP as the terminal stacked on top of the router like an appliance.

For anyone that wants to have total remote-control over an onsite main terminal from any place in cyberspace I suggest a brief look at www.teamviewer.com and in a few minutes you will be able to do things like you were in the same room and still be on your vacation ( i mean conference) in Hawaii.

Similarly for those who also like to use Tecom, the same applies to remote code changes in complex alarm installations.

Increasingly this is how many smart operators are doing their work. One such person is selling his time on ebay using this method

I realise that adgilcan is talking about PRE-CODING the units prior to delivery. However, clients appreciate being able to change their minds as often as they like and they will certainly pay for the service if you can create a structure where they are able to have that input. It also means that different people are able to code the building whilst retaining the same point of contact through a primary agent.

 

Logic engine not running

Hi all

I'm not having much success getting logic to work on Wiser.

I am able to transfer projects to Wiser easily enough but any logic programmed does not seem to work.

I have made it happen on occasion but the next time I transfer/ update the project it fails to work again.

Has anyone any idea what could be happening here? The Wiser help manuals are pretty useless.

 

Just discovered that the logic engine in wiser doesn't start until it has "discovered" all the units. This takes much longer than the restart required after every transfer. If I go and do something else for a while, Hey Presto, all is working when I return.

I expect you all knew that but it had me flummoxed for a few days !!!