Trend BMS

[sdc]

Has anyone had any experience with Trend BMS systems? We have one controlling our site's heating, via an EINC (Ethernet Internetwork Node Controller) and since the start of term, we've had no heating across most of the site! The software seems to be unable to talk to the EINC and the maintenance company aren't having any more luck than us!

 

Any thoughts/ideas?

Thanks in advance...

Stephen

[rpenhale]

We have a couple of IQE 3xact unit which are plugged directly into our LAN and sit on their own VLAN, each accessed via a web interface. You can use the 963 software to manage more than one unit at a time but as far as getting them to work we haven't had any problems, do you access them via a web interface as well?

[sdc]

Hi, no web interface on this version; all we can use is the 963 software, which was working up until the summer holiday... since then, nothing. And the builders tell us nothing's changed and it must be our firewall and antivirus software... which hasn't changed either... :-)

 

Stephen

[rpenhale]

ok I see the EINC interfaces your BMS network with your ethernet LAN. I would suggest contacting Trend direct. I suspect the issue is more down to the fact the heating and controls firm you use are lacking on the ICT side of things, this is often the case with this type of thing. Trend are part of the Honeywell group and can be contacted here:-

 

Trend

[sdc]

Yes, it would appear that your suspicions are correct... thanks for the link, will give them a call if we're still down (and cold!) tomorrow.

 

Stephen

[rpenhale]

I assume the EINC device must have an IP address, can it be pinged? I would also guess it might have it's own web interface like the excite units, could the config have become corrupted and may need reinputting?

[sdc]

Yes, it has an IP address which can be pinged; however, it doesn't appear to have a web interface. The engineer is currently replacing the EINC unit, so we'll see what happens!

[Midlander]

The Einc's do not have a webpage. It sounds like a mismatch between the other settings on your Einc and the 963. The only way to check the settings in the EINC is to either plug directly into it using SET or map into it from another controller on the network.

 

The Trend system is a nightmare when it comes to accessing the system, unfortunately the software to interrogate the system is closely guarded and not readily available to end users.

 

If you are technically savvy then Doorway systems http://www.doorway.co.uk do a pretty good, but slightly dated, software package to allow you to backup and work with your system. It may save you having to pay for expensive BMS Engineers - At least Dick Turpin had the decency to wear a mask

Edited December 13, 2008 by Midlander

[sdc]

Thanks - the resolution was finding the fault within the Trend network itself. It was a broken link cable (between buildings, run in an underground duct). Finding it was quite a challenge...!