Could someone please tell me what they use for an interface for the customer to log into their system and make changes.
I see there are some modules out there using bacnet that are quite pricy and require someone from NASA to help do the programming. (L-VIS)
I’m more concerned about when the customer does not have access to the desktop/laptop that T3000 is running on or access from their phone
Any GUI which supports Modbus will work, though it is a bit of work to tie in with Modbus. There’s an example project done in ‘Node-Red on this forum.
https://temcocontrols.com/node-red-gui-for-home-automation/
https://temcocontrols.com/home-automation-gui-released/
Bacnet is a fair bit easier to integrate with but the choices for the GUI front end are more limited. All of the methods though require access from a PC or at least from a tablet / phone.
Have similar task. I use catnetsystems.com. Costs around 1000$ for plug&play device (Rasbery pi with web server and everything in place).
Make simple dashboard with default gadgets is simple. All web based Html5
Planing to make kind of HMI with Tablet and kiosk browser.
Doing graphic takes some time and effort, images not included
Works well with Temco and Siemens controllers in my setup.
I use Bacnet IP.
Hi Andrius,
Q1:
I have a 5000+ points project using >100 Siemens controllers, do you think this raspberry pi device (CatNet CH-2) will be able to handle this number of points? what are the limits?
Q2:
In another old project, can this raspberry pi device (CatNet CH-2) read/write data with Schneider controllers Andover Continuum BACnet-b3920?
What type of siemens controllers? PLC’s or BAS?
The Bacnet over continuum probably wont work depending on the modules that your version of continuum contains. Continuum connects to MSTP thru a device called a BCX. Most arent setup properly to be accessed from anything besides Continuum. THey use decimal points in the object names and other bacnet devices wont accept it. However if your customer updates to struxureware it is very easy but expensive. Probably a minimum of $6000 depending on where you are just in parts. Of course it depends on how big the continuum system is.
If you are just trying to read and write the bacnet points on the B3920, you can do it with any bacnet frontend that is capable of MSTP. The issue is that most front ends only support bacnetIP. If Maurice ever fixes the bacnet subnets on the TS controllers, They would be ideal for this purpose. Of course you cant program the device.
Let us know more about the subnet issues you’re seeing Jim. We’ve come a long way since the early days when you probably last looked at this.
Maurice Duteau
Thanks Jim for the Continuum explanation, we will discuss with our customer the updates to struxureware plan soon.
Regarding Siemens controllers, the part numbers are either PXC36.D (compact) or PXC100.D (modular).
Hi ammabed,
I think Catnet is good for small medium scale projects with standart functions. It was fast and easy to create basic interface, which looks good and have enough features. Spend minimum time and effort for that. You need to contact catnetsystems for technical details.
Thanks andrius,
I will contact catnetsystems soon, and post their reply here.
Hi ammabed,
You may want to check out the following …
Node-red is very powerful and easy to use to produce excellent (and even dynamic!) GUI web pages …
and you can easily ‘roll your own’ raspberry pi device for less than usd100 and have full control … see above project topic for full details.
You can see the RPi CPU Load (cpul2) running node-red with the T10 Bacnet is hardly used at less the 10% …
https://orion.ionware.io/dashboard/d/80d5f51f-f8ea-47f1-be5f-cc4ebc1542c1
hth
mark
Thanks mark,
I will test that soon on my RPi
