Control Network Newsletter

Did You Know? Using the BAScontrol20 as BACnet/IP Remote I/O

September 2015 - The BAScontrol20 is not only a 20-point Sedona Unitary Controller but a BACnet/IP device as well. As an IP device it has a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet port so it is possible to simply use the BAScontrol20 as a BACnet/IP Remote I/O device with an Ethernet port instead of a freely-programmable Sedona device. Some people will call this mode of operation I/O Controller mode in that there is no resident control program in the controller but just the capability to directly drive output points and read input points using a host controller or head-end. I/O Controller Mode is easy to implement and does not require Workbench or a Sedona Tool - just a web browser for configuration.

The BAScontrol20 is shipped with a blank wire sheet meaning that no Sedona real input and output components are placed on the wire sheet. That does not mean that you cannot read real input points or write to output points using a BACnet client. You can by default. However, you first must configure the BAScontrol20 for its proper IP and BACnet settings including a unique BACnet device instance and BACnet device name. The BACnet protocol must be selected and you can still leave Sedona selected with no issue. You will probably need to configure your eight universal inputs for type and if necessary for BACnet. The remaining points only require possible configuration for BACnet. Once you put the unit into service you will have 20 points of BACnet/IP compliant remote I/O with an Ethernet connection that can be manipulated from a BACnet client.

Sedona logic controls the physical outputs when Enable is true, otherwise BACnet does. If no Sedona physical points are placed on the wire sheet, BACnet controls the physical points.

Now it is possible to mix BACnet remote I/O with Sedona driven I/O on the same controller but you cannot drive the same physical point using two approaches. When you put down a Sedona analog or binary physical I/O component, there is a configurable slot called Enable. If Enable is true, Sedona controls the point. If Enable is false, BACnet controls the point regardless if the Sedona component is attached to other components. Of course to place a Sedona component onto the wire sheet requires Workbench or a Sedona tool. We recommend that if you want to use both Sedona and BACnet on the same controller, have Sedona drive the physical outputs and use the 24 virtual BACnet points for intermediate data. You have flexibility.

To learn, visit the BAScontrol20 product page.