Barber-Coleman Network 8000 Integration??

[NightrainATC]

Hello,
I'm looking to help out a good customer of ours by integrating to an existing Barber-Coleman Network 8000 System using a Johnson Controls System. Although we currently have a NAE onsite, it seems the best option is to install a FX Supervisory Controller with Infocon GCM or ASD drivers and transfer the old system data via BACnet IP from the FX Controller to the NAE. Does anyone agree with this strategy or is another one recommended? I tried emailing Infocon but did not get a response yet. Is there anyone in the US to contact for the drivers?

The site currently has (4) GCMs #84221, (6) GCS #GCS-80000, (92) Microzone I controllers #CVV-90010, and (5) Microzone II controllers #MZ2-CE. The customer lost head end access and wants to see what we can do asap to bring the old system into the new Johnson system then eventually phase out the Barber-Coleman controls.

Is it best to leave the GCMs in place for the integration and if so then would I only need the GCM driver (how would the FX Supervisory wire to the GCMs which are dispersed around the facility)? FYI...there shouldn't be much global logic if any in the existing GCMs and if there is some then it would not be trouble at all to duplicate this if it was best to get rid of the GCMs.

Thanks for any help. Any info asap would be appreciated because I can only imagine what it's like to not have access to so many controllers.

[MatrixTransform]

being a prat here but .... if you were integrating then why bother using an NAE??

...im sure somebody from infocon will contact you

the ASD driver will run for 2 hours in demo mode

[MM82]

Information sent to your e-mail.

[NightrainATC]

being a prat here but .... if you were integrating then why bother using an NAE??

...im sure somebody from infocon will contact you

the ASD driver will run for 2 hours in demo mode

Matrix,
I knew someone would ask me this but I'd be glad to answer. We actually performed a project there a while ago with an NAE. We also have NAEs at their other facilities so we will be implementing a server soon to group all of the sites. For this specific project to help out the customer with head end access to the existing Barber-Coleman system, the FX Supervisory with the proper driver seems to be the best option until we can begin phasing out the old controls.

The only problem with possibly going with the ASD driver is that there are (2) existing GCS Controllers and (18) existing Microzone I Controllers that must stay intact for now which all communicate on the "GCS" bus. Does this make sense? Is there an actual field level "ASD" and "GCS" bus available on the Barber-Coleman System? It appears the Microzone II Controllers communicate on a "ASD" bus and the GCS/Microzone I Controllers communicate on a "GCS" bus.....is this right?

Thanks.

[NightrainATC]

Information sent to your e-mail.

MM82,
Thanks a lot for the info. I'll take a look at it today. Based on your expertise, would this driver be the best option for what I'm looking for and will it bring in all of the controllers that I noted in my original post above? I may give you a call today if you're available.

Thanks.

[MM82]

NightrainATC,

Sure, call me anytime.

[amigo]

MM82, can you send me that info as well?

[MM82]

Amigo,

Information sent to your e-mail.

[The_USC_2001]

We just integrated a BC system into a ALC WebCTRL System. We used LinxSpring to convert ASD to BACnet/IP. We took down GCM's. It is very beneficial to have a copy of xpsi to look at BC programs in MZII's, PEM's, ect... There are possibly points that you will need to manipulate to get it to work due to GCM going away. We had to do this a good bit. It was not as bad to do as we thought it was going to be. I would not recomend integration though GCM. If you have a old system that still has old Micro Zone One modules and other modules of the early generation BC I would not bother integration. That system is way out dated. I know we would not do it. When integrating into existing systems we will not integrate with real old systems or systems that have a lot of known issues. Our reputation is not worth it.

[GChan]

For a quick solution, use Infocon GCM driver. it will take the GCM points into the FX60 (JACE 6). GCM driver will be able to get the GCS and MF points in. Connection through RS232 port at the side of the GCM 84XXX. Need to retain the GCM for this case.

ASD driver will not be able to communicate to LCM, MF and GCS. ASD driver is only good for MZ2, MF2, PEM, MNASDI and etc.

[CHACH]

We just integrated a BC system into a ALC WebCTRL System. We used LinxSpring to convert ASD to BACnet/IP. We took down GCM's. It is very beneficial to have a copy of xpsi to look at BC programs in MZII's, PEM's, ect... There are possibly points that you will need to manipulate to get it to work due to GCM going away. We had to do this a good bit. It was not as bad to do as we thought it was going to be. I would not recomend integration though GCM. If you have a old system that still has old Micro Zone One modules and other modules of the early generation BC I would not bother integration. That system is way out dated. I know we would not do it. When integrating into existing systems we will not integrate with real old systems or systems that have a lot of known issues. Our reputation is not worth it.

We are an ALC Dealer and have a customer with a few buildings with a BC system. They are looking for a solution, how is your system running with the LinxSpring integration. Did you have to become a LinkSpring Dealer or did you use a local rep?

[GChan]

Hi Chach,

You don't have to be a Lynxspring Integrator. You can contact/ Web Search "Infocon-technology" and they will be glad to answer your questions. They are well verse with BC System.

[The_USC_2001]

You could sup out the Linxspring company to do the part of converting the ASD to BACnet MS/TP. We just chose to become a Linxspring partner to help provide a solution for integrating into systems that ALC does not have an integration driver for. We are in no way ever planing to use Linxspring for anything other than a translator to bring stuff into WebCTRL.

Now our BC system we brought in to WebCTRL using a Linxspring JENE is running just fine. The customer has been very happy. They prefer the easier front end system than the old signal system.

One thing for sure, whoever does the Linxspring integration would be better off if they had a little knowledge of using BC XPSI software. I do not see how you can complet the job without using it. I think it is a must you have to look inside the programing of the equipment you are integrating to see how it was put together. XPSI is not the easiest thing to navigate through. Thankfully many years ago I worked for BC and it took a little jogging of the memory but I was able to remember my way around.

We have a Air Fource Base that has a 100 or so buildings that have BC stuff we are taking over. The good thing about that job is a lot of the buildings only have MZII's so on those we are just changing out the MZII cards with the WebZONE cards ALC make for the MZII's. We have used those many times now and they work great. We are only going to ind up integrating with a handful of the buildings.

[CHACH]

Thank you for the reply. One of our engineers came from the BC world and has xpsi and the knowledge of the system. I appreciate your feed back and I hope we get the opportunity to try this with our customer.

[rikenz]

I'm also looking to integrate a GCM86120 ASD bus with a Johnson FX60. Does anyone know if Infocon is still selling the drivers? I looked on their website and it's not listed anymore. Is this still the way to go?

[MM82]

The Infocon Barber Colman ASD driver for PEM, MZII, MNASDi is available.
CSI3 offers a Barber Colman GCM driver.

[rikenz]

Thank you MM82! Do you know if anyone offers a driver for KMC's KMdigital protocol? I have a KMD 5210 but I don't think it has the Bacnet option.

[MM82]

I am not aware of the existence of an AX driver for the KMDigital project

[MM82]

The Barber Colman drivers are available in CA from Controlco

[rikenz]

Thank you!