Trane Tracer Summit BMTW BCU Problem

[apprentice3]

I had a customer call me today in regards to a BMTW BCU that has been having some problems. They had a power outage over the weekend, and the BCU is now showing a 8 on the little screen. In the past this alarm code cleared with a power cycle. Well not this time. This description of this code mentions the processor is in reset or no functioning software. I have heard that typically replacing the capacity module takes care of this issue? Are those capacity modules still available? Is there anything special I need to do when installing the new capacity card? I have a backup of the site. So I can download everything as needed. I have just read through some things about dip switches, etc. I just want to make sure I know the process. Personally I have never had to load everything back into a BCU. All of the sites I have worked on have been up and running. I assume I will be prompted to download when I synchronize up with the BCU with no program?

Thanks for the help!

[apprentice3]

I just got a new standard capacity card for this BCU. After I get this card installed, and connect the Tracer Summit workstation will it prompt me to restore/download the latest backup? I have never had to install one of these cards, and reload a BCU before. So I was just curious about the process.

Thanks for the help!


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[apprentice3]

I got the new standard capacity card installed in the BCU, and the code 8 went away. The BCU is displaying a -P, and is waiting for a program. I have the backup loaded on the customer's workstation, and my own laptop. From everything that I have read, it seems like a connected workstation should automatically download the database into a BCU that is addressed the same as the BCU in the database. I have tried forcing connection multiple times, and the workstation won't connect to the BCU, and download the database. I was reading through the programming manual, and it mentions changing some dip switches in order to put the BCU into a mode to accept a new database. I have done that, and the workstation still doesn't connect, and download the database. I am missing something here? Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

I just got a new standard capacity card for this BCU. After I get this card installed, and connect the Tracer Summit workstation will it prompt me to restore/download the latest backup? I have never had to install one of these cards, and reload a BCU before. So I was just curious about the process.

Thanks for the help!


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[roadgear16]

Check to make sure that your connection method is still good. Can you connect hyperterminal or putty (mini-monitor port). It might be setup for Ethernet.

Also, try a cross over cable. The older isa cards required a crossover cable to direct connect. Once you get connected, the BCU will pull in the active site that you have open as long as the device ID matches, so make sure that you have the correct site selected before trying to connect.

[apprentice3]

Check to make sure that your connection method is still good. Can you connect hyperterminal or putty (mini-monitor port). It might be setup for Ethernet.

Also, try a cross over cable. The older isa cards required a crossover cable to direct connect. Once you get connected, the BCU will pull in the active site that you have open as long as the device ID matches, so make sure that you have the correct site selected before trying to connect.

Thanks for the reply. That is exactly what I ended up doing. I connected to the mini monitor port using BCU config, and found that it was configured for BBMD. The customer bought the new capacity card off eBay, but even though it was marked as NEW. I think it was used, because it already had a program on it when I booted up the BCU. This site connected to the BCU over Ethernet, and no matter what I did it wouldn’t connect. Once I connected to the mini monitor like you stated, I found that it had a static IP address and was configured for BBMD. Once I got that removed, and connected the site everything went through.

I do have another question though. If I want to take the BCU image up to the latest version, can that be done by setting all of the dip switches to ON or performing a full BCU reset where I clear the code/database? I assume to update the image, I just need to configure the latest image in the site configuration, and have the site automatically download it to the BCU by either using the dip switches or the full BCU reset to clear everything?

Thanks again for your reply.


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[roadgear16]

When you’re connected to the BCU, wait until you get a database sync. In the system tray, double click the summit icon and a window will pop up. When the database sync says yes, close the window.

Go to site config, in the first tab that opens, change the BCU image via the drop down box. A note will pop up saying that existing devices need to be reset.

Close site config, go to BCU reset/restore. Choose clear code, database, ram, and reset. It will then do the same thing as you manually changing all of the dip switches. It takes a few minutes. The BCU will do an EC, the a -c, then cd, then it will restart (if I remember right). After that, it will sit at -p, at that point you can just sit tight, or you can manually initiate a connection again. Then it will do a pd (depending on the size of the database), and go to the “dancing dash”.

I always wait until I have a database sync before making any major changes to avoid corrupting the database.

[apprentice3]

That all makes sense. Thanks again for your replies!


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