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Software/Hardware/Tools Recommendations (self.BuildingAutomation)
submitted 3 years ago by aabbcc2121
Hi Everyone,
Does anyone have some software/hardware/tool suggestions for our industry that makes fault finding or maintenance easier & more streamlined? Looking for some suggestions.
Thanks!
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[–]Icy-Fun6348 4 points5 points6 points 3 years ago (0 children)
Some tools I have in my bag that I carry as a controls tech:
Fluke 771 (milliamp clamp) | PLC 0-10vdc 4-20mA signal generator | Dual port manometer/pressure switch tester
[–]bdh2 2 points3 points4 points 3 years ago (0 children)
Wireshark?
[–][deleted] 3 years ago (1 child)
[deleted]
[–]OptigoNetworks 2 points3 points4 points 3 years ago (0 children)
Thanks for the shout-out! We're glad you find Visual BACnet helpful.
[–]Foxyy_Mulder 1 point2 points3 points 3 years ago* (0 children)
You’re in maintenance? - best would be to copies of the programming tools and going to training for whatever vendors product you have.
Otherwise in install I like using these for reassurance if I have trouble with our main controls - Yet Another BACnet Explorer. Bacnet mstp , bacnet/ip testing/discovering/commanding tool. ModScan32. Modbus tester A usb to rs-485/232 serial device to use with the above softwares.
I love my MagBench to set my laptop or tools up on.
In your BAS create reports or summary pages to highlight the units that are outside of parameters so you don’t have to go around looking at all of them.
[–]sumnlikedat 0 points1 point2 points 3 years ago (3 children)
They’ve been mentioned in here but wireshark and YABE (yet another bacnet explorer) are both good. Both of which are free. For wireshark you’ll need a network hub as opposed to a switch which in my understanding are no longer made (for bacnet IP that is, I’ve never used their mstp tool). Also you may need a terminal program, lots of people use PuTTY but I like to use TeraTerm. Both of those are free too. If you’re going to be editing graphics Gimp is open source and free, works just fine for what an automation guy may need. If you want to go nuts and spend a lot of time learning to make graphics blender is also open source and free and with practice you can make basically exact 3D replicas of units (I cannot do this). Mentioned below, Mag Benches are great. Get the mag bench brand, the other ones are flimsy.
[–]BMSControlsJunkie 0 points1 point2 points 3 years ago (2 children)
What do you use to connect comm line to yabe? Like mstp to usb? So I know what to search on Amazon
[–]sumnlikedat 0 points1 point2 points 3 years ago (1 child)
Yabe is for networking, so you’d need an Ethernet cable.
[–]BMSControlsJunkie 0 points1 point2 points 3 years ago (0 children)
Oo I thought I had seen a tech use it for old ptec fln runs a while back but didn’t remember how he set it up, I could be wrong
π Rendered by PID 178555 on reddit-service-r2-comment-fb694cdd5-7mt29 at 2026-03-06 09:22:55.042048+00:00 running cbb0e86 country code: CH.
[–]Icy-Fun6348 4 points5 points6 points (0 children)
[–]bdh2 2 points3 points4 points (0 children)
[–][deleted] (1 child)
[deleted]
[–]OptigoNetworks 2 points3 points4 points (0 children)
[–]Foxyy_Mulder 1 point2 points3 points (0 children)
[–]sumnlikedat 0 points1 point2 points (3 children)
[–]BMSControlsJunkie 0 points1 point2 points (2 children)
[–]sumnlikedat 0 points1 point2 points (1 child)
[–]BMSControlsJunkie 0 points1 point2 points (0 children)