Upload CBus and make changes

Hi all. I have a CBus system installed in my home and would like to make changes to it. Basically I home built my house 18 years ago and had an electrician install all of the equipment. I attended a CBus course because I could not find anyone to program it. I programmed it myself and understood enough to make it a good reliable system. Fast forward 18 years and I now have LED lights in the house. I was advised to set the max lighting level to 90% to save the halogen lights lifespan. This did a good job but now I have LED, I want to put them back to 100%, and make a few other changes. Basically my problem is that I no longer have the computer or a copy of the original file. I want to be able to upload the system on to a pc and make these changes. Previously I communicated with the system via a 9 pin serial port, connected to a USB - serial adaptor cable. As it was 18 years ago I will be starting from scratch and guess it will all come back to me once I start using it again. I still have the serial - USB lead. I also need to know what software I should install. Please help me start off on the right foot.

 

The software is called C-Bus Toolkit.
See in the forum a section for it.
If you have your original training material most of of is still relevant.
As you have no Database when you scan the network you will only get Group Address numbers which you can edit to real names (Tag)
To edit the Tags start with the output units turn on the channel, then edit the name..
Your usb serial converter should be OK

 

What sort of control interface do you have...
B/W or color touch screen, Wiser...
Give model numbers for clarity please.
If any of the above you will need PICED to do the programming and maybe Toolkit as well.

 

Thanks mate. I appreciate your help. When I get a spare day I'll give it a go. You may be hearing back from me.

 

Hi. Thanks for your reply. It is a monochrome touch panel. i am unsure of the model# but here is a picture along with the PC interface

 

Great, looks like you have a CTL2 B/W with logic based on the GUI PICED software, this is what you need to do the programming in. It allows very complex logic code or basic switch functions, Toolkit can also do this at a device level.

 

Hi am trying to access my CBus network through CNI and Wiser MK1 . Have tried to use Toolkit with laptop connected to one of the wiser LAN ports but toolkit cannot find any CBus networks .

the CNI has orange CBus light blinking and is connected to the CBus network.

The Wiser unit is connected via wired Ethernet on my home network and WAN port on the Wiser. CNI is connected via cat 5 cable to LAN port on wiser

grateful for any tips as to why I’m unable to scan the CBus network would be appreciated

 

if you dont have any project files it may be easier to add a project in toolkit - add a network, configure it to point to the wiser ip address then open network then transfer all from network to database? those Mk1 wiser came out over 15 years ago and to be honest if its still working that is great. they used to get old and overheat- which could be another problem you might have power cycle the wiser and cni

 

I don’t have any project files and can’t even ping the IP address, suggested in the manual of 192.168.2.1 My home IP addresses are all 192.168.1.xxx I have everything going through a UniFi router and have set the switch on Wiser to AP

When I add a network I assume you mean through toolkit ?

 

The wiser would not be at its default IP address it was probably set to static to the subnet range of the old owners network - so try on common subnets like Telstra modems of the day 10.0.0.xxx or the like of common optusnet etc. but you may need some IP tools to find the device - in toolkit you could try to search for networks through th ribbon bar at the top and select scan for network interfaces. it might jump subnets on a scan? not sure. also on the old original wiser sometimes the lan/wan bridging bar on the back fails so the CNI and wiser cant see each other