ULT 7.030 & 7.033 (Beta)

[ident]

Firmware 7.030 Beta is available for testing. Firmware ULT 7.030 can be can be downloaded from https://www.cytech.biz/product_details.php?item_id=210

• Implemented Status > Outputs for BS8243 including Confirmed and Unconfirmed alarms, Panic, Inhibit, Set/Unset, Tamper. These assigned outputs are automatically turned on and off according to BS8243 for use in Redcare monitored systems
• Implemented Serial Number function for Comfort and other UCMs with firmware 7.020 and above
• Implemented compare of  IVS info in flash memory and in DSP so that KP * 1 will not start if the compare is wrong and keep repeating if IVS or flash is corrupted
• Disabled flashing of RED/GREEN OUTPUTS in status > Outputs when there is trouble or alarm to reduce output commands on the Comfort Bus
• Implemented Soft EOL, Triple EOL settings for zones. Need Comfigurator 3.6.8 but feature will be enabled in future

This firmware introduces  direct support for BS8243:2010  \"Installation and configuration of intruder and hold-up alarm systems designed to generate confirmed alarm conditions –Code of practice\" (formerly DD243) 
Outputs can be assigned to be turned on and off based on the alarm conditions. The outputs are meant to be connected to a Redcare STU for alarm monitoring.

These are;

• Unconfirmed Alarm
• Confirmed Alarm
• Set/Unset
• Inhibit zones
• Tamper
• Fire
• Telephone Line Cut

For example \"Uncomfirmed Alarm\" means the assigned output is turned on when an Unconfirmed alarm is active as defined by BS8243. This means that an alarm has occured which has not been confirmed by a second sequential zone activation.

A \"Confirmed alarm\" is an alarm which has been confirmed by a subsequent zone activation within the Alert Time (which is determined by Modules & Settings > Misc Settings > Alert Time. The alert time (callled \"Confirmation time\" in BS8243) must be from 30 to 60 minutes.
This confirmation feature does not reply on Alert and Perimeter zones.

The screenshot below shows where the outputs are assigned, in Security > Status Outputs




Comfigurator 3.6.8 is required for this new feature, which can be downloaded from https://www.cytech.biz/comfigurator.html
To enable this feature in Comfigurator go to File > Update Defaults to download new configuration files into Comfigurator. Then close and open Comfigurator again to see the above screen with the security outputs.




Known Bugs
A Flashing output on a Slave cannot be turned off by an Output On or off command. Only Reset all outputs command can reset the output. Outputs 1 to 16 on the Maiin Comfort board are not affected by this bug

[gaynorc]

What are \"Soft EOL\" and \"Triple EOL\" settings for zones?
Thanks

[ident]

Oh, these settings were not meant to be seen at this time. I dont know how it leaked. They are future features for Comfort

The zone shunts (selecting \"No EOL\" and \"Double EOL\") in future will be removed.
Instead each zone will have the selection (EOL Shunts/No EOL/ Double EOL/ Triple EOL)
EOL Shunts means the current situation where the zone shunt determine EOL.
No EOL means the zone does not need EOL resistors
Double EOL means the zone needs 2 EOL resistors (2k2 and 4k7 as usual)
Triple EOL is a new setting meant for masked detectors

Getting rid of the shunts means there will be no problem with shunts falling off or losing contact, also saving space on the board. It will allow the terminal blocks to be removed more easily since the shunts will not obstruct your fingers

[gaynorc]

Thanks for the explanation.

On a topic related to the resistance which each zone presents to comfort, is there a method of querying the actual resistance of a zone?

I ask this for a practical reason. As part of the preventative maintenance of an alarm system, security firms in this country measure with a meter the resistance of each zone in an attempt to detect zones where wiring or sensors are deteriorating. With 60 zones, I am not keen on any such intervention. If the resistance could be measured directly from Comfort, or some proxy for a deteriorating circuit could be queried, that would be a benefit for maintenance.

[ident]

You may be able to do some measurement on the zones connected to the Comfort and Slaves (which are analog inputs), but not on the LEMs

The A?zz command where zz is the zone number in Hex returns the value of the voltage on the zone terminals
eg in Monitor I/O screen

> A?08
< A?0860

the reply A?0860 means the analog value at zone 8 is 96 compared to ful scale of 255 (FF)
For a double eol zone, the nominal values are
Zone Open circuit    > C0 hex
Zone Open              A0 hex
Zone Closed            60 hex
Zone short circuit    <60 hex

as the wire resistance increases the zone values would increase so this could be used to determine the \"health\" of the zone wiring

This method cannot be used for LEMs as mentioned

[gaynorc]

Thank you for this information, very useful as the potential difference is (as you say) related to the resistance on the circuit. I have checked the status of each zone using the A? command in the comfigurator UCM I/O window, and I have a question to ask and an observation to make.

1) I can get readings on Comfort and Slaves (Zones 1-8; 17-24; 33-40; 49-56) with all hex results in 63-65 range, so this is useful to check on the health of these zones. However, you said that the LEMs cannot be read in this way (not analogue?). I have found that for the four LEMs involved (32 zones) they do give a reading (60). In one case however (window sensor) it gave a 70. When I investigated the sensor a bit it came back to 60. Question: Are the LEMs reporting a level (in increments of 10?) to Comfort and if so how does each relate to the analogue scale? If they are reporting on some scale or other, even the LEMs could be interrogated for zone wiring health.

2) In Comfigurator in the Zone/Inputs window if \"module status\" is set to \"on\", normally the on/off indication for each zone is reported. I see that when I interrogated Comfort with the A? command for each zone, the decimal value of the zone replaced the \"On/Off\" indication (e.g. \"off\" is replaced by \"101\"). This is very useful, but it also suggests that Comfigurator could be used to monitor/report zone health. Once I understand the LEM behaviour more, I will make some suggestions.

Thanks

[ident]

The LEM is only able to report 4 values 20, 60, A0, E0 hex values , it should not give 70 at any time. Please check again

It should be possible for Comfigurator to monitor the zone health, perhaps we wil introduce it in a later version

[gaynorc]

I checked Zone 31 (Hex 1F) several times and on each time received the 70 response. At the same time the \"module status\" in comfigurator reported 112 (the decimal equivalent of hex 70), so I am certain about that reading.

As I explained in my previous post above, I then investigated the sensor on that zone (an inertia sensor)and activated it several times. The reading then returned to hex 60, decimal 96 under \"module status\", where it now stands. I will check this from time to time and copy the I/O message stream to you if I encounter values other than the four you mention.

[slychiu]

We do not see that
Can you send a screen capture?

[ident]

ULT 7.033 (Beta)

1. For BS8243 security outputs, disarm  clears tamper alarm output when all tampers cleared, instead of when tamper input  is restored  . This means that if sem has comms failure when armed cause tamper alarm, and is restored, disarm will clear the tamper
2. fix BUG scan u? for all KP always reply KL (from 7.015)
   
3. Improve handling of u? Reply to prevent false u?000000 reply
4. Fixed bug inGSM control status query did not send reply initial \"4\" before control group and control key. Counter status will send On if 255, Off if 0.