Q. How many devices each IEC 61850 driver can have? Is there a limit?
A. We recommend that no more than 25 devices be used per driver.
Q. How can I use .ICD and .SCD files in this driver?
A. These files can be imported to create the driver’s internal cache files, which are used to create tags and to initialize communication more quickly. These cache files can also be created via direct communication, with no need for importing files.
To use these files, follow these procedures:
a) Access the driver’s configuration window (right-click the driver, Settings… option).
b) On IEC61850 Device Config tab, click Browse SCL Files button.
c) A window will open; on it, select the file (.ICD or .SCD) and click Open.
d) The relays in the driver will be set up automatically, and you will only need to import the desired tag structure via TagBrowser from OffLine folder.
Q. Why isn’t the relay’s IP address set up automatically when using .ICD files?
A. This file could be a .CID file whose format has been changed to .ICD. CID files do not have any information on the relay’s IP address.
Q. Why are online tag import (TagBrowser) and communication not working, and neither is the tags structure/list being displayed in the import folder?
A. To work around this situation, you must first check the configuration of all parameters (IP, PSel, SSel, TSel, Rem AP ID, and Rem AE Qual) on IEC61850 Device Config tab. Then, make sure Disable checkbox is unchecked.
Note: You must also check if the device answers to ping messages.
Q. Why is communication only working in Studio?
A. This happens whenever E3 runs in DEMO mode, which does not allow testing the driver at runtime.
Q. Why is communication not working, even though the driver has been set up via .ICD or .SCD files, and its tags have been imported online?
A. It may be possible that the variables in the DataSets (Reports) are not set up, and/or Report ID is not properly configured in the relay.
To confirm this information, enable Poll Tags not Found in any Report option (which causes the driver to periodically retrieve from the device the values of the tags that are set up in it) on IEC61850 General tab, and then communicate again. Tags que permanecem em azul indicam a falta de configuração correta dos Reports no equipamento.
Note: The correct set up is DataSets read.
Q. How can I disable a relay at runtime?
A. To do so, you just need to access Disable parameter (found on IEC61850 Device Config tab at the configuration window) via: IEC61850.Device[%u].Disable, where “%u” is the number of the device on the list.
Examples of scripts that disable the device:
‘Driver Configuration Parameters
DIM arr(1)
‘Offline
Write -1, 0, 0, 4, 0
‘Disables the Device
arr(1) = Array(“IEC61850.Device[%u].Disable”, True)
Write -1, 0, 0, 3, arr
‘Online
Write -1, 0, 0, 4, 1
Q. Why can’t I access the oscillograph data on relays, and instead it returns this error message in the log: “Error on GetFile Osc36.cfg“?
A. This happens due to issues of data access privileges from the devices.
Q. Why does the device receive only one of OPEN / CLOSE commands?
A. This could happen due to INTERLOCK and SYNCHROCHECK bits (from Check Before Operate), which by default are enabled in the driver. With OPEN command, the relay does not need to satisfy the CBO, but with CLOSE command it does. Therefore, if the command requires that these conditions be satisfied and then the relay understands it won’t be able to do so, the command is aborted.
To fix this, there are two types of settings: for simple tags and for block tags, as seen below:
a) Simple tag: Check the option Use Cmd Tag N1 as check condition and leave command tag’s N1 parameter as 0 (that is, the value of both bits remains 0); once it is done, check whether the command is executed. Then, set up N1=3 (that is, both bits are enabled) and see if this issue returns.
b) I/O blocks: Check Before Operate is set up at the block’s Check element.
Q. Why can’t I send commands to the devices, and yet tag status information is displayed correctly?
A. This probably happens due to the fact the relay is set up to be operated only locally. To confirm such information, you must access the driver’s configuration window (right-click the diver, then go to Configuration), click on IEC61850 General tab, and select App Category-Bay. Therefore, the driver will send the command as a local station.
