IEC 61850 -TROUBLESHOOTING

Operations Records (LOG)

The protocol uses a LOG logging system in text file and in Windows event. There are four types of messages: Debug, Info, Warning and Error.

Debug

Messages at a lower level. Used when each process needs to be identified in more detail. Generally used by developers, testers, and integrators.

Info

Important information messages for monitoring the operation of the Communication Module.

Warning

Warning messages, which can be ignored or need to be checked.

Error

Error messages, which cannot be ignored and require immediate attention and correction for the correct functioning of the Communication Module.

Trace Window of the Action.NET

The Action.NET has the trace window, which runs on the server and displays the real-time operations record of each channel and node. It has 4 important columns (Info 1, Info 2, Info 3, and Info 4), which inform the Channel, Node, Point Address, and method executed by the driver.

Windows Event

The Communication Module is configured internally to always record all Warning and Error messages. This rule is independent of the log-level setting defined.

  • The message format consists of: Channel, Node (when any), Point Address (when any), Date/Time, Message Type, Thread, Method, and Message.

Text file

  • The Communication Module will log messages based on the hierarchical level defined in the channel configuration (Manual Session 2).

  • The directory consists of folders for each channel and node that has been initialized. The root is found in: C:\Action.NET\Projects\Logs\Drivers\

  • The directory consists of folders for each channel and node that have been initialized.

  • The text file is created in the format: Log-DIA-MES-ANO.log

  • For example, if you configured the maximum storage of 30 files, each with a maximum size of 35 Megabytes. Each day cycle a file is created if it has not exceeded the maximum size. If, this size is exceeded once. A copy of the file of the day with end .1 will be created and another new file will be created. If the burst repeats itself on the same day. The new file replaces the copy and starts a new file. If not, a new daily file cycle is created. Therefore, each node can store approximately 1076 Megabytes on disk.

  • The message format consists of: Point address (when any), Date/Time, Message Type, Thread, Method, and Message.

Error codes and qualities

Command errors (CO)

Command error codes are read from the lastApplError attribute. The attribute is valid only for command data classes, and its value displays the status of the last command. It is updated when command responses are received from devices. Used per point of Functional Constraint CO.

Code

Cause

Description

Code

Cause

Description

0

UNKNOWN 

Unknown

1

NOT_SUPPORTED 

Not supported

2

BLOCKED_BY_SWITCHING_HIERARCHY 

Not successful, because one of the downstream Loc switches has the value TRUE.

3

SELECT_FAILED 

Canceled due to an unsuccessful selection (select service).

4

INVALID_POSITION 

Control action is aborted due to invalid switch position.

5

POSITION_REACHED 

Switch is already in the intended position.

6

PARAMETER_CHANGE_IN_EXECUTION 

Control action is blocked due to running parameter change.

7

STEP_LIMIT 

Control action is blocked because tap changer has reached the limit EndPosR or EndPosL.

8

BLOCKED_BY_MODE 

Control action is blocked because the LN is in a mode (Mod) which does not allow any switching.

9

BLOCKED_BY_PROCESS 

Control action is blocked due to some external event at process level that prevents a successful operation.

10

BLOCKED_BY_INTERLOCKING 

Control action is blocked due to interlocking of switching devices.

11

BLOCKED_BY_SYNCHROCHECK 

Control action with synchrocheck is aborted due to exceed of time limit and missing synchronism condition.

12

COMMAND_ALREADY_IN_EXECUTION 

Control select or cancel service is rejected because control action is already running.

13

BLOCKED_BY_HEALTH 

Control action is blocked due to some internal event that prevents a successful operation (Health).

14

1_OF_N_CONTROL 

Control action is blocked because another control action in a domain (for example substation) is already running.

15

ABORTION_BY_CANCEL 

Control action is aborted due to cancel service.

16

TIME_LIMIT_OVER 

Control action is terminated due to exceed of some time limit.

17

ABORTION_BY_TRIP 

Control action is aborted due to a trip.

18

OBJECT_NOT_SELECTED 

Control action is rejected because control object was not selected.

19

OBJECT_ALREADY_SELECTED 

Select action is not executed because the addressed object is already selected.

20

NO_ACCESS_AUTHORITY 

Control action is blocked due to lack of access authority.

21

ENDED_WITH_OVERSHOOT 

Control action executed but the end position has overshoot.

22

ABORTION_DUE_TO_DEVIATION 

Control action is aborted due to deviation between the command value and the measured value.

23

ABORTION_BY_COMMUNICATION_LOSS 

Control action is aborted due to the loss of connection with the client that issued the control.

24

ABORTION_BY_COMMAND 

Control action is blocked due to the data attribute CmdBlk.stVal is TRUE.

25

NONE 

Command not successful due to Unknown causes.

26

INCONSISTENT_PARAMETERS 

The parameters between successive control services are not consistent for example the ctlNum of Select and Operate service are different.

27

LOCKED_BY_OTHER_CLIENT 

Another client has already reserved the object.

99

CONTROL_MODEL_STATUS_ONLY

The object is not controllable, only the services that apply to a status object are supported. The attribute ctlVal does not exist.

Qualities

The standard adopted by the Action.NET of the quality table is from Open Platform Communications (OPC). To do this, you use the table below to convert an IEC 61850 quality to an OPC quality code.

61850
Name

OPC
Code

OPC
Name

OPC
Description

61850
Name

OPC
Code

OPC
Name

OPC
Description

Validity Invalid
Detail Overflow

0

Bad
[Non-Specific]

Non-specific. The value is bad but no specific reason is known.

Config Error

4

Bad
[Configuration Error]

Configuration Error. There is some server specific problem with the configuration. For example the item in question has been deleted from the configuration.



8

Bad
[Not Connected]

Not Connected. The input is required to be logically connected to something but is not. This quality may reflect that no value is available at this time, for reasons like the value may have not been provided by the data source.

Detail Failure

12

Bad
[Device Failure]

Device Failure. A device failure has been detected.

Time Quality (Clock Failure / Not Synchronized)

16

Bad
[Sensor Failure]

Sensor Failure. A sensor failure had been detected (the 'Limits' field can provide additional diagnostic information in some situations).



20

Bad
[Last Known Value]

Last Known Value. Communications have failed. However, the last known value is available. Remark: The 'age' of the value may be determined from the TIMESTAMP in the OPCITEMSTATE.



24

Bad
[Communication Failure]

Comm Failure. Communications have failed. There is no last known value is available.



28

Bad
[Out of Service]

Out of Service. The block is off scan or otherwise locked. This quality is also used when the active state of the item or the group containing the item is InActive.



32

Bad
[Waiting For Initial Data]

Waiting for Initial Data. After Items are added to a group, it may take some time for the server to actually obtain values for these items. In such cases the client might perform a read (from cache), or establish a ConnectionPoint based subscription and/or run a Refresh on such a subscription before the values are available. This substatus is only available from OPC DA 3.0 or newer servers.

Validity Questionable

64

Uncertain
[Non-Specific]

Non-specific. There is no specific reason why the value is uncertain.

Detail Old Data
Operator Blocked

68

Uncertain
[Last Usable]

Last Usable Value. Whatever was writing this value has stopped doing so. The returned value should be regarded as 'stale'. Remark: This differs from a BAD value with Substatus 5 (Last Known Value). That status is associated specifically with a detectable communications error on a 'fetched' value. This error is associated with the failure of some external source to 'put' something into the value within an acceptable period of time. Remark: The 'age' of the value can be determined from the TIMESTAMP in OPCITEMSTATE.

Detail Out of Range
Detail Bad Reference
Detail Oscillatory
Detail Inconsistent
Detail Inaccurate

80

Uncertain
[Sensor Not Accurate]

Sensor Not Accurate. Either the value has 'pegged' at one of the sensor limits (in which case the limit field should be set to 1 or 2) or the sensor is otherwise known to be out of calibration via some form of internal diagnostics (in which case the limit field should be 0).



84

Uncertain
[EU Exceeded]

Exceeded Engineering Units. The returned value is outside the limits defined for this parameter. Remark: In this case (per the Fieldbus Specification) the 'Limits' field indicates which limit has been exceeded but does not necessarily imply that the value cannot move farther out of range.



88

Uncertain
[Sub-Normal]

Sub-Normal. The value is derived from multiple sources and has less than the required number of good sources.

Validity Good
Validity Test

192

Good
[Non-Specific]

Non-specific. The value is good. There are no special conditions.

Source Substituted

216

Good
[Local Override]

Local Override. The value has been Overridden. Typically this is means the input has been disconnected and a manually entered value has been 'forced'.

Communication failure

When the communication module establishes a connection to the equipment and there is a communication failure between them. The quality of the points will be updated to the 24, which corresponds to the OPC Bad [Communication Failure] code. The value and date/time of the points will not change. If the driver has never established a communication with the equipment, this will not be considered as a communication failure that changes the quality value of the points.

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