Overview
The eGauge meter can provide data via BACnet IP and BACnet MS/TP (only available on EG4xxx meters). The BACnet service is disabled by default and may be enabled by following the steps in this article.
Prerequisites
Before beginning, follow up with the administrator who manages the BAS and local network at the installation site to get the correct settings. To correctly configure a meter to integrate with an existing system you will need:
- A unique BACnet ID for the eGauge
- The protocol used by the existing BAS
- Serial settings if using MS/TP communication
- The eGauge needs to be on the same LAN as the existing BAS and should be allowed to communicate via the chosen protocol for BIP or Ethernet options.
Instructions
Step 1: Access the BACnet Settings page by clicking Setup → Other Settings, then BACnet from the list to the left.
Step 2: Check the ‘Enable BACnet support’ option shown above and fill in the rest of the settings to be compatible with the existing BAS according to the chart below.
| Option | Description |
| Enable BACnet support | Enables the BACnet service on the meter. Disabled by default. |
| BACnet device id unique to this device | Each BACnet capable device needs to have a unique device instance number, which can be any number between 0 and 4,194,303. |
| Protocol to use for BACnet datalink |
|
| BACnet/IP port | The BACnet IP port is defined as UDP 47808, but may be changed if required here (only applies to BACnet IP). |
| MS/TP serial device | If BACnet MS/TP is chosen, click inside the input box to display any USB485 converters connected to the eGauge USB ports. Baud, Parity and Stop Bits may also be configured (these must match the BACnet controller that requests data from the meter). |
| MS/TP MAC address | The MS/TP MAC address used by eGauge. Every BACnet device on an MS/TP bus requires a unique MAC address. eGauge acts as a master so its address is limited from 0 to 127. For best performance, MS/TP MAC addresses should be assigned consecutively starting at zero. For example, if there are three MS/TP devices, MAC addresses 0, 1, and 2 would yield the best performance. |
| MS/TP max. MAC address used by any master | This should be set to the maximum MS/TP MAC address that is in use. 127 is a safe value, but for best performance, it is recommended to set this to the lowest possible value instead. For example, if there are three MS/TP devices with MAC addresses 0, 1, and 2, this value should be set to 2 on all three devices. |
| Report cumulative values relative to start of recording | This should generally be enabled and is for backwards-compatibility. Enabling ensures the meters first meter reading is 0, otherwise it may be an arbitrary value. |
| Energy unit | May be set in either watt-seconds (Joules) or kWh |
Step 3: Save the changes to the settings by clicking Save at the bottom of the page.
Step 4: The eGauge and available BACnet points should now be discoverable by the BAS software.
Troubleshooting and Tips
-
Issue: The eGauge is not visible to the BAS
- Solution: Verify the settings provided with the network administrator.