Honeywell HC900 User Manual

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Operating Characteristics - Introduction 
Revision 5 
  HC900 Hybrid Controller Installation and User Guide 
107 
9/03  
Operating Characteristics 
Introduction 
This section provides insights into system functioning that are useful in configuration, in installation 
/commissioning tasks, and also in normal and abnormal operation.  For related information regarding 
diagnostic indications, how they should be interpreted, and determining appropriate actions, refer to the 
Diagnostics section in this user manual. 
Overview 
The HC900 Controller components begin operation as soon as power is applied, and continue until power is 
removed.  The operation of the system varies according to the following interacting factors: 
• 
Power transitionsPower DOWN / Power UP 
Power DOWN transitions are usually planned and controlled, but in some cases such as power outages, 
are unintended.  To ensure proper operation in either case, the HC900 Controller includes software that 
controls operation at power restoration.  The controller handles a Power-UP transition as one of two 
types: Cold Start or Warm Start 
• 
Operating Modes:  Program (Locked), Program, Offline, Run, and Run (Locked) 
Operating Modes are selected: 
− 
by positioning the (Operating) Mode switch on the Controller Module, and,  
− 
by selecting parameters on displays (operator interface, Hybrid Control Designer). 
In some cases, mode transitions also restart (Cold Start or Warm Start) controller operation.  
• 
Results of diagnostics: in case of system hardware or software fault, the controller automatically alters 
operation as appropriate for the diagnosed conditions.   
Power Down / Power Up 
The HC900 Controller is designed to facilitate restoration of process operation after a power outage.  The 
active control configuration is maintained in battery-backed RAM, and the last configuration update 
performed in the program mode is also stored in Flash memory on the Controller Module.  When power is 
restored, the system automatically enters a diagnostic procedure that checks the integrity of hardware, 
software, and the control database.  Depending on the results of the diagnostic, the controller will execute 
either a Warm Start or a Cold Start. 
Warm Start 
A Warm Start is a restart of the control strategy using dynamic data that is stored in battery backed RAM to 
allow control action to resume exactly as it was before the restart. In the Warm Start procedure 
(flowcharted in the main flow of Figure 52), diagnostic testing proves the integrity of the hardware, 
software, and configuration database resulting in an automatic Warm Start of process control.  Control 
action is resumed exactly as it was before the outage. 
This flowchart also indicates actions that would be taken by the controller in case of fault.  Notice that if 
primary diagnostic testing determines that RAM or firmware is faulty, all process control functions cease, 
and the Status LED (red color) strobes one blink, periodically.  If RAM and firmware tests pass, but the 
database in RAM is faulty, the controller initiates the Cold Start operation.