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Daylight Savings when connected via UltraSync for ChallengerPlus and Discovery

  • Updated

Introduction

This article covers the configuration of ChallengerPlus and Discovery panels for the correct Daylight Savings time changes, when connected to UltraSync in NON-Provisioned mode (ie not added into the UltraSync Portal in Provisioned Mode).

In the sections below, this article covers both:

  • How to set the panel's location / time zone correctly when initially setting up a panel
  • How to correct issues when a panel is not getting Daylight Savings time changes

 

Background

When added in Provisioned mode via the UltrSync Portal, the location and time zone is set from the Portal, as and such, Daylight Savings time changes are managed via synchronisation from the UltraSync servers.

However, when a panel is connected to UltraSync in Non-Provisioned mode, this location / time zone cannot be set from the UltraSync Portal.  So, it is essential that the panel be configured correctly to ensure it's location / time zone is known for the UltraSync servers to sync time correctly to it.

This article explains how to achieve that.

 

ChallengerPlus panels:  Note that for ChallengerPlus panels, this can only be set using CTPlus.  For this see the sections further below.

Discovery panels:  This can be set using either the Web Interface (for firmware versions 2.0 onward) or CTPlus

 

Discovery panels - setting via the Web interface

For a Discovery panel, this can be set using the Web interface.

These steps are as follows:

  1. Using the Web interface, go to "Install menu" > "Communications" > "UltraSync", and UN-tick "Enable UltraSync", and press "Save all" to disable UltraSync first.

  2. Then go to "Install menu" > "More settings" > "System options" - and then scroll down to "Time zone".  Here you can select the Time zone / locale for the panel, and then press "Save all".  Once you have scrolled down, the option will look like this:

  3. If your site also has Daylight Savings, now also go to "Time management" > "Clock correction & DST", and set the Start and End daylights savings values correctly for the location, and then press "Save all".  (Note that you shouldn't need to adjust the "Clock correction(sec/day)" from zero, unless you are specifically adjusting for any panel internal clock inaccuracy (often called clock creep)".
  4. Now go back to "Install menu" > "Communications" > "UltraSync", and UN-tick "Enable UltraSync", and press "Save all" to enable UltraSync again.

This will have now set the panel locale, and any Daylight savings settings correctly for panel use on UltraSync in Non-provisioned mode.

 

 

Discovery and ChallengerPlus panels via CTPlus:

The following two sections describe how to perform this using CTPlus.

 

How to set the panel's location / time zone correctly when initially setting up a panel using CTPlus

When a panel is first created in CTPlus, it is important to set the Time zone field correctly in the window shown below, as this is what will ensure that the panel gets the correct Time zone settings.

You should also then set the Daylight Savings settings by going to Panel programming > Panel options > Clock correction and DST - as shown in the screenshot below:

Note that you should not fill anything out in the "Clock correction (sec/day)" field, as this is to correct for any slow clock creep if the system is NOT connected to UltraSync, and you notice a clock creep over a period.  That is the only scenario that you would set this. However, the Daylight savings settings above that on this form will automatically apply the 1-hour Daylight savings offset.

 

How to correct issues using CTPlus, when a panel is not getting Daylight Savings time changes

If you have a panel connected to Ultrasync in Non-provisioned mode, not receiving the Daylight Savings update correctly, then the following should be done for the site to resolve the issue:
 
1. Ensure that in CTPlus, under Connections, and editing the panel connection, on the "Definition" tab, the "Time zone" field is set correctly for each affected panel:
 

 
2.  If this is set correctly, and the panel is still having issues, they may need to try the following:
 
NOTE: you will need a connection to the panel via USB or Ethernet for this step as it requires disabling Ultrasync briefly.

  • Go to Panel programming > Communications > Ultrasync options and disable Ultrasync by unticking the "Enable Ultrasync" tick box at the top.

  • Now go to Panel programming > Panel options > Clock correction and DST, and fill out the correct start and end of daylight savings day/months.  You do not need to set anything in the Clock correction field, as that is only for when time syncing is not occurring.  (You do not need to put any value in the "Clock correction (sec/day)" field, as this is only for adjusting any observed clock creep when not connected via UltraSync).

  • Now go back to Panel programming > Communications > Ultrasync options and re-enable Ultrasync by ticking the "Enable Ultrasync" tick box at the top.

 
This should ensure that the correct Daylight Savings dates are now stored in the panel and should avoid future Daylight Savings applying issues.

 

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