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Building Controls
Insights, strategies, and field-proven techniques for mastering building control systems, from BACnet and Modbus protocols to integration, troubleshooting, and advanced automation. Stay ahead with expert tips that make your systems smarter, more reliable, and energy-efficient.
SharkTap vs. Switch Mirror: The Network Tap That Finally Shows the Truth
Switch mirrors skip truths. A network tap like SharkTap shows both sides of BACnet/IP, preserving timing and packets so you can fix problems fast.
Alex Khachaturian
Nov 126 min read
BACnet Max Master: If You Don’t Know, Now You Know
Tighten BACnet Max Master to the highest live MAC + buffer. Cut PFM roll-calls, shrink token rotation, and make MS/TP feel instant.
Alex Khachaturian
Nov 107 min read
RS-485 Line Bias & Termination: The 15-Minute Health Check Every Tech Should Do
A 15-minute meter check to verify RS-485 line bias, termination, and Shield reference, so you stop ghost drops and fix comms with physics, not guesses.
Alex Khachaturian
Nov 37 min read
The Best $20 Investment I Ever Made in: USB to RS-485 Adapter
The best $20 in BAS? A USB-to-RS-485 adapter. Tap MS/TP & Modbus, see the token, catch the culprit, and prove the fix, fast.
Alex Khachaturian
Oct 299 min read
Wireshark Basics for BAS Techs: 7 Filters That Solve 80% of Problems
Seven copy-paste Wireshark filters, clean capture setups, and RS-485 wiring tips that solve 80% of BACnet/IP and MS/TP problems, fast.
Alex Khachaturian
Oct 227 min read
When “Hand-Off-Auto” Isn’t Really Auto: Hidden Override Traps
“Auto” lies when something upstream has control. Find hidden overrides, VFD Local, bypass, safeties, priority arrays, and fix RS-485 noise that mimics overrides.
Alex Khachaturian
Oct 2010 min read
Thermal Cameras Don’t Lie: The Fastest Way to Catch Hidden BAS Failures
Thermal cameras expose BAS failures you’d never catch otherwise, leaks, overheating relays, airflow issues. Here’s how to use them.
Alex Khachaturian
Oct 154 min read
The Most Overlooked Tool in BAS? Your Graphics: If They Don’t Match the Field, You’ve Got a Cartoon
A mismatched BAS graphic isn’t just ugly, it’s a cartoon. Here’s how to make graphics match reality and build operator trust.
Alex Khachaturian
Oct 84 min read
BAS Communication Wires: The Tool You Didn’t Know You Needed
Most BAS failures hide in comm wires. Learn how a PicoScope reveals noise, shorts, and signal loss, saving hours of troubleshooting.
Alex Khachaturian
Oct 15 min read
The Digital Tools Every BAS Tech Should Have on Their Laptop
The essential BAS digital tools every tech should carry: Wireshark, Yabe, Nmap, Greenshot, and more to troubleshoot faster and prove results
Alex Khachaturian
Sep 247 min read
BAS Technician Survival Kit: 10 Must-Have Tools
A compact, field-tested BAS Technician Survival Kit: the 10 tools that solve 80% of calls, faster, safer, and with fewer callbacks.
Alex Khachaturian
Sep 177 min read
BAS Time Sync: Stop Clock Drift Wrecking Your System
Your BAS isn’t moody, your clocks are. Unify BAS time sync so schedules hit, trends align, and alarms become evidence, not guesswork.
Alex Khachaturian
Sep 89 min read
Autumn Economizer Tune-Up: Catch the Lies Before Heat Season
Your economizer is lying to you this month. Here’s the 30-minute autumn tune-up to fix sensors, mechanics, and logic, before heating season burns your budget.
Alex Khachaturian
Sep 16 min read
Why Bad BAS Graphics Are Quietly Killing Your Productivity
Bad BAS graphics cost time, money, and trust. Use this operator-first design playbook to simplify screens, speed troubleshooting, and cut call volume.
Alex Khachaturian
Aug 237 min read
The Forgotten Schedules Bleeding Your Energy Budget
Forgotten BAS schedules drain budgets year after year. Learn how to audit and fix run times in under an hour for instant savings.
Alex Khachaturian
Aug 235 min read
The Hidden Power of Default Setpoints: How Stuck Sensors Quietly Wreck Your BAS
The most dangerous number in your BAS is the one that looks normal. Learn how default setpoints and sensor fallbacks hide in plain sight and how to catch them fast.
Alex Khachaturian
Aug 2311 min read
The BACnet Mistakes Costing You Thousands (And How to Fix Them in Under an Hour)
Your system isn’t broken; it’s mis-configured. Fix the BACnet mistakes that cost you thousands, priority arrays, poll/COV, duplicate IDs, MS/TP timing, alarms, and trends, in under an hour.
Alex Khachaturian
Jul 1910 min read
The Secret Language of BAS Point Naming
Your BAS isn’t broken, its language is. Use this practical standard for BAS point naming to speed troubleshooting, clean up alarms/trends, and make your system analytics-ready.
Alex Khachaturian
Jul 99 min read
Every BAS Looks Different, Until You See the Pattern
The platforms change, but the core concepts stay the same. And once you understand that, you stop getting intimidated by new systems. You start solving them.
Alex Khachaturian
Jul 72 min read
Your Alarm Console Isn’t Broken, You’re Just Not Using It Right: Alarm Console Optimization
if your system is firing off an alert every five minutes, your first instinct is to mute it, not fix it. That’s not just annoying, that’s dangerous.
Alex Khachaturian
Jun 303 min read
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