How to Track Trends in Niagara 4: Easy Step-by-Step Guide

Working with building systems like air conditioning, lighting, or energy management, you’ll quickly learn that keeping track of data is important. Data helps you spot problems early, save energy, and keep everyone comfortable. Niagara 4 is a popular tool for managing building controls, and it’s especially good at collecting and showing you this kind of data over time, also called “trending.”

But if you’re new to Niagara 4, setting up trends might seem confusing. Maybe you want to keep an eye on temperature or how much energy a pump is using, but you’re not sure how to start. This guide will walk you through how to track a trend in Niagara 4 in simple steps that anyone can follow.

Why Should You Track Trends in Niagara 4?

If you want to manage your building well, tracking trends is a must. Here’s why:

• Troubleshooting: If something breaks, like a heating unit, checking the data log can reveal what was happening just before the problem occurred. That helps you fix it faster.
• Saving Energy: If lights stay on when a room is empty or the AC runs at night, trending data will show it. You can adjust settings to save money.
• Improving Performance: Want to know if your new equipment is working better than the old one? Compare the numbers over time.
• Maintenance: The more data you have, the easier it is to see when something is starting to go wrong, like a fan motor heating up before it fails.

Trend Basics: What’s a “History” and a “Trend”?

Before you get started, it’s helpful to know what these words mean in Niagara 4:

• History Extension: This is like turning on a recorder for any device you want to watch, for example, a temperature sensor. It tells Niagara 4 to save the values at certain times or when something changes.
• History Chart: This is the graph or chart you look at to actually see the data you’re collecting. You can compare different values and see how things have changed over hours, days, or weeks.

In simple words: the History Extension is the data collector, and the History Chart is where you see that data.

How to Set Up a Trend in Niagara 4

Let’s go through the steps for setting up a trend, using temperature as our example.

Step 1: Find the Item You Want to Track

1. Open Niagara Workbench and connect to your building’s station.
2. In the station tree, look for the device (like a room temperature sensor) you want to trend.
3. Make sure this point is working and showing a live value.

Step 2: Add the History Extension

1. Right-click on the point you want to record.
2. In the menu, pick “Views” and then “Wire Sheet.”
3. On the left, look for the “history” palette.
4. Drag a “NumericHistory” (for numbers) or “BooleanHistory” (for on/off) onto your point.
5. Name it something easy to remember, like “RoomTemp_History.”

Step 3: Set Up How You Want to Record Data

1. Double-click the new “RoomTemp_History” to open its settings.
2. Change these options as needed:
   • Capacity: How many records to keep (2000 is typical).
   • Record Type:
     • Interval: Takes a reading every so often (like every 15 minutes).
     • COV (Change of Value): Only records when the value changes.
   • Collection Interval: If you picked “Interval,” set how often to record.
3. Click “Save.” That’s it! Now Niagara will start recording data for that item.

How to View Trends on Charts and Dashboards

After collecting some data, you’ll want to see it.

Create a Simple Chart

1. Go to the “Px” folder (where graphics live) in your station.
2. Drag a “HistoryChart” from the palette onto the workspace.
3. Find your “RoomTemp_History” in the tree and drag it onto the chart.

Now, you’ll see a graph of temperature readings over time. You can add more histories to the same chart if you want to compare several things side by side.

You can customize the chart’s appearance by right-clicking and choosing “Edit.”

Extra Tips You Might Find Useful

• Niagara Analytics Point: You can create points that do calculations with your data—like finding averages or running totals.
• Pulling Data from Excel: If you have extra data in Excel, you can save it as a CSV file and use special modules or custom tools to bring it into Niagara 4. That way, you can view it alongside your other building data.
• Using Databases: For big sites with lots of records, store your history data in an external SQL database. This keeps things running smoothly even with millions of records.

Fixing Common Problems

Here are some problems people run into and how to fix them:

• Chart is Empty:
  • Wait for enough time to pass for a reading to be recorded.
  • Check that your point is showing a normal value (not in fault).
  • Make sure the history extension is enabled and set to keep enough records.
• Can’t Connect (Connection Refused):
  • Check your network settings and make sure the Niagara software is running.
  • Some connections need firewall ports open (like port 80 for HTTP, 443 for HTTPS). Ask your IT person if you’re not sure.

Final Thoughts & What to Remember

Tracking trends in Niagara 4 is not hard once you know the steps. It’s a great way to see what’s happening in your building, catch problems early, and make smart decisions to save energy and improve comfort.

Quick Reminders:

• Set up a History Extension to start recording data you care about.
• Use a History Chart to see that data in an easy-to-understand graph.
• Choose how often to record—either at regular times or when values change.
• Give it some time so you have data to view.
• Use your trends to spot problems and plan ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What’s the difference between a trend and a history?
A history in Niagara 4 is the actual record of values over time. A trend usually means viewing that data on a graph. You set up a history to gather data, then look at the trend (graph) to understand it.

2. How many things can I trend at once?
It depends on your Niagara device. A JACE 8000 can handle many trends, especially if you schedule readings sensibly (like every 15 minutes instead of every second).3. Do I need extra software for trends?
Nope! Niagara Workbench can do it all. You can record values and view charts without any extra tools.

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