Johnson Controls Metasys VMA1610, Metasys VMA1620 Installation Instructions Manual

VMA1610 and VMA1620 Variable Air Volume Controllers
Installation Instructions

MS-VMA1610-xU, MS-VMA1620-xU

Part No. 24-10143-20, Rev. U

Issued November 2017

Refer to the QuickLIT website for the most up-to-date version of this document.

Applications

The VMA1610/1620 controllers are part of the Metasys®

family. VMA field controllers feature an integral 4 Nm
damper actuator and Differential Pressure Transducer.
VMA controllers run pre-engineered and
user-programmed applications required to monitor and
operate a wide variety of VAV boxes.

The VMA controllers operate on an RS-485 BACnet®

Master-Slave/Token-Passing (MS/TP) Bus as BACnet
Application Specific Controllers (B-ASCs) and integrate
into the web-based Metasys system.
Note: Only -xU models of these controllers are available.

These models are for smoke control applications
only. If your application is not for a UL 864 UUKL
10th Edition smoke control application, please
review the product selection before installation.

Important: In Metasys® system smoke control

applications, use only the VMA1610 and
VMA1620 models that are UL 864
UUKL/UUKLC 10th Edition Smoke Control
Listed. For Metasys system smoke control
applications, you must refer to the Metasys

System UL 864 UUKL Tenth Edition Smoke
Control System Technical Bulletin
(LIT-12012487) for detailed requirements

and procedures for installing,
commissioning, and operating UL 864
UUKL/UUKLC Listed Metasys system
devices. The UL 864 UUKL/UUKLC listing
for Smoke Control Equipment is voided if
(1) you do not use the required software
tools at the required versions; or (2) you do
not meet the requirements or do not follow
the procedures as documented in the

Metasys System UL 864 UUKL Tenth
Edition Smoke Control System Technical
Bulletin (LIT-12012487).

North American Emissions
Compliance

United States

This equipment has been tested and found to comply
with the limits for a Class A digital device pursuant to
Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference when this equipment is operated in a
commercial environment. This equipment generates,
uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instruction
manual, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. Operation of this equipment in a
residential area may cause harmful interference, in which
case the users will be required to correct the interference
at their own expense.

Canada

This Class (A) digital apparatus meets all the
requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing
Equipment Regulations.

Cet appareil numérique de la Classe (A) respecte toutes
les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur
du Canada.

Installation

Observe these guidelines when installing a VMA16
controller:

• Transport the controller in the original container to
minimize vibration and shock damage to the VMA
controller.

• Do not drop the controller or subject it to physical
shock.

Parts Included

• one VMA16 controller with removable bus and power
terminal blocks

• one installation instructions sheet

1VMA1610 and VMA1620 Variable Air Volume Controllers Installation Instructions

To mount the VMA16 controller:

Materials and Special Tools Needed

• one screw or other type of fastener appropriate for
the mounting surface

• several 6 mm (1/4 in.) female spade terminals for
input and output wiring

• small straight-blade screwdriver for securing wires in
the terminal blocks

Mounting

Observe these guidelines when mounting a VMA.

Important: When the air supply to the VAV box is below

10°C (50°F), make sure that any
condensation on the VAV box, particularly
on the damper shaft, does not enter the
VMA electronics. Mount the VMA vertically
above the damper shaft to allow any shaft
condensation to fall away from the VMA.
Additional measures may be required in
some installations.

• Ensure the mounting surface can support the
controller and any user-supplied enclosure.

• Mount the controller on a hard, even surface
whenever possible.

• Use shims or washers to mount the controller securely
and evenly on the mounting surface.

• Mount the controller in an area free of corrosive
vapors and observe the ambient conditions in the

Technical Specifications section.

• Provide sufficient space around the controller for cable
and wire connections and good ventilation through
the controller. Leave a minimum of 50 mm (2 in.)
around the top, bottom, sides, and front of the
controller.

• Do not mount the controller on surfaces prone to
vibration, such as duct work, or in areas where
electromagnetic emissions from other devices or
wiring can interfere with controller communication.

On panel or enclosure mount applications, observe these
additional guidelines:

• Do not install the controller in an airtight enclosure.

• Mount the controller so that the enclosure walls do
not obstruct cover removal or ventilation through the
controller.

• Mount the controller so that the power transformer
and other devices do not radiate excessive heat to
the controller.

1. Place the controller in the proper mounting position
on the damper shaft so that the wiring connections
are easily accessible. Make sure the controller base
is parallel to the VAV box (perpendicular to the
damper shaft). If needed, use a spacer to offset
tipping of the VMA controller caused by the shaft
bushings.

2. Secure the self-drilling No. 10 screw through the
VMA controller mounting slot with a power
screwdriver and 100 mm (4 in.) extension socket.
Otherwise, use a punch to mark the position of the
shoulder washer, and then drill a hole into the VAV
box using a 3.5 mm (9/64 in.) drill bit. Insert the
mounting screw, and tighten against the washer.

Important: Do not overtighten the screws, or the

threads may strip. If mounting to the
VAV box, make sure the screws do not
interfere with damper blade movement.

3. Locate the damper position using the typical marking
on the end of the damper shaft (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Typical Damper End Shaft Icons

4. Note the direction, clockwise (CW) or
counterclockwise (CCW), required to close the
damper. Grasp the damper shaft firmly with pliers
and either manually close the damper (for 90° boxes)
or manually open the damper (for 45° or 60° boxes).

5. Push down and hold the Manual Override button
(Figure 2), and turn the VMA controller coupler until
it contacts the mechanical end-stop at either the fully
closed (90° boxes) or fully open (45° and 60° boxes)
position.

6. If the damper for a 90° box closes CCW, rotate the
coupler to the CCW mechanical limit. If the damper
for a 90° box closes CW, rotate the coupler to the
CW mechanical limit. The open end-stop is
automatically set for 90° boxes.

For 45° and 60° boxes, hard stops must be provided
at both fully closed and fully open damper positions.
By installing the VMA controller at the fully open
position, the VMA controller provides the open stop
for 45° and 60° boxes. The closed damper seal
provides the fully closed stop.

7. All models are compact in size and are easily
installed on Variable Air Volume (VAV) boxes with
a round shaft up to 13 mm in diameter, or a 10 mm
square shaft. Tighten the square coupler bolt to the
shaft using an 8 mm (5/16 in.) wrench or 10 mm (3/8

2VMA1610 and VMA1620 Variable Air Volume Controllers Installation Instructions

in.) 12-point socket. Tighten to 11 to 15 N·m (100 to
130 lb·in).

8. Loop the pneumatic tubing to include a trap for
condensation. Attach the tubing from the VMA
controller to the VAV box pickup. The HIGH (red)
tubing is connected to the inlet or high-pressure side
and the clear tubing to the low side (Figure 2).

9. Push the manual release button, and turn the
actuator coupling manually to ensure that the
actuator can rotate from fully closed to fully open
positions without binding.

10. Complete the mounting by rotating the damper to
the fully open position.

Risk of Property Damage. Rotate the damper to
the full-open position before starting the air handler.
Failure to rotate the damper to the full-open position
may result in damage to the VAV box or ductwork
when the air handler is started.

Mise En Garde: Risque de dégâts matériels:

Faire pivoter le registre pour le placer en position
d'ouverture complète avant de démarrer l'unité de
traitement d'air. Le non-respect de cette directive
risque d'endommager le caisson de l'unité à volume
d'air variable (VAV) ou le réseau de conduites au
démarrage de l'unité de traitement d'air.

3VMA1610 and VMA1620 Variable Air Volume Controllers Installation Instructions

Figure 2: VMA16 Controller Physical Features and Wiring Terminations

4VMA1610 and VMA1620 Variable Air Volume Controllers Installation Instructions

Wiring

Risk of Electric Shock. Disconnect the power supply

before making electrical connections to avoid electric
shock.

Mise En Garde: Risque de décharge électrique:

Débrancher l'alimentation avant de réaliser tout
raccordement électrique afin d'éviter tout risque de
décharge électrique.

Important: Do not connect supply power to the

controller before finishing wiring and
checking all wiring connections. Short
circuits or improperly connected wires can
result in damage to the controller and void
any warranty.

Important: Do not exceed the controller electrical

ratings. Exceeding controller electrical
ratings can result in permanent damage to
the controller and void any warranty.

FC Bus Terminal Block

The FC Bus terminal block is a blue, removable,
4-terminal plug that fits into a board-mounted jack.

Wire the removable FC Bus terminal block plugs on the
VMA and other field controllers in a daisy-chain
configuration using 3-wire twisted, shielded cable as
shown in Figure 3. See Table 4 for more information.

Note: The Shield terminal (SHLD) on the FC Bus

terminal block is isolated and can be used to
connect the cable shields on the bus (Figure 3).

Figure 3: FC Bus Terminal Block Wiring

Important: Use copper conductors only. Make all wiring

in accordance with local, national, and
regional regulations.

Important: Electrostatic discharge can damage

controller components. Use proper
electrostatic discharge precautions during
installation, setup, and servicing to avoid
damaging the controller.

For detailed information on configuring and wiring an
MS/TP Bus, Field Controller (FC) bus, or Sensor/Actuator
(SA) bus, refer to the MS/TP Communications Bus
Technical Bulletin (LIT-12011034).

VMA Terminals and Bus Ports

See Figure 2 for input and output terminal and bus port
locations on the VMA controller. Observe the following
guidelines when wiring a VMA controller.

Input and Output Terminals

The input spade terminals are located on the side of the
VMA near the device address switch. The output spade
terminals are located on the opposite side of the controller
near the power supply terminal block. See Table 1 for
more information.

SA Bus Terminal Block

The SA Bus terminal block is a brown, removable,
4-terminal plug that fits into a board-mounted jack.

Wire the removable SA Bus terminal block plugs on the
VMA and other SA Bus devices in a daisy-chain
configuration using 4-wire twisted, shielded cable as
shown in Figure 4. See Table 4 for more information.

5VMA1610 and VMA1620 Variable Air Volume Controllers Installation Instructions

Figure 4: SA Bus Terminal Block Wiring

Sensor Port

The Sensor (SA Bus) port on the left side of the VMA
(Figure 2) is an RJ-12, 6-position modular jack that
provides a connection for the VAV Balancing Tool,
specified network sensors, or other SA Bus devices with
RJ-12 plugs.

The Sensor port is connected internally to the SA Bus
terminal block. See Table 4 for more information. The
Sensor Port pin assignment is shown in Figure 5.

The supply power wire colors may be different on
transformers from other manufacturers. Refer to the
transformer manufacturer’s instructions and the project
installation drawings for wiring details.

Important: Connect 24 VAC supply power to the VMA

and all other network devices so that
transformer phasing is uniform across the
network devices. Powering network devices
with uniform 24 VAC supply power phasing
reduces noise, interference, and ground
loop problems. The VMA does not require
an earth ground connection.

Figure 6: 24 VAC Supply Power Terminal Block Wiring

Figure 5: Pin Number Assignments for Sensor, SA

Bus, and FC Bus Ports on VMAs

Supply Power Terminal Block

The 24 VAC supply power terminal block is a gray,
removable, 3-terminal plug that fits into a board-mounted
jack on the bottom right of the VMA.

Wire the 24 VAC supply power wires from the transformer
to the HOT and COM terminals on the terminal plug as
shown in Figure 6. The middle terminal on the supply
power terminal block is not used. See Table 4 for more
information.

To wire the VMA controller:

1. Terminate wiring per engineering drawings.

2. Wire network sensors and other devices to the VMA's
SA Bus.

3. Wire the FC Bus in a daisy chain.

4. Ensure that the VMA’s device address DIP switches
are set to the appropriate device address. (See

Setting the Device Address.)

5. Connect the VMA controller to 24 VAC, Class 2
power.

6VMA1610 and VMA1620 Variable Air Volume Controllers Installation Instructions