---
title: "Boss’nX component alarms: heartbeat, BACnet source and troubleshooting"
description: "Heartbeat with no messages, threshold fields greyed out in BACnet-native mode, standby, missing or stuck alarm: causes and checks for Boss’nX component alarms."
canonical: https://wiki.can-nx.com/en/guides/boss-point-alarm-help/
language: en
product: Boss’nX
audience:
  - administrateur
  - installateur
context: "Boss’nX on a computer: KNX and BACnet alarm datapoints of the component editor, alarm history"
---

# Boss’nX component alarms: heartbeat, BACnet source and troubleshooting

Context: Boss’nX on a computer: KNX and BACnet alarm datapoints of the component editor, alarm history

Missing messages to monitor, threshold fields greyed out on a BACnet datapoint, notifications to pause, an alarm that does not appear or does not return to normal, a save that is refused: here are the answers for the alarm datapoints of Boss’nX components. They complement [the threshold and value configuration](https://wiki.can-nx.com/en/guides/boss-point-alarm/) and [the comparison between two datapoints](https://wiki.can-nx.com/en/guides/boss-point-alarm-comparison/).

Changing an alarm datapoint requires **Manage components**. Viewing existing alarms and acting on them follow their own permissions.

## How do I monitor missing messages on an alarm datapoint?

Enable the datapoint’s heartbeat and give it a delay. The option applies to a KNX alarm datapoint with its **Alarm Address** filled in, or a BACnet datapoint set to **Application threshold**.

1. Open **Components → Edit component**, from your bar or through **Menu**, then find the **Alarm** datapoint.
2. Under its alarm conditions, check **Monitor heartbeat (message absence)**.
3. In **Delay (min)**, enter a strictly positive duration suited to the normal reception frequency. Fictitious example: **15** for fifteen minutes. With an empty or zero delay, the checked box does not define usable monitoring.
4. Leave the field, click **Save**, then reopen the datapoint and review the box and the delay.

The heartbeat detects the absence of received messages or values, not a value that stays stable. A stable measurement transmitted regularly and a measurement that is only sent on change do not have the same rate: have the normal frequency confirmed before choosing the delay. Exceeding the delay signals missing reception; on its own, it does not identify a faulty device.

When reception resumes, the signal-absence alarm can return to normal. Unchecking the monitoring then saving removes this tracking, without necessarily clearing an alarm already present in the history: check its state and [the actions available on alarms](https://wiki.can-nx.com/en/guides/boss-alarms-consult/).

For a comparison datapoint without its own address, or a **BACnet-native (intrinsic)** source, have the need confirmed by support before enabling this option. For Modbus, follow [the signal-absence setting in seconds](https://wiki.can-nx.com/en/guides/boss-point-modbus/).

## Which alarm source should I choose for a BACnet datapoint?

Choose the source intended by the installer. In a BACnet datapoint with **Alarm** checked, **Alarm source** is in the datapoint’s options (**Show options** if they are collapsed) and offers:

| Choice | Use |
| --- | --- |
| **Application threshold** | The received values are used to evaluate the conditions configured in the datapoint. For an analog object, the threshold fields are available. |
| **BACnet-native (intrinsic)** | The alarm relies on the alarm state reported by the BACnet device. Changing the datapoint’s application thresholds does not configure the device’s internal limits. |

Review this source after selecting the object: if no explicit choice had been made, a discovered object with an active native alarm can switch the source to **BACnet-native (intrinsic)** automatically. This automatic choice says nothing about the object’s current state.

## Why are the threshold fields greyed out?

The alarm source is **BACnet-native (intrinsic)**. **Trigger** and the fields of the threshold block are then greyed out, with the tooltip **Ignored when alarm source is BACnet-native (intrinsic)**: the alarm condition is held by the BACnet device. Check the source intended by the installer; do not switch to **Application threshold** just to enable the fields.

## Why are Threshold or Comparison missing for a BACnet object?

Binary and MultiState objects do not offer the numeric modes of Analog objects: for them, **Trigger** only offers **Value list**. Do not choose a wrong object type to get **Threshold** or **Comparison**.

To configure the device’s native limits, particular binary states or a behavior that is not established, contact support with the device, the object and your goal.

## How do I pause an alarm datapoint’s notifications?

In the alarm datapoint’s form, check **Standby (pause alarm notifications)**, then save: this datapoint’s notifications are paused. To resume them, uncheck this box, save, then reopen the datapoint to check the stored choice.

This setting does not bring a measurement back to normal and does not command the equipment to stop. If you start from an existing alarm, follow [setting standby then reactivating](https://wiki.can-nx.com/en/guides/boss-alarms-standby/), which requires the acknowledgment permission. Standby, acknowledgment and resolving the cause are three separate actions.

## Why does the expected alarm not appear or not return to normal?

Check in this order:

1. The supervision, the component and the datapoint. In **Alarms**, check the **Ongoing**, **Ended** and **Standby** tabs and the filters, following [the viewing guide](https://wiki.can-nx.com/en/guides/boss-alarms-consult/).
2. The parameters actually saved: reopen the component and review **Alarm**, the protocol, the address or object, the BACnet source, the conditions and the delays. Also check **Standby** and **Pending installation**: while a datapoint is pending installation, no alarm is created for it. Do not remove this state without confirming that the installation is ready.
3. The reception of the measurement; for a comparison, that of both sources. A configured datapoint does not necessarily have a current value.
4. The conditions: for a threshold, distinguish triggering from the return with hysteresis; for a list, check the trigger and reset values; for a delay, check the minutes and the intended return delay. Do not adjust the conditions at random to make an alarm appear.

If these checks have already been done or the result remains uncertain, contact support with the information listed at the end of this page.

## Why is saving the alarm datapoint refused?

Read the message shown on the datapoint concerned:

| Message | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| **Address required for alarm** | For a threshold or value alarm, enter the confirmed KNX address. For a comparison, check the A and B references and follow [the Alarm-only setting of the comparison datapoint](https://wiki.can-nx.com/en/guides/boss-point-alarm-comparison/), with **Feedback** and **Cmd** unchecked on this datapoint. |
| **Add at least one value** or a value error | Fill in the added rows and also check the reset list. An empty field added with **+ Add value** is not a valid value. |
| **Low or high threshold required** | Fill in at least one of the two limits. |

If the form stays open after **Save**, note the messages, then follow [save troubleshooting](https://wiki.can-nx.com/en/guides/boss-component-edit/). Do not assume the save succeeded: check what already exists before creating a datapoint again, to avoid a duplicate.

## Contact support

If the problem persists, write to support@can-nx.com with: Boss’nX, the supervision, the component, the datapoint, the value or visible message and the steps already tried. A screenshot of the relevant fields, without sensitive data, can complete this information.

French labels: **Source d'alarme**, **Seuil applicatif**, **BACnet natif (intrinsic)**, **Afficher les options**, **Ignoré lorsque la source d'alarme est BACnet natif (intrinsic)**, **Surveiller le heartbeat (absence de messages)**, **Délai (min)**, **Standby (mettre en veille les notifications)**, **Alarmes → En cours / Terminées / En standby**, **En attente d'installation**, **Adresse requise pour l'alarme**, **Ajouter au moins une valeur**, **Seuil bas ou haut requis**, **Enregistrer**.