A controls contractor needed Daikin chiller data moved from BACnet MS/TP into an existing Johnson Controls Metasys N2 environment. Chipkin FieldServer delivered the BACnet MS/TP to Metasys N2 protocol conversion path and helped the team move from stalled serial commissioning to confirmed communication with both the Daikin chiller and the legacy BMS.
This project reflected a common retrofit problem. The site wanted to keep the installed Metasys N2 building management system in service, but the Daikin chiller data still had to be made visible without expanding the project into a larger controls replacement.
At a Glance
- Industry: HVAC / building automation
- Customer: Controls integration contractor
- Facility type: Commercial chiller plant retrofit
- Client role: Project lead and field commissioning technicians
- Project scale: Legacy BMS preservation with a Daikin chiller integration
- Protocols: From: BACnet MS/TP -> To: Metasys N2
- Chipkin product: Chipkin FieldServer gateway
- Project start: June 2022
- Internal reference: FSE14751
Daikin chiller -> BACnet MS/TP -> Chipkin FieldServer -> Metasys N2 -> existing BMS
BACnet MS/TP to Metasys N2 Challenge
The upstream/server device was a Daikin chiller serving data over BACnet MS/TP. The downstream/client system was an installed Metasys N2 building management system that still had to stay in service. That made this a retrofit protocol gateway project, not a clean-sheet controls design.
The first technical problem surfaced during commissioning. A remote session showed no received BACnet MS/TP traffic at the FieldServer, which pointed to a field communications issue instead of a point-mapping issue. On a serial chiller network, that distinction matters. There is little value in refining the Daikin chiller mapping until the BACnet MS/TP trunk is actually moving data.
The site also needed the Daikin chiller handoff to preserve the Metasys N2 environment instead of forcing a larger modernization project. That legacy requirement is exactly what makes BACnet MS/TP to Metasys N2 protocol conversion commercially useful.
Why Chipkin for BACnet MS/TP to Metasys N2 Integration
This project fit Chipkin because the customer needed more than a serial gateway box. They needed a FieldServer deployment that could bridge a Daikin chiller into Metasys N2 while also separating physical-layer BACnet MS/TP problems from actual configuration issues. That kind of retrofit work rewards field diagnostics as much as protocol support.
Chipkin support added value by giving the installer a practical BACnet MS/TP troubleshooting path instead of leaving the team to guess whether the problem lived in the Daikin chiller, the RS-485 trunk, or the Metasys N2 handoff.
The Solution: FieldServer BACnet MS/TP to Metasys N2 Bridge
Chipkin prepared the initial FieldServer configuration for the Daikin chiller to Metasys N2 workflow and supported the commissioning phase as the site became available. When the live session showed no incoming Daikin chiller BACnet MS/TP traffic, Chipkin recommended direct serial troubleshooting with an RS-485 USB interface and BACnet discovery tools so the team could validate the Daikin chiller side independently.
That guidance turned an ambiguous startup problem into a concrete field test plan. Once the communications path was corrected on site, the customer confirmed the FieldServer was communicating with both the Daikin chiller and the Metasys N2 BMS.
For another BACnet MS/TP serial integration, see the Trane UC600 BACnet MS/TP to Modbus RTU case study.
Chiller Integration Results
The project delivered a working BACnet MS/TP to Metasys N2 integration path for the Daikin chiller installation.
Project proof points:
- The FieldServer communicated with both the Daikin chiller and the Metasys N2 BMS during on-site verification.
- The site preserved the existing Metasys N2 environment instead of forcing a larger controls replacement.
- Chipkin provided a practical BACnet MS/TP diagnostic path when live commissioning showed no traffic.
- The remaining Daikin-specific point questions were isolated after core protocol communications were established.
The customer confirmed the key result directly:
“I was at the customer site today and I was able to get the Field Server communicating with the Chiller and BMS.”
— Project lead, HVAC integration contractor
Have a Similar Legacy BMS Retrofit Project?
Need to expose a Daikin chiller on BACnet MS/TP to an existing Metasys N2 system without replacing the whole controls stack? Chipkin can help with FieldServer configuration, serial troubleshooting, and protocol conversion for HVAC retrofit work. Tell us about your project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can FieldServer convert BACnet MS/TP to Metasys N2?
Yes. FieldServer can be used as a BACnet MS/TP to Metasys N2 protocol gateway. In this project, Chipkin used that path to expose Daikin chiller data to an installed Metasys N2 system.
Can FieldServer integrate a Daikin chiller with Metasys N2?
Yes. This case study shows a Daikin chiller integration where the FieldServer bridged the Daikin chiller BACnet MS/TP side into the legacy Metasys N2 environment.
How do you troubleshoot a BACnet MS/TP chiller that shows no traffic?
Start by validating the serial trunk and discovery behavior before assuming the mapping is wrong. In this deployment, the critical step was confirming that the Daikin chiller BACnet MS/TP traffic was actually reaching the gateway.