VentCalc LDF & New Categories

For those of you who are already using VentCalc to quickly and accurately calculate your required outdoor air ventilation rates, you will be receiving via e-mail later today the updated version (4.4), which now includes the ability to change the Load Diversity Factor, as well as adds new categories from Appendix E and Addendum b.

This update is free of charge to those who already own VentCalc. If you aren't a customer and want to learn more about this program, visit http://www.geniusoftllc.com/tools/ventcalc.asp

The changes made for this update:

1. The option to change the "Load Diversity Factor" has been added. This gives the user the ability to select what percentage of the total supply CFM for the system is expected at the minimum load requirements. This value can be as low as the sum of the VAV box minimums or as high as the sum of the VAV box maximums. To set the LDF, click on Systems > Load Diversity Factor

2. Additional Occupancy Categories have been added (from Addendum b). These categories are:

Daycare sickroom

University/college laboratories

Break rooms

Coffee stations

Laundry rooms central

Laundry rooms within dwelling units

Electrical equipment rooms

Elevator machine rooms

3. The "Health Care" categories were added from Appendix E of ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2004. These categories are:

Patient rooms

Medical procedure

Operating rooms

Recovery and ICU

Autopsy rooms

Physical therapy

VentCalc with LEED EQ2

For those of you who are already using VentCalc to quickly and accurately calculate your required outdoor air ventilation rates, you will be receiving via e-mail later today the updated version (4.2), which now includes the ability to comply with LEED EQ Credit 2 (Increase "breathing zone" outdoor air by 30%). No, this does not simply add 30% to the previous Vot value, it applies the 30% increase at the "breathing zone" outdoor air value (Vbz) and then recalculates the Voz and Zp values to determine a new Vot.

This update is free of charge to those who already own VentCalc. If you aren't a customer and want to learn more about this program, visit http://www.geniusoftllc.com/tools/ventcalc.asp

New mvparts: Intellipaks

Rooftop Packaged Units

Models:
Trane Intellipak SAHF (Cooling Only)
Trane Intellipak SEHF (Electric Heat)
Trane Intellipak SXHF (Extended Casing)

Attached Properties:

• Mark
• Manufacturer
• Model
• Nominal Tons
• Efficiency (EER)
• IPLV
• Heating kW
• Power
• MCA
• MOCP
• Supply Fan HP
• Exhaust Fan HP
• Fan FLAs
• Weight
• Duct Configuration
• Filter Size
• Complete With
• Options / Accessories

For more information about these units, or to request a different mvpart, visit http://www.geniusoftllc.com/

High Efficiency Takeoff

I have created a high efficiency takeoff and figured out how to fool AutoCAD into allowing it to be used as the default. This takeoff is available for free download for anyone interested.

Here is the download link: http://www.geniusoftllc.com/mvparts/takeoff.asp

New mvparts: Trane RTUs

Rooftop Packaged Units

Models: Trane 4YCC & Trane 2YCC

Attached Properties:

• Mark
• Manufacturer
• Model
• Nominal Tons
• Efficiency (SEER/EER)
• Heating MBH
• Heating AFUE
• Power
• MCA
• MOCP
• Weight
• Duct Configuration
• Filter Size
• Complete With
• Options / Accessories

For more information about these units, or to request a different mvpart, visit http://www.geniusoftllc.com/

Revit Families: Trane Units

Now available for download (for free!) from Trane:

Trane Precedent Packaged Rooftop Units (3-10 Tons)

• Cooling Only
• Gas/Electric
• Heat Pump

Trane Voyager Packaged Rooftop Units (12.5-25 Tons)

• Cooling Only
• Gas/Electric

http://www.geniusoftllc.com/families

or directly download them from Trane's website at:

http://trane.com/Commercial/AboutTrane/ContactUs/SalesOffices/Default.aspx?cso=120

(click on "Precedent and Voyager" in the lower right corner under "Engineering - Revit")

Making mvparts "pretty"

Unfortunately, when you create mvparts in AutoCAD, there aren't a lot of options when it comes to lineweights, linetypes, colors, or plotting settings. Once the mvparts is created and inserted into a drawing, all the entities of that mvpart are the same.

In order to have mvparts include entities that are thinner, thicker, a different color, or that do not plot, we have to take some steps...

I have found that this is best accomplished after the mvpart has been completely created. To create an mvpart, you can follow the steps outlined here: http://www.geniusoftllc.com/mvparts/create.asp

Assuming the mvpart is already created, starting from a blank AutoCAD screen...

1. Open the mvpart .dwg file. For example, C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\ACD-MEP 2009\enu\Aecb Catalogs\US Imperial\MvParts\Mechanical\Roof Mounted AC Units\Gas Fired.dwg

2. At the command prompt, type "BEDIT", select one of the "Symbol" blocks and click "OK" (for example, the 10 Ton unit) - the reason we edit the Symbol block is because it allows different lineweights, colors, etc.



3. Edit the block as needed to add clearance lines, hidden, lightweight lines, non-plot text, etc., save the changes and close the block editor.

4. Save and Close the Gas Fired.dwg drawing.

5. Regenerate the mvpart Catalog (command: )

6. Ensure that your display settings will show the Symbol block - to see how to do this, visit http://www.geniusoftllc.com/mvparts/videos/display.asp

7. Insert the Gas Fired mvpart and verify that the "pretty" entities are showing up.

Flex Duct Lining & Insulation

In the recent creation of my Duct Material Schedule, I ran across a very annoying problem with the way AutoCAD MEP handles Flex Duct and regular Duct. To see my Duct Material Schedule, visit http://www.geniusoftllc.com/tools/ductmaterial.asp

The problem occurs when looking at Lining Thickness and Insulation Thickness. Duct has it, Flex Duct doesn't. Makes sense right? Well, but now click on your favorite piece of flex duct, right-click and select "Flex Duct Properties". Go to the "Lining and Insulation" tab - hmm...



So apparantly, you can set the lining and insulation thickness for flex duct, but the property set definition for them does not exist (nor can you add it).

This doesn't become a problem until you try to display properties of both Flex Duct and regular Duct in the same Schedule Table. And of course, I want to be able to display both in my Duct Material Schedule.

So how do you get around this?

First, you need to create a Formula Definition with an "On Error Resume Next" statement in it, here is an example:

On Error Resume Next
If UCase("[PartType]") = "FLEX DUCT" Then
RESULT = "N/A"
Else
RESULT = [LiningThickness]
End If

Next, you need to set the "Format" for the Property [LiningThickness] to be "Unformatted" (if you don't do this, the schedule will have errors).

Next, just save the schedule and add Flex Duct and Duct to it, verify that the formula works correctly and then go buy me a beer (http://www.geniusoftllc.com/beer4buzz) :)

New mvparts: Price VAV Boxes

VAV Boxes (Air Terminal Devices)

Model: Price FDC

Attached Properties:

• Mark
• Manufacturer
• Model
• Type
• Unit Size
• Inlet Size
• Heating Inlet Temperature
• Power
• Complete With
• Options / Accessories
• CFM Range

For more information about these units, or to request a different mvpart, visit http://www.geniusoftllc.com/

New mvparts: Air Devices

Air Devices: Air Concepts, Krueger, Price, Titus

Models:

• Air Concepts SPD & SPDV (Saturn Plaque Diffuser)
  
• Krueger 1400 (Square Cone Diffuser)
• Krueger 6200 (Curved Vane Diffuser)
• Krueger EG15 (Egg Crate Grille)
• Krueger S80 & S585 (Louvered Grille)
  
• Price PDC (Curved Vane Diffuser)
• Price SCD (Square Cone Diffuser)
• Price 530 (Louvered Grille)
• Price 81, 80 & 82 (Egg Crate Grille)
  
• Titus PCS (Curved Vane Diffuser)
• Titus TBD-30 (Plenum Slot Diffuser)
• Titus TMS (Square Cone Diffuser)
• Titus CT-480 (Linear Bar Grille)
• Titus 23RL & 3RL (Louvered Grille)
• Titus 50F (Egg Crate Grille)
• Titus T-700 (Door Grille)

Attached Properties:

• Mark
• Service
• Manufacturer
• Model
• Neck Size
• OBD
• Frame Style
• Neck Style
• Device Style
• Complete With
• CFM Range

For more information about these units, or to request a different mvpart, visit http://www.geniusoftllc.com/

Scheduled Images

In Air Device schedules, it can nice at times to have a representation of the air device shown for clarity. So a square cone diffuser and perforated face curved vane diffuser are easily differentiated. This may also prove useful for other objects.

To accomplish this, the use of a Graphic Definition is needed. Here are some steps to adding an image to your schedule:

1. First, create blocks of all the different images you will want to have, save them in one drawing file in a folder that is accessible from AutoCAD.

2. Start a new drawing, insert that drawing file into your drawing (to bring in those blocks). Then erase them, but don't purge them out.

3. Format > Style Manager > Drawing1.dwg > Documentation Objects > Property Set Definitions, double click on "DuctEngineeringData" (if it is not there, insert a temporary duct and then delete it, then the Property Set should be available).

4. Click on the "Add Graphic Property Definition" button, name it "AirDeviceImage", make the "Source" a Block (you could use .bmp files too, but they don't come out as clean as blocks), set the default to be *NONE*, click OK

5. Save the drawing as a Template (this way when you start new drawings, the Property Set and blocks needed are automatically part of the drawing), close

6. Start a new drawing using your new template, add a new Air Device (mvpartadd)

7. Click on the Air Device and go to properties, go to the "Extended Data" tab, under DuctEngineeringData, click on the *NONE* for AirDeviceImage

8. Change the "Block Name" to one of the blocks that you inserted into the drawing, click OK

9. Add an Air Terminal Schedule Table, right-click on it and select "Edit Schedule Table Style"

10. Go to the "Columns" tab, click on "Add Column", select the AirDeviceImage Definition from DuctEngineeringData, change the "Heading" to be "IMAGE", click OK, click OK

Here is an example schedule showing a couple different air devices with different images:

Power in Properties

It's the little things that get to us...

So you want to use the new Table Schedule Styles to display information relating to you exhaust fans, and one of the columns is for Motor Power, listing Voltage and Phase. No big deal right? Until you say that you want to show it with a dash...

• 115/1
• 208/3
• 460/3

Well, this is an annoying problem.

When you create a List using Content Builder, and add these Power options to the List, any item in the List that has a "/" in it will not work. This is a problem with AutoCAD, but fear not... there is a work around.

This method of using a Formula Definition can be used in many areas. Anytime AutoCAD is not giving you what you want, give these methods a shot. If it still doesn't work, whine.

Here is a screenshot showing the MoterPower Property of an Exhaust Fan, set to the type of "List":

The first step is to get rid of those "/"s and replace them with a character that AutoCAD will except. For this example, I will use a "-". So our List becomes:

• 115-1
• 208-3
• 460-3

Here is a screen shot showing the Edit List Values dialog box:

As you can see, you can input the "/"s, but once the mvpart is regenerated, it will not work. What we need to do is create a Formula that will Convert the value from a "-" to a "/".

1. Create a new Property Definition (type: Fomula, the one with the lightning and 2+4)
2. Name it "PowerConvert"
3. Use an "if" statement to convert the text:
   If [MotorPower] = "115-1" Then
   RESULT = "115/1"

Here is a screenshot showing the entire formula:

Note that you could add as many power conversions as you need, just by adding more ElseIf lines. After creating this formula, and then saving the Definition, we want to insert one of the Exhaust Fans and create a schedule for it.

Here is a screenshot showing the Exahust Fan being inserted into the drawing, with the Power selected to be 208-3:

In the Schedule Table Style, when adding the Column for the power, instead of adding the Column using the Definition named "MotorPower", we want to use the Formula Definition we just created, called "PowerConvert".

Here is a screenshot showing the final outcome, with the Value correctly display with a "/" instead of a "-":

Duct Material Schedule

I recently received a request to create a schedule that would list the amount of duct sheet metal on a job. A couple Property Set Definition creations and a little luck was all I needed to quickly create a Duct Material Schedule.

To purchase this Table Schedule Style, or to watch a video showing how the Schedule looks, visit:
http://www.geniusoftllc.com/tools/ductmaterial.asp

The schedule includes properties like:

• Material (Galvanized, Stainless Steel 300 or 400 Series)
• Sheet Metal Gauge (10-28)
• System (Supply, Return, etc.)
• Size
• Length
• Flex Duct Length
• Sheet Metal Area (square feet)
• Weight (lbs)
• Liner Area (square feet)
• Insulation Area (square feet)
• Connection Type (Banded, Clipped, etc.)

Here is a quick how-to on creating the Property Set Definition for the Sheet Metal Area:

NOTE: Text shown inside of [ ] are variables and need to be added via the "Insert Property Definitions", not just typed.

First, create a new Formula Definition (named "SheetMetalArea") in the "DuctEngineeringData" Property Set (I use DuctEngineeringData so that this Property is automatically applied to the duct when the duct is inserted).

Format > Style Manager > Documentation Objects > Property Set Definitions > DuctEngineeringData, "Definition" tab, "Add Formula Property Definition" (the button that has the lightning bolt and 2+4).

The formula will calculate the area of sheet metal, but in order to know which formula to use a couple "If" statements need to be used.

First, we need to check to see if the object in question is Duct or Flex Duct (because Flex Duct does not have any sheet metal, so its' area should be zero). This is accomplished by checking the value of "PartType".

If "[PartType]" = "FLEX DUCT" Then
RESULT = 0

Next, we need to check to see what shape the Duct is (Round, Rectangular, or Oval). This is accomplished by checking the value of "ConnectionShape".

ElseIf "[ConnectionShape]" = "ROUND" Then

Now we insert the formula for the area of a Round Duct:

RESULT = 3.14159 * [ConnectionDiameter] * [Length] / 144

Now for Rectangular Duct:

ElseIf "[ConnectionShape]" = "RECTANGULAR" Then
RESULT = ( 2 * [RectangularConnectionHeight] + 2 * [RectangularConnectionWidth]) *
[Length] / 144

Now for Oval Duct:

ElseIf "[ConnectionShape]" = "OVAL" Then
RESULT = ( 3.14159 * [OvalConnectionHeight] + 2 * ( [OvalConnectionWidth] - [OvalConnectionHeight] ) ) * [Length] / 144

Now end the madness:

End if

All together, the Formula should now look like this:

The next step is to change the "Format" of the Properties, here is what they should be changed to:

Here is an overall for the Property Set:

New mvparts: Mitsubishi VRF

Mitsubishi Variable Refrigerant Units

Models:

• PDFY (Cealing Concealed Fan Coil)
• PLFY (Cealing Cassette Fan Coil)
• PUHY (Y Series Outdoor Unit)
• PURY (R2 Series Outdoor Unit)

Attached Properties:

• Manufacturer
• Model
• Capacity
• Electrical
• Weight

For more information about these units, or to request a different mvpart, visit http://www.geniusoftllc.com/

Customizing Duct Takeoffs

I have often been asked how to quickly modify an existing fitting to allow for more functionality. One common request is the ability to customize duct takeoffs. Here is a video demonstrating the steps needed to give the user the option to change the length of the duct takeoff.

The quick answer here is to modify the fitting to have the Type for the variable in question to be changed from Constant to List, and then modify the list to include the values the user wants to choose from.

In the video, I change the Type for "L2" (the distance from the main duct to the connection point of the takeoff.

To view the video: http://www.geniusoftllc.com/mvparts/videos/takeoffdepth.asp