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Appendix E: Using a generator for power

Retrotec recommends a generator with inverter type AC power output. Size the generator capacity
above the maximum power required in order to reduce distortion of the AC power waveform. The
higher the rated power output, the better. Suggestions for minimum generator output sizes are 3000W
for Blower Doors and 500W for DucTesters.

When selecting the generator, look for key words and phrases including:

•

“inverter output”

•

“utility

-

grade AC power”

•

“suitable for sensitive electronics”

Table 13: Portable generator AC power output types.

Type of AC Power Output

Comments/Expectation

Inverter

Best; Compatible

Recommended

AVR

–

Automatic Voltage Regulation

Questionable; May not perform

Not Recommended

Brushless

Worse; May not perform

Not Recommended

CycloConverter

Worst; May not perform

Not Recommended

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Summary of Contents for DucTester 300

Page 1: ...Retrotec Residential DucTester Operation Manual Model 340x 340 DucTester Systems rev 2019 08 29 ...

Page 2: ...Made by Retrotec 1060 East Pole Road Everson WA USA 98247 For support Call 1 888 330 1345 in USA 1 360 738 9835 outside USA support retrotec com or Fax 1 360 647 7724 Manual for Models 340x with DM32 and Model 340 with DM32 WiFi ...

Page 3: ...ester Infiltrometer FanTestic are Trademarks of Retrotec Other trademarks or brand names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners Table of Contents Important equipment related safeguards 8 Important occupant safeguards during testing 8 1 Why measure Duct Leakage 10 1 1 Energy loss 10 1 2 Duct sealing saves money 10 1 3 Problems from duct leakage 10 2 How ...

Page 4: ... the return register 29 6 7 2 OR Connect to the air handler cabinet 30 6 7 3 OR Connect to a return using a Flow Hood 30 6 8 Install Range Configuration on fan 32 6 9 Select a test direction then connect flex duct to the DucTester 32 6 9 1 Blow air into the ducts for depressurization 32 6 9 2 Blow air out of the ducts for pressurization 33 7 Set up the gauge to display Duct Leakage Results 34 7 1 ...

Page 5: ...arget test pressure 50 10 5 Enter date the test was carried out 50 10 6 Enter specific parameters for the conditions of this test 50 10 6 1 Conditioned Floor Area 50 10 6 2 Air Handler Flow 51 10 6 3 Baseline pressure 51 10 6 4 Enter whether pressurizing or depressurizing Test direction 51 10 7 Enter readings from this test 51 10 7 1 Duct Pressure 51 10 7 2 Enter Flow directly selection or Range C...

Page 6: ...sing your Blower Door as a powered flow hood 61 12 5 Measure large exhaust and intake flow rates 62 12 6 Measure with a DucTester on the air handler cabinet 63 12 7 Measure with a gauge and a flow grid 63 12 8 Measure using air handler blower curves 63 12 9 Measure using Hole Flow on the gauge 64 12 10 Measure with a Blower Door attached to the return or cabinet 64 12 11 Other methods 64 13 Estima...

Page 7: ...oting 81 appears on display 81 Gauge Flow reading does not change Turn off 81 Fan does not run 81 Checking the DucTester flows 81 Adjusting the fan Inlet Nozzle if is rubbing or debris needs to be removed from fan 82 Appendix E Using a generator for power 83 Generators 84 Honda Generator EU3000 120V 2000W 67 lbs 84 GENYX G3000HI 230V 3000W generator 84 Portable Power Supplies 84 Black and Decker E...

Page 8: ...ounding prong Do not operate any device with a damaged electrical cord or after an equipment malfunction Use only the included power plug to operate the fan Do not run cord under carpeting Do not cover cord with throw rugs runners or similar coverings Do not route cord under furniture or appliances Arrange cord away from traffic area and where it will not be tripped over Turn the unit off and unpl...

Page 9: ...tion which could result in back drafting hot water heaters furnaces or fireplaces Be aware of all possible sources of combustion Ensure any appliances do not turn on during the test Turn off power to the appliance or set the appliance to the Pilot setting It is possible for flames to be sucked out of a combustion air inlet flame rollout during a test which is a fire hazard and can result in high c...

Page 10: ...hat sealing the duct leakage reduced air conditioner use by an average of 17 This lead to savings of 110 per year and the repairs were a onetime cost of 200 Repeatedly studies show that sealing leaky duct systems is one of the most cost effective measures that a home owner can take Heating or cooling the same holds true in all climates Another study in Arkansas noticed an average savings of 22 on ...

Page 11: ...mum of 400 CFM25 per Ton and 21 7 CFM25 per 1000 BTUh CA USA Title 24 existing building residential CFM25 at 25 Pa Total Duct Leakage 15 of system air handler flow use actual measured airflow or airflow can be calculated by using the maximum of 400 CFM25 per Ton and 21 7 CFM25 per 1000 BTUh OR Duct Leakage to Outdoors 10 of system air handler flow use actual measured airflow or airflow can be calc...

Page 12: ...ceptable under Method A of ASMT E1554 07 North Carolina Energy Conservation Code NC USA CFM25 100 sq ft Total leakage at 25 Pa Total Duct Leakage 6 0 CFM25 100 sq ft of conditioned floor area Depressurize to 25 Pa measured at supply closest to air handler Test equipment must be certified by manufacturer that it complies with ASTM E1554 07 Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes ID MO OR WA USA CFM50 sq ft CFM...

Page 13: ...ct Leakage at rough in NO air handler 4 N A 0 04 4 N A N A N A 4 of system airflow 3 Max Total Duct Leakage at rough in with air handler 6 6 0 08 3 N A N A N A 6 of system airflow 4 Max Total Duct Leakage post construction with air handler 12 12 0 08 N A 8 0 06 CFM sq ft or 75 CFM 15 of system airflow 6 of system airflow 4 Max Duct Leakage to Outdoors post construction with air handler 8 8 0 06 6 ...

Page 14: ...sed for US residential duct that are tested at 25 Pa normally and sometimes 50 Pa the Model 451 has 10 times the power and is much heavier than the 340 but still a fraction of the old fashioned Commercial duct testers in common use This manual focuses on the Model 340x Be sure to refer to the Quick Guide that came with your system or can be obtained at http retrotec com 340x 350x 300x 440x 450x Th...

Page 15: ...the conditioned space air leaking from ducts will end up inside the home When the ducts are outside of the conditioned space duct air leaks go directly to the outdoors this causes conditioned supply air to escape and allows outdoor air to be sucked in through the return If duct systems run within building cavities leaked air can go to both the outdoors and inside the house For Duct Leakage to Outd...

Page 16: ...sealed the duct tester fan is connected to a return and the pressure gauge picks up the pressure in the ducts Locate the step by step Quick Guide that came with your equipment or access it at www retrotec com Figure 1 DucTester setup including tubing locations and necessary connections ...

Page 17: ...g high test pressures The elliptical nozzle is extremely stable in both the pressurization and depressurization test directions where it offers equivalent accuracy in both directions A Flow Conditioner is not needed with Retrotec fans for depressurization testing Some duct testing fans require a flow conditioner when depressurizing a duct system in order to get correct readings The Retrotec DucTes...

Page 18: ... Fan Pressure can become too small to accurately measure flow To increase the Fan Pressure a restriction plate is placed in front of the fan The fan consequently has to turn faster to maintain the same room or duct pressure which creates a larger more accurate Fan Pressure By providing a set of flow restricting plates with calibrated holes Retrotec DucTester fans can measure flows from 0 005CFM to...

Page 19: ... a second fan making them receive the same speed signal thereby making two fans run in unison The control signal from one gauge will run both fans Figure 4 Retrotec Model 300 has a speed control knob and two Ethernet style Speed Control Ports for daisy chaining speed controls for running many fans together The yellow and green color coded tubing connections to the gauge are shown The Model 300 has...

Page 20: ...e used as the reference for the Flow Fan Pressure Sensors Self referencing ensures that the measured pressure difference is always accurate no matter what the direction of flow is with respect to the location of the gauge and operator and whether or not a flex duct is attached to the inlet of the fan or not Figure 6 Self referencing pressure pickup ...

Page 21: ... reading and automatically recalculating results in order to reflect this bias pressure It can auto zero itself to ensure pressure readings do not drift away from the true pressure value during a test It is also capable of displaying results that are extrapolated to any pressure For more information on configuring and using the DM 32 see the DM 32 Operation Manual 5 3 Flex Duct Retrotec s duct tes...

Page 22: ...re tube as well as the Control Cable used for the DM32 to communicate with the fan For detailed instructions on how to connect the DucTester fan and the DM32 gauge using the Umbilical refer to section 6 1 5 4 3 Flange for connecting flex to ductwork at register The Flange is the intermediate part used to secure the Flex Duct onto a return register by using masking tape or Grill Mask For instructio...

Page 23: ...ng power is connected 5 4 7 9v Power Supply adapter for charging DM32 gauge A battery charger is included to charge the DM32 gauge s batteries For instructions on charging the DM32 batteries refer to the DM32 Manual 5 4 8 Additional parts and accessories for the DucTester For options and accessories look at retrotec com For more information on these parts contact sales retrotec com ...

Page 24: ...ries will charge more quickly if the DM32 is turned off and when plugged to a wall outlet instead of to a computer A large battery icon shown below will be displayed on the screen when your battery is receiving a charge When plugged into your computer the battery will not get drained but will not charge up completely either Running FanTestic software is better done wired for this reason as well as...

Page 25: ...Page 25 of 89 Retrotec 2017 ...

Page 26: ...ution must be used to prevent pulling paint off the wall 3 Seal combustion air and ventilation inlets directly connected to the duct system This can be done by sealing the opening on the outside of the building but can also be done by removing the inlet from the duct work and taping off the opening 4 Turn off all exhaust fans dryers and room conditioners 5 Turn off vented combustion appliances if ...

Page 27: ...ntrol Cable the manual speed control knob can be used to test run the fan If the Control Cable is connected it must be disconnected to use the Manual Speed Control Knob The Manual Speed Control Knob must be turned to zero and back on again to re activate it Figure 15 Model 300 Fan Top houses the speed control control knob power connection color coded tubing connections green and yellow and Control...

Page 28: ...st control of the fan press Set Speed 20 Set on the DM32 This sets the fan to 20 speed The preferred method is using Set Pressure 25 Enter Some standards require 50 Pa 8 Press Stop to stop the fan For details on DM32 operation see DM32 manual 6 6 Blue Tube location matters when testing leaky ducts When measuring extremely leaky duct systems where the leakage is over 500 CFM the location of the tes...

Page 29: ... with a Flange on one end which is normally connected a return grill but which can also be connected to the air handler cabinet When considering where to connect the DucTester to the duct system it is important to think about airflow restriction and accessibility 6 7 1 Connect to the return register For most duct tests the DucTester should be connected to the central return if there is one or to t...

Page 30: ...ucTester This induced pressure will be measured on Channel A of the gauge 6 7 3 OR Connect to a return using a Flow Hood The optional Flow Hood is a faster way to connect to a ceiling register Here the system is being pressurized from a ceiling level return It is a Pressure Pan with a hole in it pre cut to fit the Flex Duct and a Flange The blue tube goes into the supply register closest to the ai...

Page 31: ...his is not even 1 so it is not worth spending money on replacing You can create your own inexpensive version of Range 7 by covering the front of your DucTester with grill mask and putting a quarter inch square hole in it Set your DucTester to Range 7 on Device 340 seal off the end of your flex and measure the leakage If you get more than 3 CFM you might start to worry about it Range 7 is available...

Page 32: ...trictive range 6 9 Select a test direction then connect flex duct to the DucTester Duct leakage can be measured by blowing air into the ducts to pressurize the ducts or by pulling air out of the ducts to depressurize the ducts Program guidelines may specify a particular test direction Both test directions provide similar results however depressurization testing is faster and more consistent becaus...

Page 33: ...tion The only advantage of pressurizing is that it makes changing Range Rings on the fan easier If a pressurization test is needed simply install the Flex Duct on the outlet side of the fan Figure 23 Install Flex Duct over the fan exhaust for pressurization Tighten the strap ...

Page 34: ... what settings will directly calculate the results required for testing compliance with the codes adopted in the various states Table 3 Gauge Mode Setup for US state Codes and programs for Duct Testing Code 2009 IECC ENERGY STAR Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes Title 24 Code WA State Code Region VT GA CT DE GA ID IL IO MA NC NH NJ NY OH TX MD USA ID MO OR WA CA WA Pressure Pa Pa Pa Pa Pa Flow CFM CFM C...

Page 35: ...use Press the Device button fan icon from the Home screen and select 340 Next select Range Configuration 74 If Range Ring installed on fan is not Range 74 Range adjust the setting on the gauge to match what is installed 5 Set up the gauge for proper time averaging Press the Settings button and toggle Time Averaging to get 4s or go to 8 seconds if results are fluctuating 6 Adjust fan speed on DucTe...

Page 36: ...for Duct Pressure Channel A Press button until is ON is displayed to view the results at exactly 25 Pa If your standard requires 50 Pa change the Default Pressure to 50 Pa from the Settings menu 7 If appears as the flow result or the desired test pressure cannot be reached change the Range Configuration on the fan and on the gauge to match see section 6 8 ...

Page 37: ...tions shown in Figure 25 for Total Duct Leakage under depressurization and Figure 26 for Total Duct Leakage under pressurization The only difference between the two tests is that for a Depressurization test the Flex Duct is connected to the Fan inlet over top of the Range Rings The tubing setup is the same for both tests as illustrated in the figures except the Flex Duct is connected to one side o...

Page 38: ...racy and allowing the test to be carried out with a single setting for the DucTester and Blower Door gauge No changes need to be made on the DucTester gauge from the Total Duct Leakage Test which is convenient if you have to carry out both tests 8 Complete the previous Total Duct Leakage test 9 Ensure all doors and windows are closed and exhaust fans are still off except any doors windows required...

Page 39: ...Flow on the DucTester gauge which represents Duct Leakage to Outdoors If your test requires 50 Pa substitute 50 for 25 in all instructions Figure 29 Method 1 Duct Leakage to Outdoors under pressurization 8 2 2 Method 2 Set duct to house pressure to 0 Pa using DucTester gauge Method 2 does not require connecting a red tube from the DucTester gauge to outdoors but will result in huge errors if is tu...

Page 40: ...auge Figure 30 Method 2 Duct Leakage to Outdoors under depressurization 21 Press if required to remove extrapolation is Off should then be displayed on the DucTester gauge 22 Set the DucTester to 0 Pa by pressing Set Pressure 0 Set on DucTester gauge 23 When 0 Pa 1 is achieved on the DucTester gauge record Flow from the DucTester gauge which is Duct Leakage to Outdoors Figure 31 Method 2 Duct Leak...

Page 41: ... under depressurization setting the building pressure 24 Ensure that the Device is 340 and the correct DucTester Range is selected on the gauge 25 Close all doors and windows and shut off any exhaust fans in the building 26 Connect the blue tube from the duct register to the gauge run the red tube from the gauge to the outdoors and run the yellow and green tubes to the DucTester 27 Manually adjust...

Page 42: ...nto the building and the DucTester to blow into the duct system If your standard requires 50 Pa substitute 50 for 25 Figure 35 1 Gauge Duct Leakage to Outdoors under pressurization setting the building pressure 32 Ensure that the Device is 340 and the correct DucTester Range is selected on the gauge Figure 34 Disconnecting and re connecting the blue pressure tube is easier using a male to male con...

Page 43: ...thod This combined method measures both Total Duct Leakage and Duct Leakage to the Outdoors with 2 fans and 2 gauges by setting the duct to house pressure to 0 Pa using the Blower Door gauge This method is good for repeat testing because both measurements can be made with no changes to the gauge or the tubing between tests Another advantage is that the Pressure function can still be used Because y...

Page 44: ...at the blue tube is connected to the gauge and then check that it is reading pressure put a finger on the open end of the blue tube and ensure that the Channel A pressure reading changes If it does not then the tube is blocked or pinched 3 Check that there is no blockage in the ducts between the DucTester and the register containing the blue tube To do this move the blue tube to a different regist...

Page 45: ... Range Ring before reaching the target pressure the fan is not providing enough air flow to reach the target pressure Perform the following to reach the target pressure 1 Remove a Range Ring 2 Change Range Configuration setting on the gauge to match the fan 3 Re adjust DucTester fan speed If there is no Range Ring installed i e Open with no more Range Rings to remove and the desired test pressure ...

Page 46: ...e 1 Remove all Grill Mask from registers 2 Replace all filters from the return s and air handler 3 Turn the furnace air conditioning HVAC system back on 4 Ensure any combustible appliances that were turned off are turned back on and that they are properly vented again 5 Unseal any closed ventilation or reconnect the ducts if it was disconnected 6 Close any exterior doors or windows that were opene...

Page 47: ...ple documentation of the results of your test and can be used to compare the results of a tested duct system with regulated code or voluntary energy efficiency program requirements see section 2 These reports can be printed directly or saved and stored as a PDF file The latest version of the software can be downloaded from Retrotec s website Microsoft Excel 2007 or higher must be installed on the ...

Page 48: ...y get this popup prompt when you open Excel In this case click Enable Macros and you will not have to perform the procedure above 10 1 2 Enable Macros with Office 2010 For the software to run properly macros must be enabled Before Office 2010 allows you to enable macros depending on which version of the Duct Leakage Test Report software you have there may be a warning you have to bypass before ena...

Page 49: ...shown again press Ctrl F1 at any time Pressing Ctrl F1 again will hide the Ribbon 10 1 4 Enter test information and results into green cells Only enter test data or details into the green cells To reset all inputs click the Reset all Inputs button at any time 10 2 Choose metric or imperial units for results Use the dropdown menu to select the desired units for data entry and results 10 2 1 Imperia...

Page 50: ...equirements 10 5 Enter date the test was carried out Enter the test date in the format of YYYY MM DD where YYYY is the year displayed in four digits MM is the month displayed in two digits and DD is the day displayed in two digits 10 6 Enter specific parameters for the conditions of this test 10 6 1 Conditioned Floor Area The Conditioned Floor Area is the area that is normally air conditioned or h...

Page 51: ...ermining Baseline pressure is by having a digital gauge accumulate readings over an adjustable time period The Baseline function on the gauge from Settings menu allows for this measurement to be taken For more information refer to Retrotec s DM32 Operation manual 10 6 4 Enter whether pressurizing or depressurizing Test direction Click to select whether the DucTester fan is setup to depressurize or...

Page 52: ...w directly selection or Range Configuration selection The dropdown menu is used to select whether you want to enter data as Enter Flow directly from the gauge or a Range Configuration selection It does not matter which of the two methods you choose since either one will calculate the same results If you select Enter Flow directly Flow result from gauge needs to be entered Alternatively if you sele...

Page 53: ...ts in the units of CFM 100 sq ft During a prior test of your client s duct system you measured and recorded a Flow Area of 26 3 CFM 100 sq ft at 25 0 Pa on your gauge The conditioned flow area of the house is 1500 sq ft What do you enter into the software as your Flow Flow Flow Area conditioned floor area Flow 26 3 CFM 100 sq ft 1500 sq ft Flow 395 CFM You would enter a Flow of 395 CFM at a Duct P...

Page 54: ...erage Duct Operating Pressure Measure the pressure in the supply duct closest to the plenum and enter that pressure to get an accurate calculation of duct losses Do the same for the return Using the test pressure default value here will not be accurate 10 8 5 Leakage Split Enter the estimated fraction of the Total Duct Leakage that is on the supply side and the return side The default values are 0...

Page 55: ...mple if the return goes through a very cold crawl space the return leakage would pull in cold air and have a greater effect on the annual HVAC losses 10 9 Save the Duct Leakage Test Report as a PDF file 10 9 1 With Office 2007 Click the MS Office icon at the top left corner of the window Mouseover Save As on the menu Click PDF or XPS Select the directory to save the PDF file to Enter a proper file...

Page 56: ...x duct just after the fan Use of the quick connect collar aids in this operation Also make sure to clean any residue away from the flow sensors motor and fan housing when the show is over The particles can block the sensors needed for measurements 11 3 Using an infrared camera An infrared camera can graphically display areas where cold air is infiltrating into a house or building or show from the ...

Page 57: ...trotec Pressure Pans Pressure Pan Dimensions in Part number Large 24 5 x 24 5 x 8 75 PP101 Small 13 x 15 x 4 5 PP102 For more information about conducting a Pressure Pan test see the Retrotec Residential Pressure Air Leakage Testing Manual ...

Page 58: ...short cycling due to insufficient airflow unless the load becomes great enough to cause the unit to operate near its upper limit of capacity at which point it will short cycle 12 3 Measure with a DucTester as a powered flow hood on the return The Retrotec DucTester and Flow Hood can be used to measure air flows through supply registers exhaust fans and other airflow devices without affecting their...

Page 59: ...ods will typically have errors of less than 7 or 5 CFM whichever is greater Since flow will be measured in real time airhandler flow rate can be displayed on a Smart Device while adjustments are made to the system such as opening register control dampers opening and closing interior doors that will all affect total airhandler flow rate Both methods duplicate the inlet conditions to those that woul...

Page 60: ...ore errors since the negative pressure in the cabinet can be high If there is one main return and several small returns the smaller ones should be taped over so all the flow is being measured through the main return Total airhandler flow rate will be the sum of the measured value plus any leakage hopefully minor through the return ductwork If this leakage is major then obviously it must be fixed w...

Page 61: ...ple registers the flow through each register could be measure separately then the sum of all register could be used to determine total air handler flow Typically once installed the pressure tap on the flange will yield a negative pressure that will be displayed on Channel A You would then Set Pressure to zero which would cause the fan to speed up and return the pressure at the flange to zero which...

Page 62: ...erator on the roof who can measure the flow rate into or out of the tent required to re establish the pressure in the duct prior to the installation of the tent Construction of the tent is from stock PRV pipe parts They can be press fit together to create a framework and covered in plastic using Red Tuck Tape to hold 3 mil Poly together The blower door fan may rest on the ground and be taped to th...

Page 63: ...ut the end of the blue tube with the probe into the supply plenum connect the other end of the blue tube to the Input A blue port and read the pressure from Channel A on the gauge Install the flow grid into the filter slot per manufacturer instructions which includes connecting the green and yellow tubes to the gauge Press Set Pressure and enter the just measured supply plenum pressure even though...

Page 64: ... expecting for area Units for area when calculating Hole Flow default to square inches Read the CFM directly from the gauge to get the air handler flow Because this method partially blocks the flow from the air handler readings are not exact especially if pressures in the box are above 8 Pa 12 10 Measure with a Blower Door attached to the return or cabinet Measure the supply plenum pressure using ...

Page 65: ...leakage to outside test Record the leakage rate in CFM at 25 Pa CFM25 Determine the CFM25 multiplier for average operating pressure It has been assumed that 25 Pa is a representative pressure for leaks in the duct system under normal operating conditions However if you have evidence to suggest that another pressure would better represent leaks under normal conditions this can be modified Use the f...

Page 66: ... 21 180 3 27 185 3 32 190 3 38 195 3 43 200 3 48 When possible use actual operating conditions to determine the best multiplier to use from the table above Calculate a loss factor for supply and return leaks Supply Loss Factor SLS x SLP x SPM Where SLS is Supply Leakage Split default 0 5 SLP is Supply Leakage Penalty default 1 0 SPM is Supply Pressure Multiplier default 1 0 Supply Loss Factor 0 5 ...

Page 67: ... curve or by measuring system airflow using flow measuring techniques Calculate HVAC system loss HVAC System Loss CFM25 Leakage to outside Supply Loss Factor Return Loss Factor Estimated System Airflow in CFM Example 1 We conduct a Duct Leakage to Outdoors Test on a 3 ton 11 SEER heat pump system supplies located in the attic and returns in the crawlspace The owners report a 1300 yr cooling bill a...

Page 68: ...M25 270 CFM25 0 26 Loss Factors SLF 0 74 x 1 0 x 1 22 0 9 RLF 0 26 x 0 5 x 1 0 0 13 HVAC System Loss 270 CFM 0 9 0 13 1425 CFM 20 Annual cooling loss 20 x 1300 260 Annual heating loss 20 x 500 100 Annual capacity loss 20 x 3 ton 0 6 tons Annual operating SEER 1 20 x 11 SEER 8 8 SEER ...

Page 69: ...outlined there This test requires one color of tube be connected between channel A and B If both channels don t display the same pressure or the pressure drops rapidly the tubes are blocked or leaking Water can be whipped or blown out of tubes and crimped tubes can be adjusted If the readings are different either one tube is blocked or the gauge is faulty Try another tube to see if it s the tube o...

Page 70: ...ce of error Figure 44 DucTester field calibration check setup Avoid common mistakes The following mistakes are commonly made when performing a duct test and can significantly affect the results Wrong Range Configuration and or wrong Device selected on gauge Water in tube pinched tube No green reference tube attached while depressurizing ducts Having Pressure on when setting the pressure on the Duc...

Page 71: ...nd the system is too tight to measure any duct leakage Method 2 duct leakage to outdoors or combined method has erratic readings Huge errors will result if the Pressure function is turned on during this test because it creates a divide by zero error Press to remove from under the result This method relies on the DucTester gauge measuring the pressure between the house and ducts which is set to zer...

Page 72: ...rough the panel to the outdoors It is not necessary to change your Umbilical just for this color change Blower Door systems for testing tight enclosures should be set up as shown in Figure 45 below Figure 45 Blower Door setup using a Model 300 fan to test tight enclosures The left image shows the Fan Top from a side view of the Model 300 fan with tubing and Control Cable connections The green tube...

Page 73: ...to the included gauge holder that holds it upright on the Aluminum Frame for easy access during a Blower Door test To expand your DucTester into a Blower Door system for testing tight enclosures you only need to add a Low Flow Cloth Door Panel with Aluminum Frame Table 7 Aluminum Frame Door Panel dimensions Dimensions Panel width 29 43 0 in 75 109 cm Panel height 53 97 in 135 246 cm Frame thicknes...

Page 74: ...e type of fan and the Range Plate Ring being used Since both the fan pressure pickup and the reference for the fan pressure yellow and green ports on the fan connected to the gauge are on the inlet side of the fan PrB will always show the correctly referenced fan pressure and can be used directly as the fan pressure FP value in the flow equation To determine the fan flow for a particular Fan Press...

Page 75: ... 13 5 44 195 9 46 8 19 6 7 9 175 342 2 80 5 33 7 13 6 46 200 4 47 8 20 0 8 1 180 344 9 81 1 34 0 13 7 48 204 9 48 9 20 5 8 3 185 347 6 81 8 34 2 13 8 50 209 2 49 9 20 9 8 4 190 350 2 82 4 34 5 13 9 52 213 5 50 9 21 3 8 6 195 352 9 83 0 34 7 14 0 54 217 7 51 8 21 7 8 8 300 355 5 83 6 35 0 14 1 56 221 8 52 8 22 1 8 9 205 358 1 84 2 35 2 14 2 58 225 8 53 7 22 5 9 1 210 360 7 84 8 35 5 14 3 60 229 8 5...

Page 76: ...through the holes as laminar flow This means that when pressure is quadrupled the flow will also be quadrupled flow Pressure1 flow Pressure 4 flow 4 Pressure Duct holes tend to be slightly larger so tend towards more laminar with less turbulent flow and larger n values whereas houses have more prevalent long tiny cracks and therefore tend to have lower n values The n value is saved in the gauge Se...

Page 77: ...true exponent value that describes the enclosure differs the flow values estimated by the gauge when extrapolating will be off by a small error amount The tables below show the percent error that can result from entering an incorrect exponent value in the gauge and using the Pressure function If the n value on the gauge is set to 0 65 and the actual duct n is different a small error as shown in Er...

Page 78: ...pressure and flow you did achieve This is the procedure the gauge uses for extrapolating the flow at the required pressure when you use the key The following equation describes the relationship between the flow at the required pressure of 25 Pa and the actual measured flow at the measured pressure Flow at 25 Pa Flow at measured pressure 25 Pa measured pressure n CFM25 CFMP 25 P n For most ducts th...

Page 79: ...ake a flow CFM reading at the pressure achieved and multiply by the Cannot reach 50 Pa factor from Table 12 to get an estimate of the flow that would result at 50 Pa For example if you read 1000 CFM at a building pressure of 30 Pa the Cannot reach 50 factor from Table 12 is 1 36 To get the estimated flow at 50 Pa make the following calculation 1000 CFM 1 36 1360 CFM Thus the estimated result for C...

Page 80: ...3 1 59 47 1 04 22 1 64 46 1 05 21 1 68 45 1 07 20 1 73 44 1 08 19 1 79 43 1 09 18 1 85 42 1 11 17 1 91 41 1 13 16 1 98 40 1 14 15 2 06 39 1 16 14 2 15 38 1 18 13 2 24 37 1 20 12 2 35 36 1 22 11 2 48 35 1 24 10 2 63 34 1 26 9 2 80 33 1 28 8 3 00 32 1 31 7 3 25 31 1 33 6 3 57 30 1 36 5 3 98 29 1 39 28 1 42 27 1 45 26 1 48 ...

Page 81: ...sured flow will appear relatively unchanging Fan does not run Make sure the power light is on and the power switch is set to 1 If the yellow Speed Control Cable Ethernet style has been connected previously to a gauge the Speed Control Knob must be turned off and then on again This is a fail safe feature so the fan does not go on unless you want it to Alternatively turning the power switch off and ...

Page 82: ...m If your impeller is rubbing Remove the Inlet Nozzle Loosen the mounting bolts Cover the impeller with 0 10 inches of paper or card stock Retighten the bolts Remove the nozzle and the paper and replace the nozzle with tape to hold it in position Tape replacement method shown above Using the roll of special tape supplied start underneath the nozzle inlet wrap tape around and finish by smoothing do...

Page 83: ...rator output sizes are 3000W for Blower Doors and 500W for DucTesters When selecting the generator look for key words and phrases including inverter output utility grade AC power suitable for sensitive electronics Table 13 Portable generator AC power output types Type of AC Power Output Comments Expectation Inverter Best Compatible Recommended AVR Automatic Voltage Regulation Questionable May not ...

Page 84: ...ks with all Retrotec Fans The G3000HI is equipped with an inverter and runs at 230V and a maximum of 3000W for even the most powerful Retrotec equipment Portable Power Supplies Portable power supplies can provide enough power for Retrotec DucTester fans but are unlikely to produce sufficient power for a Blower Door Please ensure that the power supply meets the minimum power requirements of the fan...

Page 85: ...r and outdoor pressure the same 9 Make connections to the DucTester __ yellow tube __green tube __ power cord __ speed control 10 Connect tubes and speed control to the gauge __ blue tube __ yellow tube __green tube ___ speed control 11 Enter conditioned floor area of the house into gauge _____________ sq ft conditioned floor area 12 Create a 25 Pa pressure in the ducts Press Set Pressure 25 and E...

Page 86: ...ange flex to return register or __access door in the air handler 6 Insert blue tube in a supply register 7 Seal all other registers Do NOT seal to the wall or ceiling 8 Open doors or windows 9 Connect the DucTester __ yellow tube __ power cord __ speed control __green tube 10 Connect the DM 2 11 Turn on and set up the DM 2 12 Create a 25 Pa pressure in the ducts 13 Range Configuration ____ 14 Reco...

Page 87: ...6 ____CFM E g an air handler blower flow of 2000 CFM must have less than 2000 100 X 6 120 CFM of leakage Existing duct systems must leak less than 15 of the air handler s flow The Maximum allowable duct tester measurement based on 3 different base system air handler flow is For A C systems multiply the Tonnage X 60 CFM Assumes 400 CFM per Ton with maximum allowable leakage of 15 60 CFM per Ton TON...

Page 88: ...S Department of Energy Blower Door A test instrument that fits into an open doorway in order to pressurize or depressurize an enclosure It is a calibrated fan capable of measuring air flow and is used while mounting it into a doorway A Blower Door is often called a Door Fan or an Infiltrometer The term Door Fan is more descriptive than the common term blower door since the apparatus is a fan in a ...

Page 89: ...t and has Mains Power printed on it HVAC Heating Ventilating and Air conditioning Leakage A general term used to describe holes or the area of holes in in the envelope around an enclosure Leakage Area This is the same as Leakage but expressed in sq ft or m2 LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Low Flow Cloth Door Panel Cloth Door Panel used to test tight enclosures with a Model 200 f...

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