Title 10

PART 430 APPENDIX M



Appendix M to Subpart B of Part 430 - Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps

10:3.0.1.4.18.2.13.6.22 : Appendix M

Appendix M to Subpart B of Part 430 - Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps Note:

Prior to July 5, 2017, any representations, including compliance certifications, made with respect to the energy use, power, or efficiency of central air conditioners and central air conditioning heat pumps must be based on the results of testing pursuant to either this appendix or the procedures in Appendix M as it appeared at 10 CFR part 430, subpart B, Appendix M, in the 10 CFR parts 200 to 499 edition revised as of January 1, 2017. Any representations made with respect to the energy use or efficiency of such central air conditioners and central air conditioning heat pumps must be in accordance with whichever version is selected.

On or after July 5, 2017 and prior to January 1, 2023, any representations, including compliance certifications, made with respect to the energy use, power, or efficiency of central air conditioners and central air conditioning heat pumps must be based on the results of testing pursuant to this appendix.

On or after January 1, 2023, any representations, including compliance certifications, made with respect to the energy use, power, or efficiency of central air conditioners and central air conditioning heat pumps must be based on the results of testing pursuant to appendix M1 of this subpart.

1. Scope and Definitions 1.1 Scope

This test procedure provides a method of determining SEER, EER, HSPF and PW,OFF for central air conditioners and central air conditioning heat pumps including the following categories:

(a) Split-system air conditioners, including single-split, multi-head mini-split, multi-split (including VRF), and multi-circuit systems (b) Split-system heat pumps, including single-split, multi-head mini-split, multi-split (including VRF), and multi-circuit systems (c) Single-package air conditioners (d) Single-package heat pumps (e) Small-duct, high-velocity systems (including VRF) (f) Space-constrained products - air conditioners (g) Space-constrained products - heat pumps

For purposes of this appendix, the Department of Energy incorporates by reference specific sections of several industry standards, as listed in § 430.3. In cases where there is a conflict, the language of the test procedure in this appendix takes precedence over the incorporated standards.

All section references refer to sections within this appendix unless otherwise stated.

1.2 Definitions

Airflow-control settings are programmed or wired control system configurations that control a fan to achieve discrete, differing ranges of airflow - often designated for performing a specific function (e.g., cooling, heating, or constant circulation) - without manual adjustment other than interaction with a user-operable control (i.e., a thermostat) that meets the manufacturer specifications for installed-use. For the purposes of this appendix, manufacturer specifications for installed-use are those found in the product literature shipped with the unit.

Air sampling device is an assembly consisting of a manifold with several branch tubes with multiple sampling holes that draws an air sample from a critical location from the unit under test (e.g. indoor air inlet, indoor air outlet, outdoor air inlet, etc.).

Airflow prevention device denotes a device that prevents airflow via natural convection by mechanical means, such as an air damper box, or by means of changes in duct height, such as an upturned duct.

Aspirating psychrometer is a piece of equipment with a monitored airflow section that draws uniform airflow through the measurement section and has probes for measurement of air temperature and humidity.

Blower coil indoor unit means an indoor unit either with an indoor blower housed with the coil or with a separate designated air mover such as a furnace or a modular blower (as defined in appendix AA to the subpart).

Blower coil system refers to a split system that includes one or more blower coil indoor units.

Cased coil means a coil-only indoor unit with external cabinetry.

Coefficient of Performance (COP) means the ratio of the average rate of space heating delivered to the average rate of electrical energy consumed by the heat pump. These rate quantities must be determined from a single test or, if derived via interpolation, must be determined at a single set of operating conditions. COP is a dimensionless quantity. When determined for a ducted coil-only system, COP must include the sections 3.7 and 3.9.1 of this appendix: Default values for the heat output and power input of a fan motor.

Coil-only indoor unit means an indoor unit that is distributed in commerce without an indoor blower or separate designated air mover. A coil-only indoor unit installed in the field relies on a separately-installed furnace or a modular blower for indoor air movement. Coil-only system refers to a system that includes only (one or more) coil-only indoor units.

Condensing unit removes the heat absorbed by the refrigerant to transfer it to the outside environment and consists of an outdoor coil, compressor(s), and air moving device.

Constant-air-volume-rate indoor blower means a fan that varies its operating speed to provide a fixed air-volume-rate from a ducted system.

Continuously recorded, when referring to a dry bulb measurement, dry bulb temperature used for test room control, wet bulb temperature, dew point temperature, or relative humidity measurements, means that the specified value must be sampled at regular intervals that are equal to or less than 15 seconds.

Cooling load factor (CLF) means the ratio having as its numerator the total cooling delivered during a cyclic operating interval consisting of one ON period and one OFF period, and as its denominator the total cooling that would be delivered, given the same ambient conditions, had the unit operated continuously at its steady-state, space-cooling capacity for the same total time (ON + OFF) interval.

Crankcase heater means any electrically powered device or mechanism for intentionally generating heat within and/or around the compressor sump volume. Crankcase heater control may be achieved using a timer or may be based on a change in temperature or some other measurable parameter, such that the crankcase heater is not required to operate continuously. A crankcase heater without controls operates continuously when the compressor is not operating.

Cyclic Test means a test where the unit's compressor is cycled on and off for specific time intervals. A cyclic test provides half the information needed to calculate a degradation coefficient.

Damper box means a short section of duct having an air damper that meets the performance requirements of section 2.5.7 of this appendix.

Degradation coefficient (CD) means a parameter used in calculating the part load factor. The degradation coefficient for cooling is denoted by CD c. The degradation coefficient for heating is denoted by CD h.

Demand-defrost control system means a system that defrosts the heat pump outdoor coil-only when measuring a predetermined degradation of performance. The heat pump's controls either:

(1) Monitor one or more parameters that always vary with the amount of frost accumulated on the outdoor coil (e.g., coil to air differential temperature, coil differential air pressure, outdoor fan power or current, optical sensors) at least once for every ten minutes of compressor ON-time when space heating or

(2) operate as a feedback system that measures the length of the defrost period and adjusts defrost frequency accordingly. In all cases, when the frost parameter(s) reaches a predetermined value, the system initiates a defrost. In a demand-defrost control system, defrosts are terminated based on monitoring a parameter(s) that indicates that frost has been eliminated from the coil. (Note: Systems that vary defrost intervals according to outdoor dry-bulb temperature are not demand-defrost systems.) A demand-defrost control system, which otherwise meets the above requirements, may allow time-initiated defrosts if, and only if, such defrosts occur after 6 hours of compressor operating time.

Design heating requirement (DHR) predicts the space heating load of a residence when subjected to outdoor design conditions. Estimates for the minimum and maximum DHR are provided for six generalized U.S. climatic regions in section 4.2 of this appendix.

Dry-coil tests are cooling mode tests where the wet-bulb temperature of the air supplied to the indoor unit is maintained low enough that no condensate forms on the evaporator coil.

Ducted system means an air conditioner or heat pump that is designed to be permanently installed equipment and delivers conditioned air to the indoor space through a duct(s). The air conditioner or heat pump may be either a split-system or a single-package unit.

Energy efficiency ratio (EER) means the ratio of the average rate of space cooling delivered to the average rate of electrical energy consumed by the air conditioner or heat pump. Determine these rate quantities from a single test or, if derived via interpolation, determine at a single set of operating conditions. EER is expressed in units of

When determined for a ducted coil-only system, EER must include, from this appendix, the section 3.3 and 3.5.1 default values for the heat output and power input of a fan motor.

Evaporator coil means an assembly that absorbs heat from an enclosed space and transfers the heat to a refrigerant.

Heat pump means a kind of central air conditioner that utilizes an indoor conditioning coil, compressor, and refrigerant-to-outdoor air heat exchanger to provide air heating, and may also provide air cooling, air dehumidifying, air humidifying, air circulating, and air cleaning.

Heat pump having a heat comfort controller means a heat pump with controls that can regulate the operation of the electric resistance elements to assure that the air temperature leaving the indoor section does not fall below a specified temperature. Heat pumps that actively regulate the rate of electric resistance heating when operating below the balance point (as the result of a second stage call from the thermostat) but do not operate to maintain a minimum delivery temperature are not considered as having a heat comfort controller.

Heating load factor (HLF) means the ratio having as its numerator the total heating delivered during a cyclic operating interval consisting of one ON period and one OFF period, and its denominator the heating capacity measured at the same test conditions used for the cyclic test, multiplied by the total time interval (ON plus OFF) of the cyclic-test.

Heating season means the months of the year that require heating, e.g., typically, and roughly, October through April.

Heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF) means the total space heating required during the heating season, expressed in Btu, divided by the total electrical energy consumed by the heat pump system during the same season, expressed in watt-hours. The HSPF used to evaluate compliance with 10 CFR 430.32(c) is based on Region IV and the sampling plan stated in 10 CFR 429.16(a). HSPF is determined in accordance with appendix M.

Independent coil manufacturer (ICM) means a manufacturer that manufactures indoor units but does not manufacture single-package units or outdoor units.

Indoor unit means a separate assembly of a split system that includes -

(1) An arrangement of refrigerant-to-air heat transfer coil(s) for transfer of heat between the refrigerant and the indoor air,

(2) A condensate drain pan, and may or may not include

(3) Sheet metal or plastic parts not part of external cabinetry to direct/route airflow over the coil(s),

(4) A cooling mode expansion device,

(5) External cabinetry, and

(6) An integrated indoor blower (i.e. a device to move air including its associated motor). A separate designated air mover that may be a furnace or a modular blower (as defined in appendix AA to the subpart) may be considered to be part of the indoor unit. A service coil is not an indoor unit.

Multi-head mini-split system means a split system that has one outdoor unit and that has two or more indoor units connected with a single refrigeration circuit. The indoor units operate in unison in response to a single indoor thermostat.

Multiple-circuit (or multi-circuit) system means a split system that has one outdoor unit and that has two or more indoor units installed on two or more refrigeration circuits such that each refrigeration circuit serves a compressor and one and only one indoor unit, and refrigerant is not shared from circuit to circuit.

Multiple-split (or multi-split) system means a split system that has one outdoor unit and two or more coil-only indoor units and/or blower coil indoor units connected with a single refrigerant circuit. The indoor units operate independently and can condition multiple zones in response to at least two indoor thermostats or temperature sensors. The outdoor unit operates in response to independent operation of the indoor units based on control input of multiple indoor thermostats or temperature sensors, and/or based on refrigeration circuit sensor input (e.g., suction pressure).

Nominal capacity means the capacity that is claimed by the manufacturer on the product name plate. Nominal cooling capacity is approximate to the air conditioner cooling capacity tested at A or A2 condition. Nominal heating capacity is approximate to the heat pump heating capacity tested in H12 test (or the optional H1N test).

Non-ducted indoor unit means an indoor unit that is designed to be permanently installed, mounted on room walls and/or ceilings, and that directly heats or cools air within the conditioned space.

Normalized Gross Indoor Fin Surface (NGIFS) means the gross fin surface area of the indoor unit coil divided by the cooling capacity measured for the A or A2 Test, whichever applies.

Off-mode power consumption means the power consumption when the unit is connected to its main power source but is neither providing cooling nor heating to the building it serves.

Off-mode season means, for central air conditioners other than heat pumps, the shoulder season and the entire heating season; and for heat pumps, the shoulder season only.

Outdoor unit means a separate assembly of a split system that transfers heat between the refrigerant and the outdoor air, and consists of an outdoor coil, compressor(s), an air moving device, and in addition for heat pumps, may include a heating mode expansion device, reversing valve, and/or defrost controls.

Outdoor unit manufacturer (OUM) means a manufacturer of single-package units, outdoor units, and/or both indoor units and outdoor units.

Part-load factor (PLF) means the ratio of the cyclic EER (or COP for heating) to the steady-state EER (or COP), where both EERs (or COPs) are determined based on operation at the same ambient conditions.

Seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) means the total heat removed from the conditioned space during the annual cooling season, expressed in Btu's, divided by the total electrical energy consumed by the central air conditioner or heat pump during the same season, expressed in watt-hours. SEER is determined in accordance with appendix M.

Service coil means an arrangement of refrigerant-to-air heat transfer coil(s), condensate drain pan, sheet metal or plastic parts to direct/route airflow over the coil(s), which may or may not include external cabinetry and/or a cooling mode expansion device, distributed in commerce solely for replacing an uncased coil or cased coil that has already been placed into service, and that has been labeled “for indoor coil replacement only” on the nameplate and in manufacturer technical and product literature. The model number for any service coil must include some mechanism (e.g., an additional letter or number) for differentiating a service coil from a coil intended for an indoor unit.

Shoulder season means the months of the year in between those months that require cooling and those months that require heating, e.g., typically, and roughly, April through May, and September through October.

Single-package unit means any central air conditioner or heat pump that has all major assemblies enclosed in one cabinet.

Single-split system means a split system that has one outdoor unit and one indoor unit connected with a single refrigeration circuit. Small-duct, high-velocity system means a split system for which all indoor units are blower coil indoor units that produce at least 1.2 inches (of water column) of external static pressure when operated at the full-load air volume rate certified by the manufacturer of at least 220 scfm per rated ton of cooling.

Split system means any air conditioner or heat pump that has at least two separate assemblies that are connected with refrigerant piping when installed. One of these assemblies includes an indoor coil that exchanges heat with the indoor air to provide heating or cooling, while one of the others includes an outdoor coil that exchanges heat with the outdoor air. Split systems may be either blower coil systems or coil-only systems.

Standard Air means dry air having a mass density of 0.075 lb/ft 3.

Steady-state test means a test where the test conditions are regulated to remain as constant as possible while the unit operates continuously in the same mode.

Temperature bin means the 5 °F increments that are used to partition the outdoor dry-bulb temperature ranges of the cooling (≥65 °F) and heating (<65 °F) seasons.

Test condition tolerance means the maximum permissible difference between the average value of the measured test parameter and the specified test condition.

Test operating tolerance means the maximum permissible range that a measurement may vary over the specified test interval. The difference between the maximum and minimum sampled values must be less than or equal to the specified test operating tolerance.

Tested combination means a multi-head mini-split, multi-split, or multi-circuit system having the following features:

(1) The system consists of one outdoor unit with one or more compressors matched with between two and five indoor units;

(2) The indoor units must:

(i) Collectively, have a nominal cooling capacity greater than or equal to 95 percent and less than or equal to 105 percent of the nominal cooling capacity of the outdoor unit;

(ii) Each represent the highest sales volume model family, if this is possible while meeting all the requirements of this section. If this is not possible, one or more of the indoor units may represent another indoor model family in order that all the other requirements of this section are met.

(iii) Individually not have a nominal cooling capacity greater than 50 percent of the nominal cooling capacity of the outdoor unit, unless the nominal cooling capacity of the outdoor unit is 24,000 Btu/h or less;

(iv) Operate at fan speeds consistent with manufacturer's specifications; and

(v) All be subject to the same minimum external static pressure requirement while able to produce the same external static pressure at the exit of each outlet plenum when connected in a manifold configuration as required by the test procedure.

(3) Where referenced, “nominal cooling capacity” means, for indoor units, the highest cooling capacity listed in published product literature for 95 °F outdoor dry bulb temperature and 80 °F dry bulb, 67 °F wet bulb indoor conditions, and for outdoor units, the lowest cooling capacity listed in published product literature for these conditions. If incomplete or no operating conditions are published, the highest (for indoor units) or lowest (for outdoor units) such cooling capacity available for sale must be used.

Time-adaptive defrost control system is a demand-defrost control system that measures the length of the prior defrost period(s) and uses that information to automatically determine when to initiate the next defrost cycle.

Time-temperature defrost control systems initiate or evaluate initiating a defrost cycle only when a predetermined cumulative compressor ON-time is obtained. This predetermined ON-time is generally a fixed value (e.g., 30, 45, 90 minutes) although it may vary based on the measured outdoor dry-bulb temperature. The ON-time counter accumulates if controller measurements (e.g., outdoor temperature, evaporator temperature) indicate that frost formation conditions are present, and it is reset/remains at zero at all other times. In one application of the control scheme, a defrost is initiated whenever the counter time equals the predetermined ON-time. The counter is reset when the defrost cycle is completed.

In a second application of the control scheme, one or more parameters are measured (e.g., air and/or refrigerant temperatures) at the predetermined, cumulative, compressor ON-time. A defrost is initiated only if the measured parameter(s) falls within a predetermined range. The ON-time counter is reset regardless of whether or not a defrost is initiated. If systems of this second type use cumulative ON-time intervals of 10 minutes or less, then the heat pump may qualify as having a demand defrost control system (see definition).

Triple-capacity, northern heat pump means a heat pump that provides two stages of cooling and three stages of heating. The two common stages for both the cooling and heating modes are the low capacity stage and the high capacity stage. The additional heating mode stage is the booster capacity stage, which offers the highest heating capacity output for a given set of ambient operating conditions.

Triple-split system means a split system that is composed of three separate assemblies: An outdoor fan coil section, a blower coil indoor unit, and an indoor compressor section.

Two-capacity (or two-stage) compressor system means a central air conditioner or heat pump that has a compressor or a group of compressors operating with only two stages of capacity. For such systems, low capacity means the compressor(s) operating at low stage, or at low load test conditions. The low compressor stage that operates for heating mode tests may be the same or different from the low compressor stage that operates for cooling mode tests. For such systems, high capacity means the compressor(s) operating at high stage, or at full load test conditions.

Two-capacity, northern heat pump means a heat pump that has a factory or field-selectable lock-out feature to prevent space cooling at high-capacity. Two-capacity heat pumps having this feature will typically have two sets of ratings, one with the feature disabled and one with the feature enabled. The heat pump is a two-capacity northern heat pump only when this feature is enabled at all times. The certified indoor coil model number must reflect whether the ratings pertain to the lockout enabled option via the inclusion of an extra identifier, such as “+LO”. When testing as a two-capacity, northern heat pump, the lockout feature must remain enabled for all tests.

Uncased coil means a coil-only indoor unit without external cabinetry.

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system means a multi-split system with at least three compressor capacity stages, distributing refrigerant through a piping network to multiple indoor blower coil units each capable of individual zone temperature control, through proprietary zone temperature control devices and a common communications network. Note: Single-phase VRF systems less than 65,000 Btu/h are central air conditioners and central air conditioning heat pumps.

Variable-speed compressor system means a central air conditioner or heat pump that has a compressor that uses a variable-speed drive to vary the compressor speed to achieve variable capacities.

Wet-coil test means a test conducted at test conditions that typically cause water vapor to condense on the test unit evaporator coil.

2. Testing Overview and Conditions

(A) Test VRF systems using AHRI 1230-2010 (incorporated by reference, see § 430.3) and appendix M. Where AHRI 1230-2010 refers to the appendix C therein substitute the provisions of this appendix. In cases where there is a conflict, the language of the test procedure in this appendix takes precedence over AHRI 1230-2010.

For definitions use section 1 of appendix M and section 3 of AHRI 1230-2010 (incorporated by reference, see § 430.3). For rounding requirements, refer to § 430.23(m). For determination of certified ratings, refer to § 429.16 of this chapter.

For test room requirements, refer to section 2.1 of this appendix. For test unit installation requirements refer to sections 2.2.a, 2.2.b, 2.2.c, 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3(a), 2.2.3(c), 2.2.4, 2.2.5, and 2.4 to 2.12 of this appendix, and sections 5.1.3 and 5.1.4 of AHRI 1230-2010. The “manufacturer's published instructions,” as stated in section 8.2 of ANSI/ASHRAE 37-2009 (incorporated by reference, see § 430.3) and “manufacturer's installation instructions” discussed in this appendix mean the manufacturer's installation instructions that come packaged with or appear in the labels applied to the unit. This does not include online manuals. Installation instructions that appear in the labels applied to the unit take precedence over installation instructions that are shipped with the unit.

For general requirements for the test procedure, refer to section 3.1 of this appendix, except for sections 3.1.3 and 3.1.4, which are requirements for indoor air volume and outdoor air volume. For indoor air volume and outdoor air volume requirements, refer instead to section 6.1.5 (except where section 6.1.5 refers to Table 8, refer instead to Table 4 of this appendix) and 6.1.6 of AHRI 1230-2010.

For the test method, refer to sections 3.3 to 3.5 and 3.7 to 3.13 of this appendix. For cooling mode and heating mode test conditions, refer to section 6.2 of AHRI 1230-2010. For calculations of seasonal performance descriptors, refer to section 4 of this appendix.

(B) For systems other than VRF, only a subset of the sections listed in this test procedure apply when testing and determining represented values for a particular unit. Table 1 shows the sections of the test procedure that apply to each system. This table is meant to assist manufacturers in finding the appropriate sections of the test procedure; the appendix sections rather than the table provide the specific requirements for testing, and given the varied nature of available units, manufacturers are responsible for determining which sections apply to each unit tested based on the unit's characteristics. To use this table, first refer to the sections listed under “all units”. Then refer to additional requirements based on:

(1) System configuration(s),

(2) The compressor staging or modulation capability, and

(3) Any special features.

Testing requirements for space-constrained products do not differ from similar equipment that is not space-constrained and thus are not listed separately in this table. Air conditioners and heat pumps are not listed separately in this table, but heating procedures and calculations apply only to heat pumps.

2.1 Test Room Requirements

a. Test using two side-by-side rooms: An indoor test room and an outdoor test room. For multiple-split, single-zone-multi-coil or multi-circuit air conditioners and heat pumps, however, use as many indoor test rooms as needed to accommodate the total number of indoor units. These rooms must comply with the requirements specified in sections 8.1.2 and 8.1.3 of ANSI/ASHRAE 37-2009 (incorporated by reference, see § 430.3).

b. Inside these test rooms, use artificial loads during cyclic tests and frost accumulation tests, if needed, to produce stabilized room air temperatures. For one room, select an electric resistance heater(s) having a heating capacity that is approximately equal to the heating capacity of the test unit's condenser. For the second room, select a heater(s) having a capacity that is close to the sensible cooling capacity of the test unit's evaporator. Cycle the heater located in the same room as the test unit evaporator coil ON and OFF when the test unit cycles ON and OFF. Cycle the heater located in the same room as the test unit condensing coil ON and OFF when the test unit cycles OFF and ON.

2.2 Test Unit Installation Requirements

a. Install the unit according to section 8.2 of ANSI/ASHRAE 37-2009 (incorporated by reference, see § 430.3), subject to the following additional requirements:

(1) When testing split systems, follow the requirements given in section 6.1.3.5 of AHRI 210/240-2008 (incorporated by reference, see § 430.3). For the vapor refrigerant line(s), use the insulation included with the unit; if no insulation is provided, use insulation meeting the specifications for the insulation in the installation instructions included with the unit by the manufacturer; if no insulation is included with the unit and the installation instructions do not contain provisions for insulating the line(s), fully insulate the vapor refrigerant line(s) with vapor proof insulation having an inside diameter that matches the refrigerant tubing and a nominal thickness of at least 0.5 inches. For the liquid refrigerant line(s), use the insulation included with the unit; if no insulation is provided, use insulation meeting the specifications for the insulation in the installation instructions included with the unit by the manufacturer; if no insulation is included with the unit and the installation instructions do not contain provisions for insulating the line(s), leave the liquid refrigerant line(s) exposed to the air for air conditioners and heat pumps that heat and cool; or, for heating-only heat pumps, insulate the liquid refrigerant line(s) with insulation having an inside diameter that matches the refrigerant tubing and a nominal thickness of at least 0.5 inches. However, these requirements do not take priority over instructions for application of insulation for the purpose of improving refrigerant temperature measurement accuracy as required by sections 2.10.2 and 2.10.3 of this appendix. Insulation must be the same for the cooling and heating tests.

(2) When testing split systems, if the indoor unit does not ship with a cooling mode expansion device, test the system using the device as specified in the installation instructions provided with the indoor unit. If none is specified, test the system using a fixed orifice or piston type expansion device that is sized appropriately for the system.

(3) When testing triple-split systems (see section 1.2 of this appendix, Definitions), use the tubing length specified in section 6.1.3.5 of AHRI 210/240-2008 (incorporated by reference, see § 430.3) to connect the outdoor coil, indoor compressor section, and indoor coil while still meeting the requirement of exposing 10 feet of the tubing to outside conditions;

(4) When testing split systems having multiple indoor coils, connect each indoor blower coil unit to the outdoor unit using:

(a) 25 feet of tubing, or

(b) tubing furnished by the manufacturer, whichever is longer.

At least 10 feet of the system interconnection tubing shall be exposed to the outside conditions. If they are needed to make a secondary measurement of capacity or for verification of refrigerant charge, install refrigerant pressure measuring instruments as described in section 8.2.5 of ANSI/ASHRAE 37-2009 (incorporated by reference, see § 430.3). Section 2.10 of this appendix specifies which secondary methods require refrigerant pressure measurements and section 2.2.5.5 of this appendix discusses use of pressure measurements to verify charge. At a minimum, insulate the low-pressure line(s) of a split system with insulation having an inside diameter that matches the refrigerant tubing and a nominal thickness of 0.5 inch.

b. For units designed for both horizontal and vertical installation or for both up-flow and down-flow vertical installations, use the orientation for testing specified by the manufacturer in the certification report. Conduct testing with the following installed:

(1) The most restrictive filter(s);

(2) Supplementary heating coils; and

(3) Other equipment specified as part of the unit, including all hardware used by a heat comfort controller if so equipped (see section 1 of this appendix, Definitions). For small-duct, high-velocity systems, configure all balance dampers or restrictor devices on or inside the unit to fully open or lowest restriction.

c. Testing a ducted unit without having an indoor air filter installed is permissible as long as the minimum external static pressure requirement is adjusted as stated in Table 4, note 3 (see section 3.1.4 of this appendix). Except as noted in section 3.1.10 of this appendix, prevent the indoor air supplementary heating coils from operating during all tests. For uncased coils, create an enclosure using 1 inch fiberglass foil-faced ductboard having a nominal density of 6 pounds per cubic foot. Or alternatively, construct an enclosure using sheet metal or a similar material and insulating material having a thermal resistance (“R” value) between 4 and 6 hr·ft 2· °F/Btu. Size the enclosure and seal between the coil and/or drainage pan and the interior of the enclosure as specified in installation instructions shipped with the unit. Also seal between the plenum and inlet and outlet ducts.

d. When testing a coil-only system, install a toroidal-type transformer to power the system's low-voltage components, complying with any additional requirements for the transformer mentioned in the installation manuals included with the unit by the system manufacturer. If the installation manuals do not provide specifications for the transformer, use a transformer having the following features:

(1) A nominal volt-amp rating such that the transformer is loaded between 25 and 90 percent of this rating for the highest level of power measured during the off mode test (section 3.13 of this appendix);

(2) Designed to operate with a primary input of 230 V, single phase, 60 Hz; and

(3) That provides an output voltage that is within the specified range for each low-voltage component. Include the power consumption of the components connected to the transformer as part of the total system power consumption during the off mode tests; do not include the power consumed by the transformer when no load is connected to it.

e. Test an outdoor unit with no match (i.e., that is not distributed in commerce with any indoor units) using a coil-only indoor unit with a single cooling air volume rate whose coil has:

(1) Round tubes of outer diameter no less than 0.375 inches, and

(2) a normalized gross indoor fin surface (NGIFS) no greater than 1.0 square inches per British thermal unit per hour (sq. in./Btu/hr). NGIFS is calculated as follows:

NGIFS = 2 × Lf × Wf × Nf ÷ Q c(95)

where: Lf = Indoor coil fin length in inches, also height of the coil transverse to the tubes. Wf = Indoor coil fin width in inches, also depth of the coil. Nf = Number of fins. Q c(95) = the measured space cooling capacity of the tested outdoor unit/indoor unit combination as determined from the A2 or A Test whichever applies, Btu/h.

ƒ. If the outdoor unit or the outdoor portion of a single-package unit has a drain pan heater to prevent freezing of defrost water, the heater shall be energized, subject to control to de-energize it when not needed by the heater's thermostat or the unit's control system, for all tests.

g. If pressure measurement devices are connected to a cooling/heating heat pump refrigerant circuit, the refrigerant charge Mt that could potentially transfer out of the connected pressure measurement systems (transducers, gauges, connections, and lines) between operating modes must be less than 2 percent of the factory refrigerant charge listed on the nameplate of the outdoor unit. If the outdoor unit nameplate has no listed refrigerant charge, or the heat pump is shipped without a refrigerant charge, use a factory refrigerant charge equal to 30 ounces per ton of certified cooling capacity. Use Equation 2.2-1 to calculate Mt for heat pumps that have a single expansion device located in the outdoor unit to serve each indoor unit, and use Equation 2.2-2 to calculate Mt for heat pumps that have two expansion devices per indoor unit.

where: Vi (i=2,3,4. . .) = the internal volume of the pressure measurement system (pressure lines, fittings, and gauge and/or transducer) at the location i (as indicated in Table 2), (cubic inches) fi (i=5,6) = 0 if the pressure measurement system is pitched upwards from the pressure tap location to the gauge or transducer, 1 if it is not. r = the density associated with liquid refrigerant at 100 °F bubble point conditions (ounces per cubic inch)

Table 2 - Pressure Measurement Locations

Location
Compressor Discharge 1
Between Outdoor Coil and Outdoor Expansion Valve(s) 2
Liquid Service Valve 3
Indoor Coil Inlet 4
Indoor Coil Outlet 5
Common Suction Port (i.e. vapor service valve) 6
Compressor Suction 7