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## u.s. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER TEST PROCEDURES PUBLIC HEARING PRELIMINARY AGENDA LOCATION OF PUBLIC HEARING: FORREST AL BUILDING

DATE AND TIME: 1000 INDEPENDENCE AVENUE, SW ROOM lE-245 WASHINGTON, DC 20585 TELEPHONE: 202-586-9127 TELEFAX: 202-586-4617 THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2001 9:00 A.M.

- 5:00 P.M.
NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING PUBLIC HEARING Objective ofHearing

9:00 a.m. to 9:05 a.m. 9:05 to 9: 15 a.m. The objective ofthe public hearing is to gatherviews onthe proposedtestprocedure before the Department issues a Final Rule. Opening Remarks and Introductions Agendareview and overview 9: 15 a.m. to 11 :00 a.m. Proposed changes on howto test and rate specific types ofequipment

- Non-defrost heat pumps: opinions on the three options described in Section lILA.3 ofthe NOPRpreamble

- Heatpumps that incorporate a heat comfort controller 

## *Validity ofcalculation algorithm 

## *Applicability ofalgorithm to equipmenttypes

- Small-duct, high velocity air conditioners and heat pumps 

## *Proposed testprocedure changes (newdefinition and test as coil only) 

## *Alternative options?

- Two-capacity (two-stage) heat pumps that operate using low-capacity (first stage) when cooling and use both capacity levels (stages) when heating: better defined. 11 :00 a.m. to 11: 15 a.m. Break 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Proposed changes/additions for testing

- Variable-speed, constant CFMblowers 

## * Steady-state tests • Correctionto minimum static• Drop requirement for 8% agreement with certified SCFM? 

## * Cyclic tests

- Single-packaged units: invoking a dewpointrequirement

- Air volume rate used when testing a coil-only, two-capacity unit at low capacity

- Lab installation guidelines 

## *Proposed changes seek to prevent the specification ofa charging criteria that only applies for lab testing 

## * Proposed changes seek to prevent an independent test lab from having to consult with the manufacturer onrefrigerant charging procedure 

## *Are additional guidelines needed to improve consistency among lab installationpractices (e.g., prewashing coils, run-in times on compressors, disabling ofcrankcase heaters, etc.) 12: 15 p.m. to 1: 15 p.m. Lunch (on your own) 1:15 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Are further changes needed?

- differentiate between two-capacity units that transition from lowto high capacity (and vice versa) on-the-fly versus units that must shut down for some finite time interval?

- test method for non-ducted equipment (mini-splits and multi-splits)

- others? 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Efforts to seek new defaults for the cooling and heating mode cyclic degradation coefficients (CD'S) 2:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Are anytestprocedure changes expectedto negatively impact a unit's ability to meet the existingNAECA standards? Ifso, are the changesjustified or should they be delayed? 2:45 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Break WORKSHOP ON OTHERTEST PROCEDURE ISSUES Discussion ofissues that will not affect this revision ofthe DOEtestprocedure. 3:00 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. Should changes be incorporated into the test procedure that encourage the use ofdevices (e.g., thermostatic expansion valves) that help compensate for an incorrect refrigerant charging and insufficient indoor coil air volume rate problems in field installations? 3:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Should DOEpursue having one standard alternative method for rating untested splitsystem combinations? 4:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.