PTCS Program Newsletter: July 2019ReturnToTop
In this Issue:
General Program Updates & Tips
Balance Point UpdatesBPUpdates 
The PTCS program has been allowing variances for air source heat pumps with a reported balance point between 31 and 35 degrees since 2014. Starting on October 1, 2019, balance points above 30 degrees will no longer go into "Pending" status for manual approval. After this date the project will show as "Rejected" in the registry.  For more details, please go here.

If you have other questions about appropriate sizing assumptions, feel free to contact Bruce Manclark at  bruce.manclark@clearesult.com.
Updates to the PTCS RegistryTipsUsingRegistry

During the week of July 22nd, several updates to the PTCS Online Registry will be made to streamline the project entry process and address user concerns. For more details about these improvements, please click here.

 

Three site details will be moved to the measure details screen. The heated square footage and the existing and backup heating system types were relocated to the screen where you enter the measure details to decrease the number of errors and corrections.

 

Company Administrators will be able to enter projects for multiple technicians at their company. Please contact the PTCS Customer Service team at ResHVAC@bpa.gov or 1.800.941.3867 to ensure you have the appropriate permissions.

 

Process will be updated for heat pump AHRI numbers that do not validate.

Users will be able to enter all the remaining measure details and the PTCS Customer Service Team will verify the project.  This will save users the extra step of having to submit their project to the PTCS Team for entry.

 

Users will be able to enter a second duct sealing and heat pump for the same site address. This includes two separate heat pumps and two separate duct sealing projects.

 

The Owner Address information will be removed from the entry screens and reports.

 

The Compressor Low Ambient Lockout (LAL) question and answers clarified to reduce confusion.

 

For further information or questions, please contact the PTCS Team at ResHVAC@bpa.gov.
Review Your PTCS Account Contact Details
Your PTCS account is connected to you, not your employer. If you have changed your employer, email address or phone number since your PTCS account was created, fill out a new  Certified Technician Application and send to  ResHVAC@bpa.gov to keep your account up-to-date.

This information is used to keep your account updated for easier job entry and in case we need to contact you with questions about projects, thus ensuring quicker processing.  

For further information or questions, please contact us at ResHVAC@bpa.gov.
New Contractor Marketing Materials AvailableNewContractorMarketing 

The newly developed "Heat Pump Testing" and "How to Get Certified" brochures are now available without a username or password on the PTCS Contractor Marketing Materials Page.

Energy Conservatory Equipment Cost Updates
EnergyConservatory
The recently announced that they are no longer making the DG-700 digital gauge. It is being replaced by the DG-1000. A new PTCS equipment price list and discount form for the Minneapolis Duct Blaster® System, Minneapolis Blower Door™ System, TrueFlow® Air Handler Flow Meter, and the DG-1000 will be available soon. Once these updates are released, the program will make any necessary price adjustments and post to Conduit.

For further information or questions, please contact Eli Caudill at eli.caudill@clearesult.com.

All About Air Source Heat Pumps
Testing During Cooling TestingCooling
In the PTCS program, a capacity test is performed on heat pumps to test the quality of the installation. The acceptable temperature rise table does the math for us. This works well when heating, but often cannot be used in summer. The program currently uses the rule of thumb of a 20 degree temperature drop across the indoor coil to gauge performance during cooling. This approach (along with an acceptable air flow) works well on many days, especially in the Northwest where we tend to have low humidity. However, under certain conditions it can give misleading results.   For more details, please click here.
 
Email Bruce Manclark at bruce.manclark@clearesult.com for more information.
Heating and Cooling Sizing in the Northwest  HeatingCoolingSizngNW
ACCA Manual J has been the industry standard for calculating the heat loss and gain of a home, for years. The issue with ACCA Manual J is that the software can be complicated by many hidden and assumed values that can cause inaccurate results, and it does not really inform the HVAC designer of which piece of equipment that should be selected to meet the loads.  Click here to continue with the article.
Identifying Variable Speed Heat Pumps IDVCHP
There have been recent inquiries about whether some units are mini splits or variable speed heat pumps (VSHP). To identify if a unit is a mini-split with multi-position air handler or a ducted mini split, please click here for more information.

For further information or questions, please contact us at  ResHVAC@bpa.gov.
Questions
Do you have questions about the registry, testing, upcoming trainings or the program in general? We're here to help. Reach out to 1.800.941.3867 or  ResHVAC@bpa.gov . For more information, consult our Program Homepage .


Bonneville Power Administration | 1.800.941.3867 |   ResHVAC@bpa.gov | bpa.gov/goto/reshvac