[Equest-users] Wizard BDL Error When Defining Custom Zones

Wed Sep 14 13:25:27 PDT 2011

Pasha, Patrick and Nick:

Thank you for taking time to look at my problem. 

I deleted 5 of the first floor shells and was able to custom zone the main first 
floor shell.  Then I added the other first floor shells one by one, custom 
zoning as I went along and did not experience any errors.

Yes, 17 shells is a bit much, but I could find no other way to accurately model 
this unusual building.  It is an old factory being renovated and expanded to a 
residential elderly complex.  There are three separated crawl spaces under the 
first floor.  Part of the first floor is over a crawl space or the basement and 
part of the first floor is slab on grade.  Part of the first floor is under the 
second floor and portions of the first floor are under a roof.  So it required 6 
shells just for this floor. 

Sincerely,

Paul Diglio

________________________________
From: Pasha Korber-Gonzalez <pasha.pkconsulting at gmail.com>
To: Paul Diglio <paul.diglio at sbcglobal.net>
Cc: "Patrick J. O'Leary, Jr." <poleary1969 at gmail.com>; equest-users 
<equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org>; Nick Caton <ncaton at smithboucher.com>
Sent: Wed, September 14, 2011 2:26:04 AM
Subject: Re: [Equest-users] Wizard BDL Error When Defining Custom Zones

Hi Paul--- I looked at your model file:  Rev 1.--I was able to add a 2nd & 3rd 
zone to the 1st Floor Main shell with no problems.  When I closed out of the 
navigator I did get the BDL errors that you refferred to, but none of them had 
to do with zoning of your 1st floor shell.  They are errors that are associated 
with other shells that you have defined.

I also looked at Rev2 and saw the same things.

These are some thoughts and observations about your model file from one 
simulator to another:

	* Why are you working with 17 shells in your model?  Is this absolutely 
necessary?  I recommend using the "layer cake" building method using shells (as 
a floor by floor input) and this should be able to get you to 5 shells or less 
for your entire model. I always try to stick with a lesser amount of shells if 
possible.  

	* You have already input all of your shells before you have completed the 
custom zoning in them---this type of approach can be confusing to eQuest and may 
cause it to get 'finicky'  (sp?)--in my opinion/experience.    I have a gut 
feeling that your errors in your model will go away once you are finished adding 
all your custom zoning/zones to the model and to all your shells.
	* I suggest that you check "off" the box in the wizard that says "display zone 
grouping screen"  #13 screen   by doing this for all of the 17 shells that you 
have active in your model I think that this will eliminate one of the 3 BDL 
errors you are getting.  After you have your custom zoning completed then you 
can go back to those zone group screens and continue with your inputs to move 
forward.
	* The errors you are getting aren't too alarming to me from looking at your 
files.  I believe taht these errors are just a result of eQuest getting a lot of 
'unfinished' input info all at once and it is running into errors until you can 
complete your input data into the wizard.
I suggest that you keep plugging away with your model file and as long as you 
are able to add your zones to your shells then you shouldn't have any problems 
getting this done.  I had no problem adding a couple of shells to the 1st floor 
main shell.  Check out the attached model file that I adjusted.

Cheers,
Pasha

On Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 1:02 PM, Nick Caton <ncaton at smithboucher.com> wrote:

I don’t personally have the time to dig at this today – but another suspect 
cause from what I’ve read is that one or more of your shells/zones may 
geometrically be in conflict with each other, even if only by a small amount.  
I’d therefore review your shell placement inputs (I always use coordinates 
myself), and see if moving them distinctly apart has any effect on whether 
errors are encountered, as well as whether you’re not accidentally specifying 
zone vertices that result in conflicting zone footprints (CAD/vertex snaps can 
be deceptive at times, even when you’re being careful).
> 
>Good luck team!
> 
>~Nick
> 
>NICK CATON, P.E.
>SENIOR ENGINEER
> 
>Smith & Boucher Engineers
>25501 west valley parkway, suite 200
>olathe, ks 66061
>direct 913.344.0036
>fax 913.345.0617
>www.smithboucher.com
> 
>From:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org 
>[mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] On Behalf Of Paul Diglio
>Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2011 12:11 PM
>To: Pasha Korber-Gonzalez; Patrick J. O'Leary, Jr.
>Cc: equest-users 
>
>Subject: Re: [Equest-users] Wizard BDL Error When Defining Custom Zones 
> 
>Patrick:
>
>Thank you for your efforts.  No, I don't have a zone group without a zone 
>attached to it.  Kindly check the attached files to see if I missed something.
>
>Pasha:
>
>Attached is the project rev1 and rev2 files.  Rev1 is fine with one zone added 
>on the first floor main shell.  Rev2 is with a second zone added to the first 
>floor main shell and is where I am encountering the problems.
>
>Thank you so much for checking this out for me.
>
>Paul Diglio
> 
>
________________________________

>From:Pasha Korber-Gonzalez <pasha.pkconsulting at gmail.com>
>To: "Patrick J. O'Leary, Jr." <poleary1969 at gmail.com>
>Cc: Paul Diglio <paul.diglio at sbcglobal.net>; equest-users 
><equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org>
>Sent: Tue, September 13, 2011 12:50:34 PM
>Subject: Re: [Equest-users] Wizard BDL Error When Defining Custom Zones
>Paul---how about attaching your .pd2, .inp, and dwg file and see if we get the 
>same error on our computer....
> 
>My guess is that it is a shell error, or some corruption in your whole 
>file....you might have to start a new file.
> 
>I'm happy to try and recreate the error on my computer.
> 
>Pasha 
>On Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 10:07 AM, Patrick J. O'Leary, Jr. 
><poleary1969 at gmail.com> wrote:
>looking at screen 14, do you have a zone group defined without a zone assigned 
>to it?  this would be the same as having an empty zone in detailed mode (i.e. no 
>space assigned to a zone).  detailed mode requiring the space (your initial 
>customing zoning) assigned to a zone (the zone group wizard screen 14) assigned 
>to an hvac unit of some type. 
>
>
>
>On 9/13/11 8:41 AM, Paul Diglio wrote: 
>Patrick:
>>The HVAC unit is assigned for each zone I enter.   Initially, I had one zone per 
>>floor.  When I started to add custom zones I made sure that each zone on screen 
>>14 of the shell create/modify wizard is assigned to the hvac system.
>>
>>I am unsure of what the error message means so I am having difficulty correcting 
>>it.   I even tried to create custom zones on the second floor of this building 
>>and I get the same error, but I was able to create custom zones in the basement 
>>of this building without any errors.
>>
>>Sincerely,
>>
>>Paul Diglio
>> 

>
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