Using meter:custom to aggregate output variable data

asked 2019-04-02 23:49:30 -0500

Hayes Zirnhelt

490 ●1 ●10 http://www.wholesystem...

updated 2019-04-03 08:06:18 -0500

__AmirRoth__

4436 ●5 ●17 http://bleedinggreenna...

I'm having trouble getting the meter:custom object to work with some output variables. Are there any limitations to which output variables can be on a custom meter? Am I missing something? Using energyplus v8.6.0

I've entered an output variable from the RDD file, with key names from the variable csv file as follows:

Meter:Custom,
  DataCenter_Fans,               !- Name
  Electricity,                   !- Fuel Type
  AIRLOOP DATACENTER BASEMENT,   !- Key Name 1
  Air System Fan Electric Energy,!- Output Variable or Meter Name 1
  AIRLOOP DATACENTER BOT,        !- Key Name 2
  Air System Fan Electric Energy,!- Output Variable or Meter Name 2
  AIRLOOP DATACENTER MID,        !- Key Name 3
  Air System Fan Electric Energy,!- Output Variable or Meter Name 3
  AIRLOOP DATACENTER TOP,        !- Key Name 4
  Air System Fan Electric Energy;!- Output Variable or Meter Name 4

I get the following error:
   ** Warning ** Meter:Custom="DATACENTER_FANS", invalid Output Variable or Meter Name 1="AIR SYSTEM FAN ELECTRIC ENERGY".
   **   ~~~   ** ...will not be shown with the Meter results.

Comments

Are these nested custom meters? you can't nest custom meters in EnergyPlus.

mdahlhausen ( 2019-04-03 00:46:46 -0500 )edit

Thanks @mdahlhausen, not nested meters, just a meter consisting of output variables.

Hayes Zirnhelt ( 2019-04-03 00:54:47 -0500 )edit

Also, it works fine with the 'lights electric energy' output variable:

Meter:Custom, LightingTestMeter2, Electricity, !- Fuel Type *, !- Key Name 1 Lights Electric Energy; !- Output Variable or Meter Name 1

Hayes Zirnhelt ( 2019-04-03 00:55:36 -0500 )edit

Are those variables shown as available in the RDD or MDD file?

JasonGlazer ( 2019-04-03 08:25:42 -0500 )edit

@JasonGlazer, yes they are. The one I'm having issues with is copied from the RDD file directly. Thanks

Hayes Zirnhelt ( 2019-04-03 11:13:07 -0500 )edit

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answered 2019-04-03 15:49:26 -0500

Aaron Boranian

13830 ●76 ●24 http://bigladdersoftware.com/

For testing, I would add

 Ouput:Variable,
  *,            !- Key Value
  Air System Fan Electric Energy;      !- Variable Name

to the IDF, save the IDF after the change, and simulate one day to generate the output CSV file. In the CSV, check the names assigned to header columns for Air System Fan Electric Energy. You may have spelled something wrong in the Meter:Custom input fields for Key Name, or entered the name of the AirLoop:HVAC object when it is expecting the name of a different object (like the Fan on the supply side of the AirLoop:HVAC object).

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Comments

Thanks Aaron, I did check that.

Hayes Zirnhelt ( 2019-04-03 19:30:47 -0500 )edit

And all the names in the column headers match exactly what you entered into the Meter:Custom object? It might be case-sensitive (should match the case convention where the name is defined for a given object).

Aaron Boranian ( 2019-04-04 10:52:51 -0500 )edit

Thanks for helping Aaron. I've also pasted in the column headers directly from the variable csv output file. For example, here is one column header: AIRLOOP DATACENTER BASEMENT:Air System Fan Electric Energy [J]

So I put: AIRLOOP DATACENTER BASEMENT as key name and: Air System Fan Electric Energy as output variable name

Keeping case sensitivity. It seems very easy to implement and works with other variables. Wondering if there is a bug here, otherwise my brain is not working correctly. Thanks!

Hayes Zirnhelt ( 2019-04-05 11:20:45 -0500 )edit

An alternative would be to use the Fan Electric Energy output variable, where the key name is the name of the Fan object instead of the AirLoopHVAC object. This will require supply fans on the supply side as well as any other fans (outdoor air system, return fans before outdoor air mixer, terminal fans) that are in the air loop. This should be identical to the Air System Fan Electric Energy output variable. If this alternative works, then you likely stumbled upon a bug.

Aaron Boranian ( 2019-04-17 12:30:51 -0500 )edit

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Using meter:custom to aggregate output variable data

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