results discrepancy between Rainbow report & DOE-2 BEPU report

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Hi fellow modelers; I've run into something funny this past couple days.
On a couple of my simulations I've noticed that the results numbers in the
eQuest Rainbow report are slightly higher (approx 10%) than the output
results in my DOE-2 BEPU report.

I've never observed this happening before--has anyone else?

Any thoughts and comments are welcomed!

Thanks,
Pasha

Pasha Korber-Gonzalez's picture
Joined: 2011-09-30
Reputation: 600

I *believe* the "rainbow" graphical reports are specific to only the EM1/FM1 default meters, and if you have included anything else in the way of sub-meters or separate utility rate metering that may not show up in these numbers (but will in the BEPU and other SIM reports).

For this reason, as a matter of course I have moved away from using the graphical reports and opt to use the PSE reports instead when assembling enduse consumption/demand documentation for LEED and similar levels of scrutiny - just to avoid such potential trip-ups. The graphical reports are still great and useful, but it's good to be aware of what they might not be showing!

~Nick

[cid:489575314 at 22072009-0ABB]

NICK CATON, P.E.

Nick-Caton's picture
Offline
Joined: 2011-09-30
Reputation: 805

Hi Patrick---yes! good job on picking up on that, I do have some PV on the
project, and when I add the total of the kWh together from the DOE-2 output
BEPU report it is still less than the total of the eQuest rainbow report
outputs (even with the numbers rounded up).

Pasha

Pasha Korber-Gonzalez's picture
Joined: 2011-09-30
Reputation: 600

Thanks Nick! I believe that you have revealed my situation to me...I do
have PV on the project too, so I guess I was just taking the "quick &
dirty" results from the 'rainbow' report; and I need to point my client to
the full DOE-2 results output since we have a more complex model.

I wasn't fully aware that the rainbow report was linked to the EM1/FM1
default meters *only*...

Thanks everyone for your prompt comments--you're THE BEST!! I love this
group!!

Pasha

Pasha Korber-Gonzalez's picture
Joined: 2011-09-30
Reputation: 600

the 'rainbow' reports actually pull their data from a separate csv
format file named "project name - baseline design_EG_MoEU_ED.csv", not
from the .sim file.

you could, in theory, edit the .csv file to make the numbers match. i
haven't tried doing so but since it is only a csv file you'd have to
change it every time you run the simulation.

Patrick J. O'Leary, Jr.'s picture
Joined: 2011-09-30
Reputation: 200

Thanks Patrick, that falls in line with my recollections as well (I'm working from fuzzy memory!). Perhaps my suggestion is more accurately put that the CSV results file does not pick up on additional meters or energy generation, as may be occurring...

Pasha, since this is fresh and in front of you, would you mind quickly checking/testing if this is the case for us all?

Thanks!

~Nick

[cid:489575314 at 22072009-0ABB]

NICK CATON, P.E.

Nick-Caton's picture
Offline
Joined: 2011-09-30
Reputation: 805

Hi Nick & Patrick---I've checked the csv file and it is correct as you both
have explained it. The csv file feeds the eQuest reports (not the .sim
output file) & the csv file only picks up on the initial utility meters
(i.e. EM1/FM1) and therefore the additional energy use/meters are not
included or reported to the eQuest output reports (which I refer to as the
Rainbow reports for utility usage and demand.)

Therefore based on this finding/confirmation---it is imperative that I feed
my client results directly from the DOE-2 .sim file output reports (ie
BEPU/BEPS; PS-E) reports to offer the correct energy model output results.
At this level of the model file when there are additional meter or energy
production/consumption the standard eQuest output results reports/graphs do
not translate the actual model results.

Thanks so much guys for your insight & assistance!!

Pasha

Pasha Korber-Gonzalez's picture
Joined: 2011-09-30
Reputation: 600

so if you manually change the .csv file to match the .sim file, do the
rainbow reports reflect the data properly?

Patrick J. O'Leary, Jr.'s picture
Joined: 2011-09-30
Reputation: 200

I messed around with this for a bit and can't get the graphical reports to reference updated CSV entries. I suspect either these results are read immediately following a simulation and "stored" separately for the rainbow charts, or else the demand/consumption results are read from another location...

I explored manually editing PS-E entries in the SIM file using notepad on this thought. Didn't work, but in the process stumbled into a means to manually edit and get rid of erroneous warnings/errors in the ATTN report!

[cid:image003.png at 01CE8204.B7865FC0]

~Nick
[cid:489575314 at 22072009-0ABB]

NICK CATON, P.E.

Nick-Caton's picture
Offline
Joined: 2011-09-30
Reputation: 805