General Assist Technical Reference
VRF Controls Commissioning - Site Readiness and Request Requirements
Commissioning Request Form - September 2021
This article summarises the requirements that must be completed before a General technician attends site for VRF controls commissioning. Refrigeration commissioning, air balancing and completion of the installation remain the installer's responsibility.
Quick Answer
| Commissioning notice required | Minimum 15 working days |
| Cancellation notice | Minimum 48 hours |
| Completed form due | 5 working days before site attendance |
| Aborted commissioning charge | $1,500 per day, at General's discretion |
| Scope of General attendance | VRF controls commissioning only |
Important: Any system commissioned without a General technician present may be subject to warranty rejection where a later fault is considered to have resulted from poor commissioning practice, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Information Required When Requesting Commissioning
Provide the following project and contact information:
- Project name / number
- General representative
- Installer and contact details
- Site name and address
- Building type
- Refrigeration contractor and contact details
- Electrical contractor and contact details
- Proposed commissioning date
Site Safety Requirements
Advise before attendance whether the site requires any of the following:
- Site induction, including time and location
- Hard hats
- Safety vests
- Long sleeves
- Other safety equipment or devices
- Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)
- Any other site-specific requirements
Installer Pre-Commissioning Checklist
| Requirement | Required Before Attendance |
|---|---|
| Installation complies with the General Design and Technical Manual | Yes |
| Electrical installation is complete and complies with AS/NZS 3000, AS/NZS 3008 and applicable local requirements | Yes |
| Scaled drawings showing refrigerant pipework and electrical wiring are available | Yes |
| Shielded transmission cable has been used | Yes |
| Pipework pressure tested separately at 3300 kPa for a minimum 24 hours | Yes |
| System triple evacuated to below 500 microns and held for 2 hours | Yes |
| Mains power is available to all outdoor units at least 24 hours before commissioning | Yes |
| Sump heaters have been energised for at least 12 hours | Yes |
| All liquid line lengths and sizes are recorded and available onsite | Yes |
| Safe and reasonable access is available to all indoor units, outdoor units, RB units and EV kits | Yes |
Scope reminder: Refrigeration system commissioning and air balancing are the installer's responsibility. General's attendance is for controls commissioning.
Indoor Unit Functions to Confirm
Before commissioning, advise whether any of the following functions are required:
- Auto Restart
- Commercial Fan Mode - fan operates during the heating OFF cycle
- Memory Back Up on wired remote controllers
- Indoor fan static pressure - provide required static pressure for relevant units
- External input - Operation / Start-Stop
- External input - Forced Stop
- External input - Thermostat Stop
- External input - Emergency Stop
- Master indoor unit - identify applicable unit(s)
Outdoor Unit Functions to Confirm
- First separation tube less than 40 m
- Outdoor fan static pressure - advise required value
- External input - Low Noise, including required Low Noise level
- External input - Emergency Stop
- External input - Electricity Meter Pulse
Controls and BMS Information
Advise which controls are required and provide the necessary settings before commissioning:
| Control | Information Required |
|---|---|
| Central Controller | Time schedule and external input requirements |
| High Level Interface | Type required, e.g. BACnet, LonWorks, Modbus |
| Electricity Apportionment | Confirm whether required |
| Signal Amps | Confirm whether required |
| Network Converters | Confirm devices and configuration |
| BACnet Gateway | Specific settings must be supplied by the BMS contractor |
For BACnet or IP-based integration, provide:
- BMS contractor name and contact details
- IP address
- Subnet mask
- Default gateway
- Device instance
Installer Responsibilities
- Ensure the installation is correct.
- Ensure all ductwork is correct.
- Set the correct static pressure for all indoor units.
- Provide commissioning data to the customer, builder or consultant.
- Ensure the correct voltage is supplied to all units.
- Calculate and weigh in the correct additional refrigerant charge using digital refrigerant scales.
- Provide safe access to all units in accordance with applicable OH&S requirements.
- Provide digital refrigerant scales, digital vacuum gauge, ladders, extension leads and RCD-protected power boards.
- Train the customer in the use of all controls.
General Commissioning Technician Responsibilities
- Address all indoor units based on the project design and VRF series.
- Addressing may be completed by Auto function, remote controller or rotary switches, depending on the series.
- Set function settings based on project and installer requirements.
- Record all models and serial numbers for internal records.
- Check the vacuum and calculate additional refrigerant charge using installer-provided pipework figures.
- Set all addresses and function settings.
- Commission General controls.
- Check voltage to confirm correct three-phase and single-phase power is available.
- Use the Service Tool to confirm addressing.
- Operate the system to confirm correct cooling and heating operation.
- Complete the warranty commencement handover letter.
Note: Service Tool operating data collected during commissioning is for internal use and is not supplied to the contractor.
Aborted Commissioning Attendance
A fee of $1,500 per day may be charged for an aborted controls commissioning attendance. The form states that this covers labour, flights and accommodation and is applied at General's discretion.
To avoid an aborted visit, ensure all pre-commissioning items are complete before the scheduled attendance date and provide at least 48 hours' notice if the booking must be cancelled.
Sign-Off
The original commissioning request requires completion and sign-off by:
- Contractor
- General delegate
- State Manager
The sign-off includes name, company, signature, date and warranty-period details.
Important: This article summarises the September 2021 commissioning request form. For an actual commissioning booking, use the current approved commissioning request form and current commercial terms.