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Airflow’s Anemometer keeps installers compliant

13 Jan 11 Airflow has introduced the new LCA301 Anemometer Kit.

Designed to help installers meet the recommendations set out in the new 2010 Domestic Compliance guide to Part F of the Building Regulations, the kit enables the easy and accurate measurement of air flow from exterior extract grilles or internal air valves. 

According to the Domestic Ventilation Compliance Guide, all ventilation installations from a simple extract fan to a complete mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system, planned and notifiable to the latest 2010 Building Regulations, whether they are new or refurbished, must be measured on-site. The resulting air flow readings are then required to be reported to Building Control within five days of installation. Airflow’s LCA301kit makes on-site system commissioning by the installer quick and simple, by providing accurate, installed performance results.

Measurement using the LCA301 Anemometer Kit is incredibly easy. The supplied aircone flow hood 285 x 235mm is attached to the vane sensor and then held over the extract grille to create a seal for leak-tight readings. With simple push button functionality, air volume is measured as it passes through the anemometer vane sensor with the resulting figures displayed on an easy to read LCD screen. By rotating the vane sensor 180 degrees it is also possible to measure ventilation flow rates for supply air into a dwelling too.

To ensure an accurate result, the instrument averages the air flow every three seconds, up to a maximum of 12 minutes, with the final average reading displayed on the screen at any time after 3 seconds, that the user chooses to stop. With accuracy key to the measurement of such volumes, the LCA301 has a ‘compensation’ factor built in to the meter, which helps to overcome the friction caused by bearings at lower velocities to deliver a very precise result. The kit features a self diagnostic function which can be used to test that the instrument is working correctly.

Each instrument is also supplied with a DKD Certificate of Calibration that is traceable to UKAS standards and registration to a free annual calibration reminder service that ensures the user’s yearly Quality Assurance requirements can be maintained. 

Depending on the application, the LCA301 anemometer can be programmed by the user according to the free area of the grille to be measured, or with the appropriate area factor, if the aircone is being used, meaning a direct readout of air volume flow reading can be displayed in either m3/hr or l/sec. Perfect for completing the documentation required by Building Control.

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Manufactured from hard wearing ABS, the unit is durable against the rigours of on-site testing. As a hand held device, the LCA301 is also incredibly lightweight making operation as simple as possible.

John Kelly, Marketing Manager from Airflow, commented, “The LCA301 Anemometer Kit provides the ideal solution for measuring the volume of air passing out of a grille or supplied by an air valve and makes the reporting of such figures to Building Control as simple as possible for the time-conscious installer”

Designed with the recommendations in the new Domestic Ventilation Compliance guide in mind, the instrument provides contractors with a simple to operate unit that delivers accurate results, ensuring that the various prescribed target air flow levels in Approved Document F are identified.

Throughout the life of the ventilation system, the anemometer can be incredibly useful at detecting reduced air flow rates which are an indication of poor system performance.”

The instrument and aircone are supplied in a tough vinyl carry bag with battery, instructions and calibration certification and is backed with a full one year warranty. 

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MPU
MPU

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