2023-04-24 Standardization Committee Minutes

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NEW BUSINESS Agenda Item 1: Standardize the purchase of Eco-Flow Variable Frequency Drives (VFD) for the Department of Parks & Recreation. Members of the committee reviewed the written request and handouts submitted from the Department of Parks & Recreation Parks Maintenance division. Mr. Marote - Pools nm 24/7, chemicals such as muriatic and chlorine tablets are added to them. Big pumps range from 15hp to 60hp, and some run a lot of amps. When pools run at full load it uses more amps, drawing more current, using higher electricity. These VFDs will be able to ramp down the amps saving electricity. The VFD was last put out for bid in 2016 and the cost was approximately $12,000. We installed the Eco- Flow VFD in 2016, reviewed a few HELCO bills and did a comparison on the electricity cost savings from April to September for both 2015 and 2016. Savings ranged from 15% up to 36%. (A comparison chart was provided to members to review). Mr. Marote also provided a bar graph showing the monthly cost in 2015 prior to using a VFD, the monthly cost in 2016 after VFD was installed and the monthly savings after VFD. A non-Eco-Flow VFD was installed at the Pahoa pool. The pool is running full load therefore not providing savings currently. The Eco-Flow VFD will pay for itself in no time and is user friendly compared to the one used at Pahoa. To program the Pahoa VFD, you must go through a variety of parameters and it's very difficult to program using just numbers. The Eco-Flow brand will ask you questions. For example, it will ask for the current voltage used, the horsepower, the ramp desired, etc. This unit was made specifically for swimming pools, and they have a NEMA 12 configuration which offers durability for hostile pool environments; chlorine, muriatic acid, dust, and moisture. Personnel at the Eco-Flow VFD locations seem to like it due to its easy use for day- to-day operation with the simple process of pressing a button to do specified tasks. Mr. Matsunami — When the Eco-Flow VFD was installed in Kona, a HELCO Meter Reader visited the site to read the meter a couple times, a Meter Reader Supervisor also came to meet and questioned the savings with the P&R Maintenance crew. Ms. Sako — Is it a requirement to have these at all the pools? Mr. Marote — It's not a requirement, but the savings for the county are huge. Mr. Matsunami — The Eco-Flow VFDs are currently installed at Kona Community Aquatic Center (KCAC), Konawaena High School and Laupahoehoe swimming pool. If the system should fail, it can be switched to a bypass until the unit is repaired, avoiding a shutdown of the pool. Unfortunately, savings will not happen while the pool is running on the bypass during repairs.