Compliant cabling for innovative HVAC

When the Australian division of HVAC manufacturer Seeley International was looking for a cable harnessing solution for a new hybrid rooftop system, it turned to LAPP Australia.

In exporting its innovative rooftop package unit to the United States, Seeley needed to optimise reliability and meet crucial UL standards. The hybrid unit combines two technologies — indirect–direct evaporative cooling (IDEC) and a streamlined integrated heat pump — into a single system.

“The majority of cooling is done by the indirect evaporative component, but in extreme weather conditions the air conditioning can provide the necessary additional support,” said Leon Minnie, Product Manager – IDEC Commercial and International, Seeley International.

“The result is a solution that’s around 70% more energy efficient and delivers greater volumes of freshly filtered outside air than most other systems available.

“This new system is manufactured in Australia and has been specifically designed for the US commercial market, so having as many UL-certified components as possible significantly simplifies the export process,” Minnie added.

Seeley hybrid HVAC unit with LAPP cable harnessing solution.

Having previously used LAPP Australia’s multi-standard cables, Seeley sought to expand the partnership by engaging LAPP’s newly established Cable Harnessing Solutions division.

“When we discovered LAPP now had a local manufacturing site for cable harnesses, we saw great potential for faster assembly, consistent quality and UL standards compliance, and we’ve been impressed with the service,” Minnie said.

The LAPP cable harnesses include a combination of multi-standard UL-certified single-insulated switchboard flex cables, ETHERLINE CAT.5E Ethernet cables, UL-certified end sleeves, and WAGO conductors and connectors, for which LAPP Australia is an authorised distributor.

“Not only has the LAPP team been very responsive, but they all have a great eye for detail, often identifying issues in drawings that have helped us prevent potential problems later on,” Minnie said.

“Additionally, the fact that LAPP holds local stock of all the cable ranges is a huge benefit to us. It means faster delivery, and allows us to select customer-specified cable colours, without adding delay to the project.”

Seeley’s hybrid product had some intricate technical requirements.

“To make this solution function seamlessly and harmoniously, we needed a more complex cable configuration, so knowing we have the reliability of LAPP’s German-engineered cables, backed by local service, gave us peace of mind for this new system,” Minnie said.

“To make things even more efficient, one LAPP cable harness can be used across three of our units — some being used in Australia and some in the US,” he added.

“There are sensors that enable automatic switching when outside air quality deteriorates, such as a scenario where there is bushfire smoke in the air, so that the indoor air quality is not affected. For such an elegant system, cable reliability was essential.”

Images courtesy of LAPP Australia.