I am consistently getting an error when using the Sefaira Web Application when I try to model VRF Fan Coil Systems. The error reads “An Error was encountered but no err file was produced: failed executing eplus energy analysis run.” The model gets stuck updated and will never produce results. Using the exact same geometry, if I switch HVAC system type to something like PTHP or really anything else then the model updates and produces results. Any idea why this is happening and what can be done to resolve the issue?
This doesn’t appear to be an issue with just VRF systems, I am also receiving the same error with other (but not all) system type; such as WSHP with and without geothermal turned on. This issue also persists with multiple geometries so it doesn’t appear to be an issue with the models or how they were built. Until this issue can get resolved the Sefaira Web Application is unusable, any idea when this will be resolved?
Hi @matt6,
I am just seeing this message. Are you still receiving those errors?
Out of curiosity what weather location are you using? Are you uploading your own .epw for this project?
Those are some of my initial questions but yeah if you are still experiencing these issues then I’d like to dig a little bit deeper to see if I can solve the issue for you.
Yes, I am still receiving theses errors. I have not uploaded my own weather files but I have this issue regardless of location. It doesn’t appear to just be limited to HVAC system type, I’ve also had the error with trying to run natural ventilation.
Hi @matt6, would you mind sharing the SketchUp model here for us to take a look at. More often than not it is usually the way things are modeled that can cause the analysis to fail, so I’d like to rule that out first.
I’ve had issues with this model when trying to model geo heat exchange and/or natural ventilation. Highlands Concept D1_Sefaira.skp (4.1 MB)
Thanks for sharing the model here, @matt6. Let me take a look and see what might be going on. I’ll reach back out when I find out more.
HI @matt6, really well modeled. Thanks for sharing that file with me. I uploaded the model to a fresh project after hiding the image in the model. And the analysis ran fine on my end. Project address here: Trimble Identity
I tried running the WSHP (with and without the ground heat exchanger) along with natural ventilation turned on. One thing that I want to confirm with you is whether you have the zoning set to “One zone per room”? for your analysis. It looks like you already have the zones drawn in, in your SketchUp model and therefore I set the Zoning to “One zone per room” in my analysis.
On a separate note, in case you don’t know already, you do not have to model the vertical interior walls if you are only looking to run Energy analysis on your model. Simply drawing the lines on the floor plate will tell Sefaira to extrude the interior walls for your analysis.
Either way, please take a look at the project through the link that I shared, make any edits to the inputs and let me know if issues arise. I will be sure to dive deeper to see what might be going on.
I was never able to get results and ended up having to move to a different software. I would still like to be able to figure out why I am not able to get my models to produce results using Sefaira so I am coming back to this.
I am not sure why, but I am not able to get the link to the project address that you shared to load, it just gets stuck “loading” in the Sefaira App regardless of the web browser.
I have set up this (and other models) as “One zone per room” and even when hiding the underlying image and loading the model to a fresh project I still get “An Error was encountered but no err file was produced: failed executing eplus energy analysis run.” So, do you have any idea why you are able to get results but I am not?
HI @matt6,
I am not sure what might be going on here. It is really strange that the project works on my end and not on yours. Since the analysis is being done, not on either of our local machines, I cannot point to any particular reason why it works on my end and not yours.
The project link that I shared, could you copy it and try opening it on both Chrome and Internet Explorer and let me know what comes of it?
I want to rule out the browser being an issue here. Could you try also uploading a simple 20X20 box model to the web interface and check if the analysis runs for you?
@niraj.poudel, I am currently working on Mac so I’ve tried it in Chrome, Firefox, and Safari same issue with all. The most common culprits appear to be natural ventilation and WSHP with ground heat exchanger when the hot water loop is set to Heat Pumps.
Honestly, everything about the web application appears to be having issue for me so if it was my browser that would be a relief. More recently I have been having issues with the group feature where it doesn’t recognize all of the concepts added to the group or changes made to space use inputs are not auto saved and have to constantly be readjusted. I really want to be able to use this tool and when I did 3-4 years ago it was pretty useful, but lately I’ve had far more issues with getting models to run properly that even with a relatively cheap license fee it still isn’t worth it.
HI @matt6,
Would you be able to share the link to the project where you are having issues with the nat vent and WSHP system applied to it. I’d like to run those concepts on my end and see what might be going on.
Second, we recently found a bug in the grouping feature, which is currently being worked on by the development team. I suspect you are experiencing that bug in action. 
But yeah if you could share the project https link here I can check the nat vent and WHSP option on my end and see if I can find anything.
@niraj.poudel, Here is a link for one of the projects I am having issues with. https://apps-prod.prod-env.sefaira.com/page/project/313504.
Hi @matt6, thanks for sharing the project link with me.
Would you mind sharing the model that you uploaded to the project here as well?
@niraj.poudel, Any updates? Is this a bug within the web application or is it related to my browser?
HI @matt6,
Thanks for the follow up. I was in fact looking at your project and decided to upload the model to a fresh project instead - https://apps-prod.prod-env.sefaira.com/page/project/313661
It seems to work on my end with (a majority of your inputs copied as is), could you please give it a go on your browser and see if you encounter any issues.
Second, I think our product team has deliberately removed “Heat pump” from the Heating Hot Water Loop very recently (due to it either being buggy or an accidental inclusion to begin with, I am asking them to find out why) and therefore any newly created projects will not have that option available.As you can see from the project I created above. I suspect that for this reason any project with a Heat Pump option selected is bound to fail.
Could you please try the link that I have shared and see how you get along? That way we can at the very least rule out the browser being an issue.
@niraj.poudel, I still can not get that project link that you shared to load, it just indefinitely spins “loading”. I will make sure to not include the ‘heat pump’ for the hot water loop moving forward but it would be great to know why it isn’t included anymore.
Hi @matt6,
It’s really strange that the project isn’t loading for you. Could you please clear the history/cache/cookies from your browser (both chrome and Safari) and try opening the project on either of the browsers and let me know what comes of it.
@niraj.poudel, The issue persists. I’ve tried on my Mac side using Chrome, Safari and Firefox as well as on my Windows side using IE and Microsoft Edge. They all just get stuck at “loading” wit the spinning dial.