Vermont Castings Montpelier Manual - Can you spot the wacky math?

[oconnor]

I was answering a different post and came across these numbers in the Montpelier manual. Is it just me, or does someone in the technical documentation department at Vermont Castings need to retake grade 9 math?

 

[oconnor]

By the way, the math error actually makes the proposed system appear to meet the specification, when in fact had they done the addition right, the system would fall below the needed total R value.

Found it yet?

 

[Battenkiller]

Somebody along the way did the math correctly but didn't transcribe the numbers correctly.


Rmineral board=1/0.29 x 0.25 = 0.86, not 0.431. However, the appear to have used the correct R value in the final computation.


Rtotal = 0.8 + 0.86 (instead of the 0.431 that they printed) = 1.66.... greater than the requirement.


Another goof is the use of too many significant figures throughout.

 

[Battenkiller]

Double post.

 

[briv]

Good catch on that one. Funny you posted this too since i just put a deposit on a VC Montpelier today. It appears they calculated the R value of the mineral board incorrectly, it should be 0.86 instead of 0.413, thus putting the R value of the system at 1.66 which they did have. Now if they did the final addition of the Rbrick and Rmineral board correctly they would have seen that their math was incorrect in a previous equation when doing a check vs. the required R value.

 

[oconnor]

All of the above and the magical appearance of 1/8" of the mineral board half the way thru. I worked in technical documentation in the Air Force, and if something like this made it thru to an aircraft operating instruction, there would be alerts sent out everywhere to correct it.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

So, have you contacted the company to point out the error? They might appreciate it.

 

[oconnor]

I did try yesterday, but the number listed in the manual (800-668-5323) got me a "call cannot be completed as dialed" message. Perhaps it doesn't work from Canada. I couldn't even find an email address on their website. Guess they don't want to talk to customers.