Share pictures or your geothermal: plumbing

[LD1]

That might work out ok, just be careful working in the trench.
I put topsoil around the pipes.

I'll have to give it a shot. Some pretty firm clay here, so cave ins dont really happen. But I will try to do everything from outside the trench if possible. Never dealt with this SDR11 stuff, but the SDR7 we use for waterlines is pretty stiff. I guess I am envisioning the pipe being stiff enough to somewhat control it from standing outside the trench....maybe not. I'll be prepared to pre-assemble the loops just incase. And see what works best for me and go with that.

If there is alot of rocks, I'll be careful backfilling. And probably put the first 6-8" on by hand, but just depends on what I see when digging. MAy have to do like you and but the topsoil on the bottom and the bottom soil on the top.....

But wait, what about the middle soil? Maybe I should rotate. Topsoil to bottom, bring the middle soil to the top, and the bottom soil in the middle:laughing:

Sorry. Couldnt resist.

Biggest issue I see is having 4 trenches done ~15' or so apart (they claim 8-12 is all thats needed), then trying to backfill. Will be driving over freshly filled 3' trenchs and hope not to get stuck. And the little bit of ground in between dont really leave much room for the spoil piles from a 6' deep 3' wide opening. Have though about doing a trench at a time?? Or even open a trench, lay the pipe, then dig the dirt from the next trench and place in the first. Then lay pipe and place dirt from the 3rd trench in the second...etc. But that last trench leaves a long way to move the dirt to backfill....all the way from the first one dug. And will be knocking down the "hump" left for settlement from the other trenches....

Just rambling and thinking out loud again. Havent really decided how I am gonna do it yet. Alot depends on if dad helps. He can be backfilling while I am digging the next one.....

 

[buckeyefarmer]

What brand hp did you get?
Pumps Pressurized or non?

I've been happy with my units from heat controllers.
Glad to see someone else do a geo dyi. It's not that hard.
On your manifold, they recommend the first loop off be the last on the return manifold, etc.

One of the reasons i did my own was because some blow hole on a geo forum said i couldn't, that and it was much cheaper.
Been meaning to do a writeup on mine but never got to it. I still have some ductwork mods to make in my basement.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I did one at a time, pressure tested each one before filling, some of my dirt from the next trench filled the first.i tried to save topsoil between the trench, to pull back over the pipe in that trench, but put the fill dirt in the previous trench. Around 5-6 ft between trenches.

Last week i topped off the trenches, i still have a huge pile of dirt leftover from digging.

 

[techman]

I had posted a lot of pictures on my installation:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/74680-geothermal-heat-pump-project.html

Paul

 

[LD1]

What brand hp did you get?
Pumps Pressurized or non?

I've been happy with my units from heat controllers.
Glad to see someone else do a geo dyi. It's not that hard.
On your manifold, they recommend the first loop off be the last on the return manifold, etc.

One of the reasons i did my own was because some blow hole on a geo forum said i couldn't, that and it was much cheaper.
Been meaning to do a writeup on mine but never got to it. I still have some ductwork mods to make in my basement.

GeoCool 4-ton 2-stage
Non pressure, 2-pump geo pulse flow center

On the manifolds...I can see how that would get confusing if you ever needed to isolate a loop.

 

[LD1]

I had posted a lot of pictures on my installation:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/74680-geothermal-heat-pump-project.html

Paul

Thanks for the link. Will take some time to read through it

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Probably will never need to isolate a loop, but i put valves in just in case, also put a union on the header side of the valves..
Mark everything well. I put markers in my yard at the ends of my loops. Also measured distances from multiple directions from housr corners.

 

[Rustyiron]

Nice set up there Buckeye, and a heck of a good way to get a new tractor!
A friend just did a G/T set up with the drilled well$ in Frederick MD. Radiant in floor with it working with his a/c also somehow, and I think he's getting partial domestic h/w, or pre heating to the hwh. I havn't seen it yet, but look forward to checking it out.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Thanks, that would be near me.

 

[Redneck in training]

My outside loop is in our pond. When the system was new I could hear air going through the flow center every few minutes. Therefore I added a "stand pipe" just above the flow center, That would collect the air I could blow off. When I was at it I added a pressure gauge I had laying around. The picture should be rotated.


Here are pumps for floor loops and fan coil. There is a high pressure fan coil in the attic for AC. All duct are square fiberglass 8"x 8" x 1" wall. Very easy to install because you can cut those with a kitchen knife. All taped together with aluminum tape and several layers of duct tape over it. Vents are fed by insulated noise attenuating 2" ID flexible tubing. Home :: The Unico System


Make sure all piping that could get cold is insulated with two layers of closed cell insulation. Otherwise it will drip water.

Front of the HP protrudes through the wall of the utility closet.