DIY Digging trenches for Geothermal

[LD1]

I need answer to an odd question

Here we go

My buddy and I were discussing the cost associated with Geo thermal. I told him that I think part of the reason for them to be as expensive as they are is bc of the federal tax credit. Is that a good assumption b/c seems to think its not and i don't understand his thinking.

Thanks

Is your buddy in the HVAC business

 

[edgarrian]

Neither of us are. I work in the Oil & Gas sector and he just started an accounting practice. This is merely just a debate. Im under the impression that typically when ever the government is involved when they are making something cheaper it actually costs more.

Is your buddy in the HVAC business

 

[Diggin It]

^^^ That's corporate greed at work. Don't blame the Government for that.

Yes, there has been a lot of discussion about companies inflating prices equal to or greater than the government rebates and incentives. A system that might normally sell for $1,000.00 suddenly gets hiked to $1,300.00 or more when a $300.00 government rebate/incentive is announced.

 

[Gofast]

They do the same thing for solar when there is a tax credit. They just inflate there price that much and say see how much you are saving.

My tractor is working hard. I have moved about 75% of the dirt. I spend all day on the tractor yesterday. I used 6 gallon diesel fuel.
It is raining again today and tomorrow. I am still slowly getting it done. 440 cubic yards is a lot of dirt.

 

[Gofast]

Friday I back filled the trench from my house to the fence about 30. My tractors FEL has done so well on this project.

The last quote I got to just rip out my gas heat and install Geo unit only connecting duct work was 3K.
I had a local HVAC metal shop make the transition and a new plenum.
I did the whole thing myself for $350 that is new duct pieces and every screw and hangers... It was a lot of labor.

This is my tractor delivering the Geothermal unit to the crawl space. It is 369 pounds without pallet and packing.



I did enlist help from my son to get this thing under the crawl space.
We used 5 3" 3' long PVC pipe to put under it and roll it into place.
The 1" pex was rolled up and it was cold out so we let it out in the sun for a while this really helped.


t was all connected up and I tried to run it yesterday. I just would get communications error on the thermostat.
I double checked the thermostat wiring all good. I looked for loose wires and there were none. I read the whole manual and there was one board jumper out of place I turned that on and we were in business.

It ran all night heating last night and it worked great.

Being that we are in South Carolina we are now running AC EWT 50 degrees LWT 58 degrees nice cool air.

I still have a few things to finish up like run condensate line and reinsulate a couple pieces of duct work.

This week I will be getting some top soil to put over the trenches so some day we can have grass again.

I am very happy to have it up running.

Here it is installed.

 

[irvingj]

Congratulations! Looks like you've saved a ton of money with your tractor... similar story with all of us, I bet.

I've been using a water-source heat pump (excuse me, now called "geo-thermal"...) since we built our house in 1986. First unit finally died after 27 years, replaced with a Water Furnace unit ($$!!). I run a manifolded re-circulating double loop right down into my well, using 3/4" lines. They go down about 150' and feed into a 1" line that comes into the house and goes to the unit.

Right now, at 18F outside, I'm running around 35F on the loop to keep my 1800+sf house at 70. (If it gets below 17F outside, I have to help it with either a wood stove or electric resistance aux heat.)

When we first put it in, I was estimating about $600 for seasonal heat, compared to others with oil or propane at $1500+. Never regretted putting that in-- and we get A/C in the summer and some "free" DHW as well! Now I guess it's costing me about $1000/year for heat, while others are filling up their fuel tanks 2-3 times over the winter, at about $1000 a pop. No-brainer.

As one of the guys I used to work with in a previous life (HVAC, 12 yrs) said: "Remember- it takes a lot less energy to MOVE heat than it does to MAKE it!" :thumbsup:

 

[RoyKing]

If you got good water, no iron or calcium then using well is fine and cheap just recommend a 20 gallon/min pump for well and large captive air tank

 

[Gofast]

I have the trenches covered back up. I put the land planer to work.



I will get some top soil next if it dries out long enough to get it hulled in.
The two plies of red clay will be moved to the back of my property for a shooting range.
I will rent a dump trailer and use my tractor to load it and move it to the back of my property.

The geothermal system is working great and making lots of hot water.

I bought my tractor 10/21/18 with 85 hours I have put 81 hours on it so far. It has done great.

 

[Gofast]

I had two piles of dirt that needed moved to my back pasture. I will be making a shooting range with this dirt.
I rented a dump trailer from Home Depot $115 for a day. I moved 23 loads or 69 cubic yards of dirt. I needed the whole 24 hours.
The dump trailer was pretty powerful it would dump with whatever I filled it up with.
I am now ready for my top soil hopefully I can get it this week.

 

[ovrszd]

Unless you had a compactor you'll probly want half of that dirt back to fix trench settling. Only needed to haul away the cubic yards of your piping.

Self contained dump trailers are very handy!!!