replacement geothermal heat pump

[Zick]

Here ya go, someone made a video of one running. That humming sounds a little louder than mine but maybe that's just the camera making it sound that way.
YouTube - Geothermal Water Furnace Part25

 

[irvingj]

I'm hoping --and I bet it HAS to be-- quieter than my old unit- this thing uses a scroll compressor.

Kinda like the difference between a pistion engine and a turbine: things only rotate one direction, no reversing of pistons. It should be quieter!

On the other hand, I thought I was getting the 2-stage compressor model, but apparently not; what I have is the single-speed compressor, but with a 3-speed fan which is controlled by the unit's "computer."

Still have to complete electrical connection to my existing main water loop pumps. Unfortunately, though the unit has an internal relay for this, it's 230V; my pumps are 120V.... (Must be why the electric guru wanted to see a neutral in there!)

After that, all that's left is the t-stat. Since I'm doing most of the electric myself, after school, after lawn-mowing, after...etc. etc. it's taking some time. Fortunately, the weather's been cooperating- for the most part! It's been a bit chilly lately-- I'd run the woodstove, but the chimney REALLY needs to be cleaned out first!

"Are we having fun yet?"

 

[heehaw]

the reason i am always concerned about he sound level, is we have a gas furnace in a hall closet, an when the blower comes on, you better have the remote handy cause you ain't gonna hear the tv while its running: brand name is Payne: one of the high eff models, but it sure is loud: an it appears to be just the blower motor that is putting out the high sound level:
also where i worked had a geothermal system: a 6 ton unit that only lasted about 7 years an had to be replaced: the replacement was unbareably loud: don't remember the brand but sure convinced me that all geothermal units are not created equal
heehaw

 

[irvingj]

Well- After a false start of sorts, it was discovered that the unit delivered to me (42K BTU) WAS in fact too big.

Yesterday it was pulled out and a 30,000 BTU unit installed. When I got home it was up & running.

Man, is that thing QUIET!!! Compared to my old one, I can't even hear it! From upstairs, I can't even hear the fan, in fact one has to stand directly in front of the filter to really hear it.

Preliminary numbers are in:

In A/C mode--
TD across the coil: 20+ (old one: 15-18, for an increase of 25%)
Run load amps: 7.8 (old one: 11.8, for a decrease of 34%)
COP -estimated- 4.5 (old one: 3.25, for an increase of 38+%)

This thing is rated at between 4 and 5 COP, so I used 4.5....

SO: it certainly appears that I'm getting a substantial INCREASE in performance, with a substantial DECREASE in electric consumption.... and I can hardly hear the thing!!!

What's not to like? ---Happy Camper in NH!
(PS-- Guess that #8 wire ought to be able to handle it OK....:laughing

 

[Zick]

Glad to hear it's all up and running good! :drink:

 

[irvingj]

Yep! Just in time for the summer's first "heat wave" up here! (88 or so downtown, around 80+ up here on the hill...)

 

[buckeyefarmer]

What's the blue under the unit? Is it set on foam board?

 

[whistlepig]

It's pretty hot here today. Our geothermal is purring away. We won't notice the difference in our electric bill. It will be less than $10.00 a month difference for the hot weather months.

 

[irvingj]

buckeyefarmer- yes, that's 2" styrofoam. The new, smaller unit was also shorter. You'll notice the transisiton in the discharge duct that was added, to couple with the one they had on the larger unit. As the new heat pump was still a bit short, they raised it 2" with the foam board.

It actually makes a good vibration isolator-- I had some under my old one, too.

Incidentally, that variable speed high-efficiency fan is hardly sucking any juice at all! I'm leaving the fan on continuously at this point; when I went to check it with my ol' Sperry clamp-on, on the lowest amp scale --6 amps-- the needle was hardly deflected at all, just enough to see it move. Half an amp maybe?? Wow!

Also, that amp reading for the "whole" unit in A/C was on the heavy leg --the one that has the two 120V circulator pumps on it; the other leg was registering only around 5 amps, and keep in mind this unit is 30,000 BTU where my old one was 24,000 BTU...

I just can't believe how much more efficient this Water Furnace unit appears to be. Also very well constructed- somebody paid a lot of attention to detail when it was built; very neat.

So I guess at this --admittedly early-- stage, I'm extremely pleased with the machine.

 

[heehaw]

if you get a chance, pick up a TED1001 or the newer 5000 series energy monitor: with the software you can really keep up with energy usage an what its costing you:
who decided the first unit was to big?? an how did they figure that out?
heehaw