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fred peck
Registered Users
Posts:7
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| 10/06/2008 10:02 PM |
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| First, let me say that I have been doing research on geo systems for a few months now and in finding this site, I have hit the lottery. The responses generated here give so much insight to this field and you guys should be proud of what you do for those of us looking for an educated point of view.
So here's the dilemma I am having in simply trying to get this thing off (actually IN) the ground. A background: I bought my home 2 years ago and have spent too much money (any money spent on oil is too much money) on heating and a/c. The property has a second well on site. The water table though, is very high, especially in the back yard area that the well is in. The estimate I received for the 3 holes to be drilled for a vertical system was in the $13k range. This was due to the amount of casing needed for each hole, I'm told. So, I decided to (along with my HVAC contractor) to go the horizontal route. The problem that I am having is with not having sufficient spacing for the # of trenches needed for the slinky loop install. The house sits on a full acre, but the house is smack in the middle of the property, with the road bordering the front, the underground septic to the eastern side, the same amount of land in the back (leaving me short by the same 9-12 feet) and driveways on the west side. We've been trying to be creative in how to run the trenches, but i still can only get 3 trenches on either side (I need 4).
One of my questions is; while trying to visualize the layout of the land with the house in the middle, if 3 trenches are run in either the front or the back, is it possible to run another trench on the opposite side (back yard, say)? We planned on connecting the trenches with a buried manifold. Is there any creative yet efficient way to have a supplemental trench in a different area of the yard?
2nd question...if the trench thing doesn't work out, roughly how big of a space would I need to lay the slinkys down flat for a 4 ton system?
I'm desperately trying to make this work without having to eat the cost of a vertical system. At 33, I plan to be in this house for 30+ years minimum, so it's not like I wouldn't make up the initial cost. Times are tight and while I don't believe in cutting corners, I'd like to be as frugal and fiscally responsible as possible. After all, that's why I'm so passionate about this system in the first place.
If I left anything out, please advise. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Thanks,
fred |
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tuffluckdriller
Registered Users
Posts:416
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| 10/07/2008 2:33 AM |
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I'm not sure on the slinky loops, but is your lot relatively level? If so, you should look into a DX system with horizontal loops. They might take a little less room, though I don't know for certain. Drilling for DX should be a lot less than the 13K range, too. Where are you located?
Good luck. |
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Clark Timothy (clark@pinksdx.com)
VP sales, Tuff Luck Geothermal Drilling
Geothermal, Heating and Cooling that's Dirt Cheap! |
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senecarr
Registered Users
Posts:160
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| 10/07/2008 9:13 AM |
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| I'm just a sideline guy, but my only creative thought is to pay the extra expense of getting one trench dug 12 FT deep and use it twice. Not sure if that kind of dig saves over vertical though. |
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fred peck
Registered Users
Posts:7
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| 10/07/2008 9:16 AM |
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| I am located in the Poconos---eastern PA in the Delaware Water Gap area. My lot IS relatively flat, so maybe DX might be the way to go.
Does anybody know if you need to be an approved vendor to get a DX system? My contractor wasn't on their list, but I'd really like to use him. Suggestions? |
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engineer
Registered Users
Posts:448
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| 10/07/2008 11:54 AM |
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Already have two wells? How far apart are they?
Reason I ask is that an open loop system with reinjection might be a feasible option - pump out of one well, through geo unit and back into other well.
Other issues are available flow and water quality. |
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Without data, you only have an opinion. |
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fred peck
Registered Users
Posts:7
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| 10/07/2008 10:08 PM |
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| the 1st well was originally the potable water well that is piped into the house. That well needed to be shut down due to a neighbor's new construction septic proximity. I believe it has the same GPM rating as the current well, which is high (I'm sorry I don't have an exact number, but I don't want to misquote what I thought it was).
The wells are approximately 100 ft apart, to answer the question.
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tuffluckdriller
Registered Users
Posts:416
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| 10/09/2008 1:13 AM |
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| Your installer should be able to become a dealer of EarthLinked DX. However, the pump and dump idea sounds feasible, too. (not to just rule out the DX option...) |
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Clark Timothy (clark@pinksdx.com)
VP sales, Tuff Luck Geothermal Drilling
Geothermal, Heating and Cooling that's Dirt Cheap! |
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fred peck
Registered Users
Posts:7
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| 10/09/2008 8:59 PM |
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| About the open loop...i have a really high water table, for what it's worth. My property is located in a basin at the foot of a mountain, below a golf course. We can see the water in the old well--it's about 20 inches down. I guess my biggest questions with the open loop are:
1)water quality and how it affects the system. While i understand there is filtering going on, would there be enough missed (iron, minerals, etc) that could kill the system in 10-15 years...
2)where am i dumping it? Do you dig a well to dump it? If my water table is high, wouldn't there be a turbulence issue there? I have a creek 300 feet away that I could run a buried pipe to, but are there environmental concerns with that? I don't want to cause any harm while trying to cut it back...
3)What happens if the well were to somehow, in an unimaginable sized drought, dry up or dip below the needed gpm? If you saw the location and topography of my lot, it doesn't seem possible, but I guess stranger things have happened. |
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senecarr
Registered Users
Posts:160
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| 10/10/2008 9:38 AM |
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All of your concerns are why people tend to go with closed loop. On the plus side, an open loop system can be changed to a closed loop system if it's sized right (closed loops usually get more BTU's in said configuration, so it would need to be the right device to work as closed loop as well).
My understanding would be
1. The minerals don't kill the system, but in open loop it's probably good to have it maintained once a year to clean out deposits.
2. Typically that is the way, dump to returning well. There's also standing water column, which is returning to the same well. Dumping to the creek you might need to talk to your local DNR if you want to install everything on the up and up.
3. Dig a new well or convert to closed loop.
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