Question: Does anyone have an illustration or explanation of where steel piping/casing is installed on a residential geothermal install? Is it toward the top (where the soft soil is) or toward the bottom of the bore (where it's rocky)?

Are you talking about open or closed loop?
I'm not a driller, but I'm not aware of a casing requirement.
J

I should have phrased my question a bit better. J, it is NOT a requirement, but where I am located -- Northern New Jersey -- we hit rock approximately 100 feet below the surface (100 feet is just an educated and experienced estimate, we are STILL going to drill a test hole to get a more solid quotation). BUT, I have found the answer to the question. It is in the attached DOC file.

Here is the URL for the DOC: www.aeeny.org/news/newsletters/2008/December_1_2008_Newsletter.doc

If you went with EarthLinked DX, 100' is plenty, and you don't need the expense of the test hole.

What part of North Jersey are you? I think we encountered the same at about 400' below. I am in Essex county.

I think the purpose of casing is to isolate 'good' deep aquifers from poorer quality surface / shallow aquifers

From what I've read casing requirement vary considerably by locality.

New Jersey probably prohibits most activities and heavily tolls or taxes the remainder...

DX in New Jersey


Division of Water Supply
Bureau of Water Systems and Well Permitting
P.O. BOX 426
TRENTON, NEW JERSEY 08625‐0426
TELEPHONE (609) 984‐6831
FAX (609) 633‐1231
STATE WELL DRILLERS AND PUMP INSTALLERS
EXAMINING AND ADVISORY BOARD

State Well Drillers and Pump Installers Examining and Advisory Board
Meeting Minutes for January 27, 2009


He also proposed sending letters to local inspectors notifying them of the fact that DX systems have never been approved. H. Chudzik questioned whether the Board of Public Utilities had been approving and/or endorsing such illegal systems. A. Becker also questioned whether the Bureau could investigate systems that are believed to have been illegally installed within the state so they could also serve to yield data regarding the longevity of such systems.

For entire text see.

http://www.nj.gov/dep/watersupply/minutes_1_27_09.pdf

conniepangan: We are in Morris County -- not TOO far from where you are. Were you 'REQUIRED' to place AND KEEP steel casing in your bores? Please let me know. Thank you.