Hello, I've been reading this form off and on for a few years, thanks to all the contributors. I'll describe the home and its current systems below my inquiry. I want to install a open loop Geothermal heat pump to replace my current 3 ton Air to Air HP. I'm looking at doing most of the work myself but i have little HVAC knowledge. My goal is to get as close to Net $0 on our energy bill per yr including the addition of an electric car charging daily about 2500kwh yr. (we have a solar system described below) Our current home and HVAC system design seems to lend its self to upgrading to a Geothermal split system. So I'm considering buying 3 ton GeoThermal split outdoor unit to replace the current outdoor heat pump. I may well retain the current indoor air-handler and wait to upgrade it at a later date as it seems to function fine and I'd like to document the energy savings of each component. I hope to do all the work myself with the exception of hiring a licensed HVAC tech to do the freon connections and charge between the outside split and the air handler. When I checked the wells depth by using a fishing rod/line and sinker I noticed the water level was at about 7 ft below the ground surface. The outside split is about 4 ft above the ground level so about 11 ft above that water level, the pump is at ground level. The discharge would be at a lower grade in the back yard about 10 ft below the above ground well pump. Im hoping that due to the water level in the well, the level of the outside split and the lower discharge level that I could use a much smaller pump, maybe even a circulatory pump like the GRUNDFOS UPS15-58FC 115V BRUTE 3 speed. Id really appreciate some suggestions from some that know a lot more than I regarding open loop installations and what options I might have for pumps. My house is an above grade 2100 sq ft single story home built in 1992, located on a brackish water bayou in the Pensacola Fl area, The house has a 10k net meter micro inverter solar system on the roof since Jan 2014 that produces just over 14,000 kwh per year, in 2016 it was 14277, our use is about 4,000 kwh more than what we produce so we buy about $400 of electricity per year from the utility. We currently have a single zone Heat pump that was replaced in 2005 and is a 10 Seer rated, it a Goodman, not a brand I ever thought much of but its doing fine except in the winter seems like I replace the defrost circuit board each yr. The inside Air handler is in the unconditioned attic and looks to be the original single speed unit with a 8k heat strip that I have disconnected at the thermostat as after spending a lot of time and $ re-insulating the house the heat pump seems to keep the house at temp right down to the low 20's outside. We are on city water but have a 65' deep well with a 2hp sprinkler pump for irrigating approx 1 acre. The well water temp is 70 deg year round its plentiful and less than 1ppm iron, quite surprising for this area. The well has been tested by the county and was approved for potable water uses. The well and pump is located 4 foot from the current outside split HP, the air handler is on the opposite side of the home, about 16 ft above the outside split and probably 50 feet away.
Wrong type of pump. They'll work temporarily at best, then burn out. The pumps you're mentioning are circulators - not meant for suction. If you insist on suction (vs. a downhole pump), you're looking at jet pumps generally. You'll get more efficiency and reliability with a downhole pump though. For net zero, an open loop system will be much harder to get there than a closed loop system. Unless you have artesian flow.
Ditto above. You need to find the smallest centrifugal pump you can get for your energy consumption. Goulds used to make a 1/3hp jet pump. Maybe epay? Eric
