Living and Learning with Geo

What size is it and where do you live?

 

It's a 4-ton, I am in Rhode Island

 

I had forgotten this was a hybrid. Bummer Chris. I confess that I'm not a hybrid fan.

 

Yea I was sucked in by the "this unit does it all".

I will have it fixed this time. Then have to get an equity loan for a replacement or start saving now. So much for the retirement fund. Lol

 

Do you have a quote on a new one? It may not be as much as you think.

 

No I don't.

Can I get a new one and apply another 30% tax credit? Even though I have yet to collect all of the first credit.

Chris

 

You should check with your tax adviser. Get me the model number and I will price a unit for you.

Mark

 

You will have to collect all of your credit by 2016

 

Thanks for the offer Mark, I appreciate it.

Just for s#@$'s and giggles I am going to see what it would be for a new unit. He said it would be a days labor to change the bad parts, they could probably swap units in a day.

No word back from HT, I called myself on friday.

Chris

 

Chris:

Let me know what happens. If he can change parts in a day then with a helper with a strong back he could do a push pull in a day.

Since you need forced air and hydronics I might consider a single purpose water to water. Leave the leaker to do the air blowing and add a chilled water coil with a drain pan for latent cooling and use the radiant for sensible cooling.

Do not buy anything until we talk. Remember me the guy that spent New Years Day on the phone to NJ purging a system with some one else's boots on the ground.

Keep us posted.

Mark

 

It's possible I am to blame for the part failure.

I have an iron filter that requires my waters PH to be 7.5- 8.0, I have been running water with a higher PH which I didn't understand was just as bad as having low PH.

Unless the refrigerant that has been leaking into the water would make the test show a higher PH.

Chris

 

The price of a new unit was over 9k + install. That was for HT's new variable speed compressor unit.

I have the PH down to 7.2 in the cold water, the DHW is still coming down slower I guess because of the 55 gal tank.

The new radiant exchanger has been ordered.

Chris

 

Chris:

We need to talk soon. I want your home fixed right the second try.

There is, I have learned, a very big gap between the prices in New England and Ohio.

I will not tell you here what I can get the new unit shipped to your door for, but it is less than $9K plus labor.

You need to get with your tax person and find out what they think about this retrofit.

Since your loop field is good enough to handle the home, it is possible to leave the water to air system doing what it does, and steal a bit of the loop field for a dedicated water to water for your radiant system. If the multitask unit failed once it can fail twice. Even with factory replacement parts. I hate when I buy parts and assemblies with KIT in the part number. To me this means they did not do their home work when the design was shipped to production, and therefore needed to be changed.

This idea becomes DIY friendly as we move towards spring. The radiant heating can be down for awhile. I do not re-call, are you doing radiant cooling?

Even tough old guys like Joe Hardin and I try to plan for warranty work, we do not always budget enough into our costs of doing business. Today I worked for free. Warranty on my error, but I still get my beer and supper.

Mark

 

The new radiant heat exchanger went in on tuesday, I tried to help as much as I could.

It was educational to see how my heat pump is put together.

Couple times he burned through the copper tubing of the waterside plumbing, too hot of a tip on the torch?

New filter drier also. He said he hopes he never sees me again! Lol.

I purged the radiant loops to get the water that's in there and in the buffer tank to be as close to 7.0 PH as I could.

Thanks everyone for your help, Chris

 

"The new radiant heat exchanger went in on tuesday, I tried to help as much as I could."

Lord I'd burn you with the torch just to get rid of my "little helper". LOL
Not much fun in ref. side repairs and less if there's "help" or questions. Small insulation fires, grunts and growns from awkward positions etc. are par for the course. Then replacement insulation is never as pretty as the original and yes you can burn through copper quite easily. Really not a spectator sport......

I had a helper yesterday. First watched (transfixed) when I was struggling with a problem. Then came down into this tiny basement smoking a stinky @$&ed pipe blocking my way to to the work, offering " help".......arrgghh!

 

Maybe that is also a reason he never wants to see me again Lol.

A little extra labor charge for all my help!

Chris

 

I love happy endings.

Mark

 

Only time will tell, hopefully the DHW exchanger will last(Knock on wood!)

Chris

 

This quote is from Hydro-Temps tech support in regards to recharging the system.

"Due to the complexity of the refrigeration circuit only trained service technicians should attempt to adjust the refrigerant charge.

Most systems will have a refrigerant weight stamped on the name plate. This will get your system functioning but for optimal performance from your Hydro-Temp system you should always finish by taking a superheat reading and fine tune the charge from there.

To get optimal performance from your Hydro-Temp system, proper charging is essential. Use the nameplate charge as a starting point. You will almost always need to adjust the charge after the nameplate rating is added."

My system has been recharged 4 times in the last 8 months. I showed this to the installer/owner, he said they always just put in what name plate says period. "otherwise we are just chasing our tail".

I had a low pressure idiot light come on after this latest repair visit, the ground loop delta is only 2*F, EAT 69.5*F LAT 85*F. I don't think they have the charge right.

Chris

 

I'd be suspicious of a leak