Idaho New Installation Questions, Ideas, and Justification

Based on the information your load calc offers, there is very little economic incentive to go with geo since you said you have natural gas available. If you are interested in renewable, you might want to look at solar and a high end furnace and ac before you jump into geo.
If you plug those numbers into the CM tool it will tell you loop length etc.
You can plug in different systems and see what your operating cost savings vs different equipment is. In my AO a 2 or 2.5 ton unit would be the best fit with strategic auxiliary use, however since you intend to use your old furnace you might go with a TZ036 Or TE038 since your geo and furnace can not operate simultaneously.

 

https://www.geoexchange.org/forum/threads/trying-a-diy-experiment.6724/

Thanks and I agree paying for a geothermal install is way out of my price range for the purposed savings. But right now so is a ac pump, ~$4500 but as the thread I started above explains, I'm going to just try it diy with a 1 ton and either 1 800' 3/4 loop or 2 500' loops, both 500' loops for $190 or 800' for $250 and a 1 ton wshp for $300. And the digging for next to cost should be under $100. The flow center will be tough but as far as now I'm building a non pressure using a 35gal barrel and an old water pump I had laying around.

So I'm hoping to get my feet wet in geothermal for under 1000$ all said and done, if it will end up being a sidekick to the system I should be able to get my money back in a few years.

As far as running both systems I'm going to isolate the geoexchang to the 3 rooms in the newer addition so the havac ducts will be isolated in a zoned stile system. That shouldn't be an issue right?

 

good luck, let us know

 

Thankyou! and I'll do my best.

 

All the best!

 

Thanks brent, i thought i would inform you the heat pump is installed. I hung it in the crawlspace to be closer to the zone load. I burred 8 500' coils 8' down in a linear not slinky. And i messed up a bit gluing the manifold now i got a small leak and all my slack is in the grownd. Haha. I'll get the leak fixed and i will have a working geo system. any ideas on how to seal a bad pvc joint?

 

Take an extra PVC slip coupling or fitting and cut off a slice 1/2" to 3/4" wide. Now cut the slice of slip fitting in half lengthwise. Remove cutting burrs. Remove any water from the surface of the pipe to be repaired. Thoroughly prime the pipe and split PVC fitting with clear primer. Thoroughly apply clear PVC glue to the pipe and split PVC fitting and place on pipe. Now take a worm-drive hose clamp and tighten the split PVC fitting onto the pipe and insure the split fitting is tightly butted to the leaking fitting. Allow to dry several hours before applying pressure to the pipe.

 

Clear primer? Purple wont work?

 

I've never had a leak using clear primer. In my experience the clear does a better job of cleaning and softening the pipe surface. It seems like I get a better "stick" with clear vs. purple. Maybe higher acetone concentration in the clear? Why would you need purple primer in this application? The purple dye is there solely for an inspector to verify primer was used. This isn't an application that requires inspection does it? It probably doesn't make a lot of difference in this application. Clear is what I always use and have success with, so that is what I recommend. A key point with PVC primer and glue is to apply the glue while the primer is still wet.

 

Avalability mostly, iv never seen clear primer. I have both clear and blue glue. But i believe i may have got a little dirt in the joint. I just dont have alot of time to work on it. Or i would just cut the joint out and reglue it.