Geothermal HVAC Blog

March 2006

After hearing from the installer, the issue appeared to be on the refrigerant side.

Apparently a test cap on the refrigerant side, a schrader valve gasket was twisted; the valve was depressed and was leaking a little. The valve was replaced. The system specs were checked with Waterfurnace. We should be good to go now.

Unfortunately it is very nearly the end of winter for testing usage of heat. The thermostat is set at 70 degrees. If I move the thermostat to 72 degrees, Auxiliary Heat turns on. Setting it back to 71 degrees turns off Auxiliary Heat. The high outside temperature was 38 degrees. The low today was 32 degrees. I can only hope for some cold weather this next week.

March 2006

It took two almost three months to get one of the Advanced Geothermal Plumbing and Heating reps out here to look at my sick system.

They were here, but then they left. No indication or note as to what the problem was or if it was fixed.

Am I getting frustrated with this or what?

March 2006

Ok, so my system is having problems. I am having problems getting this issue resolved. It seems that I have to convince the installer that there is a problem before I get a service call.

Well, my charts did that. At least after two months they acknowledge that there is a problem. In those two months, I have used close to 600 Kwh of power or more than I should have used.

It is funny that I mentioned to my installer that I was looking at adding a near real time monitoring system he told me it was a waste of money. The way I figure it, if I have these problems a couple more times, it sure would pay for itself soon. I particularly like the monitoring system that Phil Malone uses on his system (ourcoolhouse.com).

March 2006

I am getting really frustrated.

I contacted my geothermal installer again. Well, here we are again. The electric consumption for the air handler is outrageous. The last regular electric meter reading was the 15th of February 2006. I read the meter on the 25th of February 2006 and added this value to the March 2006 reading. In the last 10 days, the air handler has used 393 kWh of power. That is more than the entire month of January 2006.

I talked with my installer again last night. I have sent charts, I have sent collected data.

February 2006

Ok, it’s Saturday evening and I did get a call from my installer. After two months with this problem it seems to be another possible loop pressure issue.

Apparently the loop pressure can drop as the underground loop stretches for the first couple of years. This is the second time it has happened. The last time was July and August on 2005.

Supposedly someone will be at the house to look at the system on Monday 27 February 2006.

Not having heard anything from my installer, this morning I shut the system down, waited 10 minutes then started the system in heat mode.