No visible condensor.

rflenniken

Hello,

This site has been a sanity saver. My question is about the system my father installed in a house he built when I was to young to know I should be paying attention. I would like to install the same system because of the low operating cost and extended component life.

This is what I remeber about it. There was no outside condensor. The compressor was inside with the evaporator. For the condensor he buried a large fiberglass fuel tank in the yard. Inside the tank was coiled copper tubing. The tank was filled with water and sealed.
It was a heat pump system. I don't think it had any type off back up heat. I remember him saying that it's easier to remove heat from a condensor in 60 degree water than it is a condensor sitting in the sun with a 110 degree ambient air tempature. I recall the compressor was very quiet when it started. His electric bill was a third of the average cost for a home his size.

Anyone know the details of this type of system?

Ray

Master of Cold

Its called a water source heat pump

beenthere

Yep, a closed geo loop system.

biggles

tons of diagrams and info if you google "geothermal" like this http://www.earthtoair.com/how-geothe...ling-works.php the basic idea is the earth puts a load on the system in the winter,and takes a load "hot discharge gas temp" in the summer with lower pressures so your watts/amps in running that compressor are less and $$$ to you

rflenniken

Is it worth the extra set up cost?

Master of Cold

It depends on the water and ground temperatures.

beenthere

Are you going to live there another 20 to 30 years.

rflenniken

I will live here until I die, or marry a rich widow. So 20 yrs, hopefully. Located in north Texas. Red clay and sandy soil, if that matters.

Master of Cold

I know Carrier puts out a chart on their geo units. It will give you the eer (not seer) of the unit based on ground/water temperatures. You have to look at this chart to see if the efficiency of the geo unit, plus the cost of installing your loop system (wells, piping, pumps, etc) will outweigh buying a 19-21 seer system. Your main factors being procurement/installation and operational.
If you live next to a large body of non-stagnant water, you can use an open loop system. Water from the lake and back to it. Its cheap and easy. A closed loop system will have to have wells drilled (one well per ton of a/c) or dig up the yard and install the loop horizontally underground.
That's why beenthere is asking how long you plan on living there. It might take a while to recoup the costs.

Final Notice

what are the chances that an open loop system will be damaged if the piping is in a lake or stream of water? how is it protected?

Master of Cold

As long as the pipe inlet is submerged it wont matter as long as debris doesn't enter the system. The open loop is taking in freshwater, running it through the condenser coil and dumping it in the lake. A closed loop system in the lake becomes an open loop if the pipe is broken. Basically if the pipe is damaged your gonna suck in mud or fishes untill you fix it.