WorldWide Drilling Resource

35 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® JUNE 2015 What Could Go Wrong with Geothermal? by Peter Tavino Litchfield Geothermal “Not enough borehole depth!” is the usual reaction to any problem with a ground source heat pump, but there can be many simple reasons why sys- tems don't perform as they should. Among them: e The fantastic insulation levels ac- cording to the building plans, which the homeowner has, was not really installed, when the builder was again contacted. e Closed off "grandkid’s rooms" left at 50ºF (10ºC) all winter have proper supply duct dampers, but a common return sucking cold air into the heated zone, with no one's knowledge. e An old damper in a retrofit system was stuck, and becomes the responsi- bility of the new geothermal heat pump contractor. e The disgruntled carpenter who felt unfairly paid decides to secretly remove insulation from an elderly woman's attic she does not access herself. e Loop pressure fluctuation between 15 and 30 pounds per square inch, thought to be a puncture in the U-bend, actually indicates whether one or two heat pumps are running off the same manifold. e Control panel has difficulty backing up automatically to old oil-fired system, because the panel is set up for electric strip back-up. e System owner with one zone geo- thermal above or below one zone of old oil or gas heat, figures it is okay to heat both zones with geo during design cold temperature conditions. Outside Issues Caught Before Start-up: e The new oil tank in the basement did not involve removing the old oil tank buried next to where the excavator will expose the foundation wall for loop cor- ing. e The block wall to be cored is so old and crumbling, that even proper link seals cannot waterproof the mortar joint. e There is no plan of where the lawn sprinkler system or invisible dog fence is near the boreholes. e The asphalt driveway the rigs must use, has only a thin layer over a few inches of gravel base, immediately cracking as the rig drives over it. e Old unmapped historical tunnels or drainage chambers from the last cen- tury are of course near your borehole. e After installing casing down to solid ledge bedrock, it turns junky, and 6-inch-diameter, 20-foot-long steel cas- ing sections must be pulled up, redrilled, and set deeper to better ledge. e Water pressure from one bore- hole causes “Old Faithful” to sprout up from an adjacent borehole. e The 70 gallons per minute unex- pected water flow reminds the drill crew of the brooms carrying buckets of water nonstop in Walt Disney's movie Fantasia ! The statements and comments in this article are based on information and references believed to be true and factual. If you have any questions or comments, please forward them to me in care of WWDR . Pete Peter Tavino may be contacted via e-mail at michele@ worldwidedrillingresource.com ¿Qué Podría Salir Mal Con Geotérmica? por Peter Tavino Litchfield Geotérmica "Insuficiente Profundidad del pozo" Esta es la reacción usual a cualquier problema con una bomba de calor geotér- mica, pero puede haber muchas razones por lo que los sistemas simples no fun- cionan como deberían. Entre ellos: e Los fantásticos niveles de insu- lación basados en los planes de con- strucción, que el dueño tenia, y que no fueron realmente instalados cuando el constructor fue contactado de nuevo. e “Habitaciones de los nietos" ce- rradas y dejadas a temperaturas de 50ºF Hector Leos Translator 2065 S. Nucor Rd. Crawfordsville, IN 47933 Phone: (866) 364-9460 Fax: (765) 364-9462 www.flowcenterproducts.com Flowcenter loop pump modules are avail- able for both residential and commercial ground-loop heating and cooling systems. Compatible with these pumps: B&G Grundfos Wilo Flowcenters can be con- figured with 1, 2, 3, or 4 pump units to match dif- ferent load requirements. Products include: Flowcenters • Geothermal Closed-Loop Fittings • Replacement Pumps • Hose Kits and Accessories • ECM Variable Speed Pumps Call us today to hear about our new FCP Titan Pump. Tavino trans. cont’d on page 38.