Turning a $150 AC Into a Super-Efficient Geothermal Unit!

[cdoublejj]

If you're like me this is an amazing watch and wicked awesome hack.

 

[bonneyman]

Without watching the vid, looks like a poor man's attempt at a ground-sourced water cooled condenser system. Sure, you drop the coil temp and thus head pressure, reducing amp draw. Probably would work for awhile. But the corrosion problems with ground water on typical A/C parts (made for air-cooling) will result in a much reduced lifespan of the unit. I'm thinking your energy savings will be barely make up for (if at all) the replacement costs long term. JMHO.

 

[danski0224]

Party er

 

[cdoublejj]

Without watching the vid, looks like a poor man's attempt at a ground-sourced water cooled condenser system. Sure, you drop the coil temp and thus head pressure, reducing amp draw. Probably would work for awhile. But the corrosion problems with ground water on typical A/C parts (made for air-cooling) will result in a much reduced lifespan of the unit. I'm thinking your energy savings will be barely make up for (if at all) the replacement costs long term. JMHO.

you should defintley watch the video, it's even simpler than that. so simple i though i'd he wouldn't get the thermal conduction possibly but it all worked quite well and even more so interestingly. ver Keep It Simple Stupid, it's quite basic. The AC parts all still run refrigerant. you will also see water isn't the only option.

Also this guy is legit, like a real scientist just like in the movies

 

[bonneyman]

Party er

I've been called worse.

 

[bonneyman]

you should defintley watch the video, it's even simpler than that. so simple i though i'd he wouldn't get the thermal conduction possibly but it all worked quite well and even more so interestingly. ver Keep It Simple Stupid, it's quite basic. The AC parts all still run refrigerant. you will also see water isn't the only option.

Also this guy is legit, like a real scientist just like in the movies

Back in the 1960's Rheem had a water and air cooled condenser coil unit called the Rheemaire. Had a belt driven motor in a stainless steel pan where the condenser coil was. It sprayed water from the pan onto the coil, and sucked air thru the soaked coil. Actually got good efficiency, and I liked them.
But the corrosion problems were terrible. The cabinets rusted, pumps seized lot, and we had to run muriatic acid washes to try and keep the mineral build up down. Many of them had rusted out exterior panels but the SS pan was holding the thing together. Couldn't get people to part with them.
Eventually they got superceeded by newer HE air cooled condensers that matched their efficiency without the water issues.

 

[cdoublejj]

nu clean or nu metal or nu clean or whatever it's called is an acid and i have a foaming gun for it, thats supposed to be done on some sort of maintenance schedule of some sort. i guess it depends on the water or environment.

one thing about closed loops is you using non water like glycol or anti freeze.

 

[bonneyman]

nu clean or nu metal or nu clean or whatever it's called is an acid and i have a foaming gun for it, thats supposed to be done on some sort of maintenance schedule of some sort. i guess it depends on the water or environment.

one thing about closed loops is you using non water like glycol or anti freeze.

The Rheemaire's were cooling only units. They were drained at the end of the summer, with the drain plug left out in case rain blew in. When we started them up in the spring we'd fill them and then add the acid, which had a yellow dye that changed to purple as it neutralized the calcium. Then drain and rinse and refill. Tucson's water is fairly hard so it had to be done religiously. And once water rates went u the units started being replaced quick.

 

[fitter30]

Without watching the vid, looks like a poor man's attempt at a ground-sourced water cooled condenser system. Sure, you drop the coil temp and thus head pressure, reducing amp draw. Probably would work for awhile. But the corrosion problems with ground water on typical A/C parts (made for air-cooling) will result in a much reduced lifespan of the unit. I'm thinking your energy savings will be barely make up for (if at all) the replacement costs long term. JMHO.

Without watching the vid, looks like a poor man's attempt at a ground-sourced water cooled condenser system. Sure, you drop the coil temp and thus head pressure, reducing amp draw. Probably would work for awhile. But the corrosion problems with ground water on typical A/C parts (made for air-cooling) will result in a much reduced lifespan of the unit. I'm thinking your energy savings will be barely make up for (if at all) the replacement costs long term.

He filled the box with distilled water and must have pump so the coil shouldn't get corroded because it's a closed loop.

 

[cdoublejj]

The Rheemaire's were cooling only units. They were drained at the end of the summer, with the drain plug left out in case rain blew in. When we started them up in the spring we'd fill them and then add the acid, which had a yellow dye that changed to purple as it neutralized the calcium. Then drain and rinse and refill. Tucson's water is fairly hard so it had to be done religiously. And once water rates went u the units started being replaced quick.

i added misters to my 1980s AC unit for year it didn't add too much deposit. dad hosed it off every year and every year cleaned it better, i finally got the foaming gun but, it's still pretty clean. didn't get the misters going this year. honestly this geothermal mod would probably much wiser and nicer on the unit, i bet he will do a scaled up version at some point but, it'd need a mini hoe for the coiling needed for a 2.5-3 ton unit.

 

[bonneyman]

He filled the box with distilled water and must have pump so the coil shouldn't get corroded because it's a closed loop.

Lets hope he updates us in a year and see if his unit rusts excessively.

i added misters to my 1980s AC unit for year it didn't add too much deposit. dad hosed it off every year and every year cleaned it better, i finally got the foaming gun but, it's still pretty clean. didn't get the misters going this year. honestly this geothermal mod would probably much wiser and nicer on the unit, i bet he will do a scaled up version at some point but, it'd need a mini hoe for the coiling needed for a 2.5-3 ton unit.

I, too, considered misters on my main unit but with water rates so high here I decided just to run it air only and see what the electric bill was. Power bills didn't go too high so I've left the idea behind. I think my Honeywell programmable stat helps out a bit. Still testing that.

 

[fitter30]

Horizontal geo need about 1300 sq ft per ton. Vertical 200' per ton X 4". With thermally conductive cementitious grout engineered for application of vertical and horizontal ground source heat pumps and geothermal well fields. Geo is the most efficient system out there.

 

[cdoublejj]

Lets hope he updates us in a year and see if his unit rusts excessively.

I, too, considered misters on my main unit but with water rates so high here I decided just to run it air only and see what the electric bill was. Power bills didn't go too high so I've left the idea behind. I think my Honeywell programmable stat helps out a bit. Still testing that.

you ever thinking of setting up rain collection in to a big ol giant barrel/tub/tank?