Geothermal Inspections
GEOEXCHANGE / GEOTHERMAL HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM INSPECTIONS AND ANALYSIS
At exchangenergy, Vancouver-based geoexchange design and installation specialists, we are pleased to add geoexchange Inspections to our roster of services.
Example #1 - "How Did They Flush" : Behind the vertical white pipe there are two, 1.25" valves and two, 3/4" grey fittings. You cannot ram enough water through a 3/4" fitting to flush / purge a 1.25" geo loop. Therefore, the system was not properly flushed.
As geoexchange becomes more popular, there are many new companies attempting to install systems.
Often, the systems are not properly designed, installed or commissioned.
Due to our 10-year reputation for attention to detail and quality installations, we have been asked to inspect systems installed by other contractors. We’ve identified deficiencies that must be addressed to ensure that the system is functioning properly.
The results of our inspections have proven to be so beneficial to the owners that we’ve decided to offer inspections as a service.
exchangenergy will test all components of your geoexchange system and issues commissioning reports that show:
• Source side and load side pump flows
• Source and load loop temperatures
• Heat Pump run times
• System Energy consumption and Performance
• Control System Testing
Example #2 - "Flow Meter?": This contractor did not spend the $300 to buy the proper J-tube flow meter for the QT and instead installed PT ports (the brass fittings in the upper left hand corner) to "measure the flow". Testing showed the flow was half of specificied value and the system did not work.
To arrange a geoexchange system inspection / analysis, please contact us.
Example #3 - "Two Things Wrong": This is the most beautiful control panel we have ever seen; however, the transformer is over 100va which means that the brown LVT wire is too small and not allowed without mechanical protection (class one). The controller is a low-limit control which shuts the system down when the under-sized slinky loop gets too cold (see our blog for more about slinky loops).
Example #4 - "A Fusion Joint": Clearly, this carelessly fused joint was restricting flow. We cut it out and replaced it with bigger pipe and a smaller pump.
Example #5 - "A Pump The Wrong Way": This pump is mounted in the 0NLY direction the manufacturer does not allow.
