Geothermal Heatpumps: An Introduction

[que3jxp]

Yup, across about 4.5 years to be specific.

The nitty gritty of the issue for the GHP is that it NEEDS massive airflow so when I choked it off, it instantly caused the issue.

The reason that I finally caught it was my father asked to see the control board in the system to see if it was showing any low or high pressure alarm lights. When we took the side panel off, the heat exchanger was about 80% blocked with ice. The only reason that this could have happened is that the air was moving so slowly and GHPs have such a high COP for A/C that it froze all the moisture out asap. We pulled the filter that night and where I was monitoring the meter reading every 24 hours, we saw a major change immediately. My guess is that it has been icing up in the hot months for the whole ~4 years of the debacle and we just did not realize it.

The thing that saved me from anything more than extra power is that GHPs are dead simple and are designed to handle major dehumidification so there is nothing that can get wet that would actually be damaged by it.

But what a kick in the cookies that a $25 filter cost me all that freaking $$$

[txv]

There's nothing wrong with using a pleated filter on a ground source heatpump provided that it's MERV 8 or less and there's sufficient surface area.

Electronic air cleaners on the other hand should be avoided like the plague because they simply do not work unless cleaned very frequently (every 2-4 weeks!) with harsh chemicals.

From what I've seen, spun fiberglass is not capable of keeping a blower wheel or coil clean.

The best option is a 5" media filter.

[que3jxp]

I never said there was anything wrong with pleated but the reality is that where GHPs require massive air filters, it can be hard to get a specific kind of pleated one. Nordic GHPs use a 28x32x2 filter and this is FAR from standard to begin with. You are not finding these at HD or Rona or HH or Kent or wherever. You are going to the HVAC stores/suppliers.

5" media is not a standard size for GHPs. At least none that I have ever seen.

Also, I never had issues in the past with my spun filter and dust on the inside of the unit or on the heat exchanger. I only changed to pleated thinking that it can only be better.

Moral of the story is to consult with experts/the mfgr.

Oh and the E/S filters, cleaning them has only ever been shown to need water on a cloth. Is this not true?

[txv]

Media filters are installed outside of the furnace/air handler/heatpump at the inlet.

Oh and the E/S filters, cleaning them has only ever been shown to need water on a cloth. Is this not true?

Over time, carbon builds up on the cells which can only be removed with a strong degreaser.

If you run your finger down a cell after cleaning it water, by the time you reach the bottom, it be black. (as if you've handled a lot of newspapers or photocopies)

Used to have one - in spite of cleaning it monthly, dust passed right through and ended up in the blower compartment.

[57]

I put my E/S elements into the dishwasher along with the thin metal pre-filter for large particles. This cleans them well and I do that 2-3 times a year. We have no pets, no smoking and hardwood floors, so more cleanings may be required for those environments. My E/S filter is 21 years old and I had the air-flow sensor electronics replaced once along the way.

You need to take care when placing them into the DW to not damage the fins or wires.