Discussion Forum

Week 4 Questions (a week behind)

msalame — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 02:37:53 GMT

John, a couple questions for you regarding Week 4 material:

1) For a given home geothermal project, do both the home owner and the designer qualify for tax incentives (or do incentives for designers exist ONLY for government projects)? What about the installer and driller, are tax incentives available for them too?

2) From what I understand, experience is everything when it comes to doing geothermal installations. If that is the case, where is there room for newbies who have never done anything related to geothermal and want to open their own business in it (like myself)? How would you recommend to proceed in such a case?

Forum: Entry Level Geothermal Proffesional Certificate Training

Pipe fusion vs standard connection methods

CreekSide — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:21:37 GMT

With the low flow rate and low pressure of the closed loop systems, I am trying to understand why fusion is preferred over conventional connection methods. Is it primarily the friction loss because of internally installed insert fittings most notably the two elbows on the bottom of a vertical bore. Or is it the security of trusting the connections with more certainty. Does using the inside manifold method for the loops lessen the concern for conventional connection methods.

Forum: Entry Level Geothermal Proffesional Certificate Training

sometimes you will be questioned about your heat load.

Unregistered — Thur, 16 Feb 2012 15:22:55 GMT

For years a lot of people have been using 500 BTUs per square foot, and there have been a lot of other methods that we have used. I talked about the 55 mile an hour method I talk about the doorknob method. I think the main thing to try to convince them of is that our software is merely an implementation of Manual J. If they don't agree with the results, their argument is actually with ACCA and Manual J.

Nowadays especially, it is very easy for a load calculation on a house to have a result of greater than 1,000 square feet per ton. Better insulation, better windows, better construction tightness all add up to square feet per ton values being typically higher than they were years ago. And when a basement's square footage is included, the probability that it would go over 1,000 is even greater,or if you're using spray foam.

The best way to convince them may be to ask them to look only at individual items that contribute to the load, instead of looking at the final result. Take one wall, or a window, or a roof, and see what the program says the load is, and see if they disagree with it. It's easy to look at the total tonnage and say that it doesn't look right, but when you start looking at the loads on individual items there isn't much room for argument.

John Walsh

Forum: Manual J Boot Camp Training with Elite Certification

Checking in

akoenig — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:03:16 GMT

How are people progressing with the webinar? Has anyone gotten to the homework assignment yet? Are you having any particular difficulty with the material? Let me hear from you.

Otherwise, keep plugging away,

Forum: Standing Column Wells for Geothermal Professionals

Week 3 questions

msalame — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:21:02 GMT

Hi, I have a couple questions regarding the material covered in Week 3

1) In the discussion of the vertical closed loop system, you mentioned that there are geological maps of certain areas that can be used for reference when you're deciding on the best method to drill and install the pipes. Where are these maps available?

2) Why should the pipe diameter increase as the bore depth increases?

3) In standing column wells, I think I can read from the image in the slide that the bore hole remains uncased - is this true? If so, where does the valve come in if there's no barrier between the hole dug and the earth?

Thanks,
Mike Salame

Forum: Entry Level Geothermal Proffesional Certificate Training

Manifolds on Landscape Oriented Panels

MikeC — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:12:27 GMT

Bob:

Do they manufacture flat plate collectors that have the inlet and outlet manifolds running in the log direction, and would it even matter if you are using a active pressurized system?

Forum: Solar Hot Water Design & Installation Training

New tax incentives?

CreekSide — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:49:57 GMT

With the tax incentives discussed in this study expiring in 2013, are there others in the future or have these incentives been extended?

Forum: Entry Level Geothermal Proffesional Certificate Training

Poly Pipe conductivity

CreekSide — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:48:03 GMT

Does poly pipe have a higher or lower conductive ability than water or saturated ground?

Forum: Entry Level Geothermal Proffesional Certificate Training

Class Introductions

Duncan — Thur, 02 Feb 2012 20:21:43 GMT

Hello!
This section of the discussion board is where we get to know one another. The biggest potential downside of online training is that you don't learn as much from the other students. That's why we ask everyone to share their goals and objectives in taking the course, along with their background. The diverse perspectives on the industry can be a huge bonus for everyone.

Simply reply to this message and let us know:

Your name
Where you live
Your professional background
What you want to get from this course

Forum: Standing Column Wells for Geothermal Professionals

Course Q&A

Duncan — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:12:34 GMT

Welcome everyone. Please post your questions for Sam here. Thanks!

Forum: Understanding Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs)

Student Introductions

Duncan — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:11:34 GMT

Your name
Where you live
Your professional background
What you want to get from this course

Forum: Understanding Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs)

expansion tank

grunt — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:01:10 GMT

I understand that in a sealed system you need an expansion tank to address the characteristic of water as it heat and cools but my question is could you address these same issue with using atmospheric valves. I understand that this would no longer be a sealed system per say but it would still actively address the water expansion issues.
The valves could be on the holding tank so it would not compromise the movement of the solar fluid. The Design tank I am using is not a sealed tank, and by default will have some atmospheric ventalation.

Forum: Solar Hot Water Design & Installation Training

Flat plate repair

grunt — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 01:32:52 GMT

In regards to repairing flat plate collectors- I have one where the riser has come dislodged from the collector plate. (I believe it was tacked welded previously) I remembered in your video that it states that you could use solder to reattach the riser to the collector. My question is, is there a specific kind of solder that I should use? I also remember that the diagram showed 15% silver as one of the ingredients of the solder, other than that is there any recommendations?

Forum: Solar Hot Water Design & Installation Training

Measurements

conor — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:14:28 GMT

I have a lattice porch that extends East 16 feet from a slider and a couple windows. it all stops at the South corner of the home. lattice, meaning; it has evenly spaced 1x1 wood placed one inch apart, parallel to the edge of the house that it starts from. This means 50% of the light gets through. When calculating overhang for glass, shall I;

account for half =8 foot overhang
leave it out
somehow account for it @ 50% for 16 ft

again; the East facing glass slider door on this corner is affected by the lattice in E direction but not the S direction. How do i calculate shading for this slider?

I.E. how do i account for the lattice porch

Again; I have another slider on the other side of the home that is tucked into an alcove making it shaded by walls of other parts of the house. How should i proceed?

___________

I have a house that was built wood frame on top of a concrete slab

how do i measure the floor Outside perimeter? Inside perimeter?
what would the look up value be that i enter on the software

Forum: Manual J Boot Camp Training with Elite Certification

collector angle

grunt — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 05:23:51 GMT

How would you deal with selection of collector angle on a system that is both designed to supply space heating as well as domestic hot water use? Do you decide to prioritizes which load is more important or do you select an angle that is a compromise of the two. Also is it safe for me to assume since domestic hot water is a year around load that maybe that angle should take priority.

Forum: Solar Hot Water Design & Installation Training