# need help adding water to ground loop please



## andrewjoseph (Aug 24, 2015)

Hi guys,
I watched service guy add water to our geothermal system. We moved into the house recently, and I havent figured the system out very well.

I have a gauge to stick into one side of the pt port to check pressure going out. What I am needing is the needle to mount onto a valve and hose adapter to stick into the other side and add water.

Where do I find the needle? I wantto build the tool, I can see this completly premade tool with gauge, needle, valve, and garden hose adapter on ebay, but its $80. I think I could make it for $8 if I had the needle.

Thanks for any help!
Andrew


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## jebatty (Aug 25, 2015)

I know nothing about ground loop, but I assume it is a closed loop and pressurized to a specified psi. I assume also it has a pressure tank to take care of temperature expansion/contraction in the loop and still maintain pressure. If so, if not present somewhere you need to add a valve to a place on the loop plumbing so you can add or drain water from the loop. The valve should be on a T: valve with inlet, T, T outlet to loop. Then for about $10 or less you can get a pressure gauge at the hardware store. Put the pressure gauge on the T. Next with a hose fitting attach the hose to T inlet. With the loop valve off, turn on the hose faucet, then slowly open the loop valve to add water until the pressure gauge reads what the specs call for and then turn the loop valve off to stop adding water. Check to see that spec pressure is maintained. If not, add a little more water. If spec pressure cannot be maintained, then I suspect there is a leak in the system.

In doing this you may add some air to the loop, the air being in the hose and pushed into the loop before water flows. I assume the loop also has an air scoop to trap air and bleed the air out of the loop as water moves through the loop. If so, adding a little air should not be a problem, but as air is bled off, pressure may drop a bit and you may have to add a little more water.


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## andrewjoseph (Aug 25, 2015)

jebatty said:


> I know nothing about ground loop, but I assume it is a closed loop and pressurized to a specified psi. I assume also it has a pressure tank to take care of temperature expansion/contraction in the loop and still maintain pressure. If so, if not present somewhere you need to add a valve to a place on the loop plumbing so you can add or drain water from the loop. The valve should be on a T: valve with inlet, T, T outlet to loop. Then for about $10 or less you can get a pressure gauge at the hardware store. Put the pressure gauge on the T. Next with a hose fitting attach the hose to T inlet. With the loop valve off, turn on the hose faucet, then slowly open the loop valve to add water until the pressure gauge reads what the specs call for and then turn the loop valve off to stop adding water. Check to see that spec pressure is maintained. If not, add a little more water. If spec pressure cannot be maintained, then I suspect there is a leak in the system.
> 
> In doing this you may add some air to the loop, the air being in the hose and pushed into the loop before water flows. I assume the loop also has an air scoop to trap air and bleed the air out of the loop as water moves through the loop. If so, adding a little air should not be a problem, but as air is bled off, pressure may drop a bit and you may have to add a little more water.


Thanks for reply. 
I have no connector for a hose. I have two small ports that accept a needle that looks like a bike pump needle. I have the pressure gauge that inserts into the ports to check pressure.

I am just looking for the needle to add onto a garden hise so I can stick it into the port for adding the water. It needed about 8 oz. Yesterday ( out of 65 total in loop) to take it from 5 psi to 55. 

Do you know what needle I am talking about or where to get it?

My system is 30 years old and I believe works a bit differently as far as some stuff.

Thanks for the help!


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## jebatty (Aug 25, 2015)

Sporting goods store or the sporting section of another store, and then fittings to transition from the male thread on the needle to the hose fitting.


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## sloeffle (Aug 25, 2015)

I bought one from a local guy who was selling them on eBay. I will see if I can find some part numbers for you.


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## andrewjoseph (Aug 25, 2015)

sloeffle said:


> I bought one from a local guy who was selling them on eBay. I will see if I can find some part numbers for you.


Thank you. I would appreciate it. A few people have said its just a basketball pump needle, anr if this is true then great.

If there is a special needle i would like to use it. Thank you very much.


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## sloeffle (Aug 26, 2015)

Unfortunately, I was unable to any part numbers off of the gooser that I have. The needle on the end is too small to be a bike pump needle IMHO. Hopefully the pics with the tape line will help you find one.





The needle looks to be 3/16" wide









Scott


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## andrewjoseph (Aug 28, 2015)

sloeffle said:


> Unfortunately, I was unable to any part numbers off of the gooser that I have. The needle on the end is too small to be a bike pump needle IMHO. Hopefully the pics with the tape line will help you find one.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you very much for posting those pics. Just saw the post.

Appreciate the help!


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