Geospring bad reviews

[woodgeek]

The low EFs on combustion HWH units are due to losses through the flue when the flame is not on, not low combustion efficiency.

 

[semipro]

I'll probably regret saying this but our blue top Geospring has performed flawlessly for at least 2 (maybe 3) years now
-- its hard to type with fingers crossed.

 

[Jocko1]

I am looking at this unit to replace an indirect oil fired unit. New pellet stove heats my entire house. I am thinking about plumbing it in around the indirect and shutting indiect it down until it gets really cold down in my basement. Basement stays around 50 until it gets bitterly cold out. Any advice?

 

[velvetfoot]

I'm thinking of doing the same thing. The dehumidification attracts me. If not using oil for heat, I'd say run the electric water heater-even resistance is better than getting a boiler involved. At least it was, until last winter's electricity spikes; not sure anymore.

 

[woodgeek]

I am looking at this unit to replace an indirect oil fired unit. New pellet stove heats my entire house. I am thinking about plumbing it in around the indirect and shutting indiect it down until it gets really cold down in my basement. Basement stays around 50 until it gets bitterly cold out. Any advice?

If its a normal full basement, I wouldn't expect it to cool you off too much. In my attached 2-car garage, my HPWH might drop the temp a degree or two. 45-50°F is where these units start to switch over to straight resistance electric (to avoid frost on their coils), so if you thought your indirect was cheaper to run, that is indeed when you would switch it over.

In NJ, I would think you could take some modest steps to airseal/insulate your rim/sills or windows to get the min temp above 50°F all of the time...and then you could retire the indirect, or only use it when you were having 10 relatives crashing at your place and needing showers.

 

[Jocko1]

If its a normal full basement, I wouldn't expect it to cool you off too much. In my attached 2-car garage, my HPWH might drop the temp a degree or two. 45-50°F is where these units start to switch over to straight resistance electric (to avoid frost on their coils), so if you thought your indirect was cheaper to run, that is indeed when you would switch it over.

In NJ, I would think you could take some modest steps to airseal/insulate your rim/sills or windows to get the min temp above 50°F all of the time...and then you could retire the indirect, or only use it when you were having 10 relatives crashing at your place and needing showers.

If my wife had ten relatives staying at my house I would mysteriously disappear for a while I wouldn't care how much fast the hot water went out!

 

[jdp1152]

I've been using the red one since Dec 2012 and haven't had any issues, knock on wood since it seems many of these reviews are for years 1.5-3. All of 2013 I was able to keep it in heat pump mode, but had to bump to Hybrid during the deep freeze this winter because the basement temps dropped quite a bit. Just switched it over to heat pump only again and haven't heard any complaints from the family.

With online reviews there are always going to be be confounding factors....people tend to post more when something is wrong vs something going right. I certainly haven't followed up with a positive review mainly because I don't think about it.

Interesting. Not easy to tell what is going on with amazon reviews. Folks will buy one model, and then post reviews on a different model years later, v confusing.

There were clearly some lemon units in the first run a few years ago, and it seems that GE is making good on repairs (and reimbursement for energy bills) with many of these commenters. Are these 5% of units or 50%??

Lots of geospring users on the site....anyone have any problems?

My AOSmith HPWH seems ok, 22 mos in.

 

[jdp1152]

I never hear it run....it's in the basement directly under my living room and never have I heard it. I can hear the pump on the well and the pump on my geothermal units running more so than the water heater (all in the same room). Even next to it when it's in HP mode, I don't really find it very loud. Probably wouldn't want it in my living space, but requiring more square footage or a vented closet makes that pretty pointless IMO.

Yes, as shown in this thread. There are other brands and superior technologies but I am still an electric tank heater type guy. For me it's the noise these HPWHs make, ridiculous.

 

[Jocko1]

I have a family of 4, two adults and two kids. Will the 50 gallon geospring be sufficient?

 

[DBoon]

I have a family of 4, two adults and two kids. Will the 50 gallon geospring be sufficient?

I'd say it depends on how water efficient your household is. a HPWH takes about three to four times longer to recover in heat-pump only mode (where the savings are) when the tank needs heat. If you have already invested in water saving appliances (dishwasher, washing machine) and low-flow showerheads, and if your kids are not of the age where they are taking 30 minute showers, then maybe.

Another consideration - how "bought in" is your wife to trying something new in order to save some money and/or get the side benefit of a dehumidified basement? If she is not bought in, then I am sure you can expect that every time your family does two loads of laundry in quick succession while running the dishwasher just before someone jumps in the shower, you can be sure that you will hear about what a "dumb idea" that new water heater was when your last one worked just fine. Remember that most people's idea of a good hot water heater is one that never leaves them without hot water. If wife and/or family buy in is low, go with a larger tank as it will be more likely to meet their most important needs.

If someone in your house takes longer showers and drains the tank of hot water, then some re-education may be in order for a HPWH to work well for you, otherwise, you will have to set it to hybrid/electric backup mode and will negate some of the savings.

Remember also that a HPWH really works best with a temperature setting of 120-125 degrees F. I used to set my electric water heater to 140 degrees F (and had it on an overnight timer) and that would allow more "capacity" of usage. That also says "larger tank for a family of four".

 

[Jocko1]

I'd say it depends on how water efficient your household is. a HPWH takes about three to four times longer to recover in heat-pump only mode (where the savings are) when the tank needs heat. If you have already invested in water saving appliances (dishwasher, washing machine) and low-flow showerheads, and if your kids are not of the age where they are taking 30 minute showers, then maybe.

Another consideration - how "bought in" is your wife to trying something new in order to save some money and/or get the side benefit of a dehumidified basement? If she is not bought in, then I am sure you can expect that every time your family does two loads of laundry in quick succession while running the dishwasher just before someone jumps in the shower, you can be sure that you will hear about what a "dumb idea" that new water heater was when your last one worked just fine. Remember that most people's idea of a good hot water heater is one that never leaves them without hot water. If wife and/or family buy in is low, go with a larger tank as it will be more likely to meet their most important needs.

If someone in your house takes longer showers and drains the tank of hot water, then some re-education may be in order for a HPWH to work well for you, otherwise, you will have to set it to hybrid/electric backup mode and will negate some of the savings.

Remember also that a HPWH really works best with a temperature setting of 120-125 degrees F. I used to set my electric water heater to 140 degrees F (and had it on an overnight timer) and that would allow more "capacity" of usage. That also says "larger tank for a family of four".

WOW,
Thanks for that answer, maybe I will go with the bigger tank, I really don't need to here anymore complaining from her.

 

[Justin M]

I have a family of 4 and don't have any problem in heat pump only mode. Thay being said, we do try to stagger showers/baths, and the use of the dish and clothes washers. We set the dish washer on a timer to run over night. I replaced an indirect oil fired set up that was only being used for hot water and I would definitely buy the Geospring again given the opportunity.

 

[woodgeek]

I had concerns about HW volume with two tween girls, so I went with an 80 gallon HPWH from AOSmith. Cost about $900 more, and while I like the unit, which is more efficient than the gen 1 geosprings, the HW capacity seems well north of what I need....with low-flow shower heads I seem to get well over 60 minutes of shower time.

I suspect the geospring would have done the job for me.

Remember that you have fast recovery and better first hour rating in Hybrid mode, at lower eff. If you did have a problem, you could just switch to hybrid. It would still run in HP most of the time and save you money.

 

[jdp1152]

I have a family of three and a wife who takes insanely long showers and my kid takes baths in a tub much larger than a typical one. We have only had issue when we have house guests. But that's a lesson learned and easy remedy is putting on hybrid or high demand mode in those occasions. I keep mine set at the lowest it will go (either 120 or 125, can't recall).

 

[mustash29]

If anyone is hyped for a HPWH but on the fence about the GE unit, if you already have a tank or indirect, the Nyletherm 1 is < 400 shipped on E-Bay, or the 2nd generation Geyser is about 850-900 depending on which temp control you need. More $ but excellent reviews and nearly an industrial strength build from what I hear.

I believe that will be my route: 80 gal indirect w/ wood or oil for the coil & a Nyle for the off season.

 

[velvetfoot]

You wouldn't have electric resistance boost then.

 

[mustash29]

At 3.0 gpm x 2 adults x 15 min back to back showers on full hot @ 110 deg, 80 gal in reserve will be plenty. We use a few gal for washing dishes after breakfast / dinner, rarely ever use warm or hot for the clothes, etc. We don't need resistance backup.

My 80 gal indirect has an upper and a lower annode rod. I've contemplated installing an element in one of those ports, with an additional thermal well / acquastat in the recirculation port that we will otherwise not use.

(broken link removed to https://www.slantfin.com/products/other-products/indirect-water-heater.html)

https://www.slantfin.com/images/stories/Technical-Literature/dimensionaldata_hwt_dim.pdf

 

[Highbeam]

You wouldn't have electric resistance boost then.

As I understand it, you leave the electric tank water heater elements energized at a lower setpoint than the nyle so that the nyule does the job if it can and then the resistance elements kick on at a lower temp.

 

[velvetfoot]

That's no what mustach29 is planning, for now at least:
"I believe that will be my route: 80 gal indirect w/ wood or oil for the coil & a Nyle for the off season."

 

[Highbeam]

If anyone is hyped for a HPWH but on the fence about the GE unit, if you already have a tank or indirect, the Nyletherm 1 is < 400 shipped on E-Bay

Or was he.... I would also want a backup to the NYLE. If you use an existing tank heater then you have your backup built in. If you use an indirect storage tank then yes, you would be stuck if that Nyle couldn't keep up.

 

[mustash29]

Just about anything is better then the oil tankless coil I have now.

My first "find" was a Crown Mega Stor 40 for dirt cheap. It has a pinhole in the coil. If I cap the coil off, it will be quite usefull as an atmospheric surge tank / cistern for my Empyre Elite / storage tank project.

My next option was a functional indirect. I got a good deal on the Slant Fin unit. Crossing my fingers that the "titanium glass lined" steel will last a decent while. From my research, having adequate water hammer protection is key for longevity of the lining. Water hammer, such as dishwasher and washing machine solenoids slamming shut cause enough of a hammer that it kills any glass lined tank prematurely.

I then learned about HPWH's. I like the GeoSpring. At 599 in CT right now it's a good deal, but it has it's share of past issues. When the HP or tank fails, you are left with a derranged mess. I think the Nyle 1 or Geyser is a far better option when hooked to a functioning tank.

 

[roadking88]

Yeah the reviews on the Lowe's site will be positive. The "smart" water heater we have came from Lowe's. They all had a bad circuit board and the manufacturer kept ignoring everybody. I finally sent a letter to the manufacturer giving them ten days and I was suing Lowe's in small claims court. On day eight a new updated circuit board and instructions for the five minute installation magically showed up in the mail. After months of them denying anything was wrong with them.

All of the reviews on the Lowe's site raved about them and the one negative I posted never showed up there.

what heater was that??? i'm looking at one now..this one seems to be ok...
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay...06-135-ES40R92-45D&storeId=10151&rel=nofollow

 

[BrotherBart]

what heater was that??? i'm looking at one now..this one seems to be ok...

They are all different now. Mine was ten years ago.

 

[semipro]

Another interesting discussion on HPWH including the GeoSpring here:
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/co...-50-gallon-hybrid-heat-pump-water-heater.html

 

[CenterTree]

We need a new water heater soon.

Started looking into these HeatPump units this week. Read a lot of bad about the GepSpring too.

Researched to find the Electrolux EE66WP30PS Electric Hybrid Heat Pump to be a nice premium product as far as HPWH go.

Yeah, very pricey too!
http://www.big-georges.com/EE66WP30PS.aspx#prettyPhoto

Stainless steel tank though. And a $300 rebate.