My Geospring

[john193]

Can't find the part number now....it was one that takes up two breaker slots in the main panel, with just an LED on each to show that its connected.

this is what I was looking at as well. Can I use 2 existing 20 amp single pole breakers for one of these surge protectors, or does it need its dedicated breakers? Is it even code installing it into existing breakers?

what are you thoughts on something like this?

http://www.amazon.com/Intermatic-IG...0&sr=8-1&keywords=whole+house+surge+protector

 

[woodgeek]

Mine took up two slots, but I had several open. If you are out of slots, you might consider a different unit.

As for specs...not an expert.

 

[Clarkbug]

And any electric water heater over 45 gal must be a hp.

I thought it was any heater over 55 gallons... http://www.hotwater.com/naeca/

 

[STIHLY DAN]

I thought it was any heater over 55 gallons... http://www.hotwater.com/naeca/

You are correct, I was mistaken.

 

[TonyVideo]

I bought a whole house surge protector from Duke. It goes in before the meter itself. It has a red LED on the side and if it goes out it tells me it needs replaced. I have had it 5 years and still working fine.

 

[Cranky64]

Any idea on how much this kit cost? I have an 80 gallon unit that resides under my stairs on the first floor I want to replace. The closet is 3x4 with a 8 foot ceiling. I was thinking that I could just use the intake part of this kit and vet it to a resister that will pull air from our dining room and install a louvered door on the closet. Since i run my pellet stove 24x7 for 5 months of the year we obviously are numb to background noise. There currently is a $500 utility rebate, but I think the federal tax credit is gone.

Just came across this at the EcoRenovator forum.
Its a duct kit for the red top Geosprings, sold by GE.
http://products.geappliances.com/appliance/gea-specs/GVK8HS

 

[semipro]

Any idea on how much this kit cost?

No. I haven't seen a price yet.
I'd be wary of noise transmitted through the duct work. We run a pellet stove too which does make the HPWH noise seem more tolerable.

 

[Cranky64]

I just grabbed one of these at Lowes. The could not find how to add the extended warranty, so I took it without.

 

[Cranky64]

We finally got it installed. I'm starting out with 2 8x30 inch grills in the walls one high above the door and one low and on the side wall. So far I think this setup is working because I can feel the cool air spilling out of the bottom grill. Temps on the outside of the grills from an IR thermometer read 72 for the high grill and 55 for the low grill.

 

[Ashful]

...when the governments mandated efficiencies comes to play. ... any electric water heater over 45 gal must be a hp.

I guess what I don't understand here is that, if that condenser is placed within the heated envelope of your dwelling in a cold-weather climate, you're not going to see efficiency above the electric water heater for the entire heating season. Cooling season, even in a moderate mid-Atlantic climate, doesn't usually amount to much (our air conditioning bills are insignificant, compared to our heating bills). I would venture to guess the added manufacturing and maintenance of the hp probably swamps the savings in any northern climate, unless the condenser is moved outdoors. You're stealing heat from your house to gain efficiency, which must be replaced by your boiler or HP.

 

[Cranky64]

I'm the opposite, my summer electric bills easily double my winter bills.

 

[woodgeek]

I guess what I don't understand here is that, if that condenser is placed within the heated envelope of your dwelling in a cold-weather climate, you're not going to see efficiency above the electric water heater for the entire heating season. Cooling season, even in a moderate mid-Atlantic climate, doesn't usually amount to much (our air conditioning bills are insignificant, compared to our heating bills). I would venture to guess the added manufacturing and maintenance of the hp probably swamps the savings in any northern climate, unless the condenser is moved outdoors. You're stealing heat from your house to gain efficiency, which must be replaced by your boiler or HP.

This would be true if your space heating was electric resistance, that is, very expensive. In practice, most folks space heat is cheaper per BTU than electric resistance, and you still save money in the winter relative to a conventional elec tank. If the space is a basement or attached garage (like mine) that is 'semi-conditioned' it can do better....stealing BTUs that would have been leaked to the earth/outdoors anyway.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

I guess what I don't understand here is that, if that condenser is placed within the heated envelope of your dwelling in a cold-weather climate, you're not going to see efficiency above the electric water heater for the entire heating season. Cooling season, even in a moderate mid-Atlantic climate, doesn't usually amount to much (our air conditioning bills are insignificant, compared to our heating bills). I would venture to guess the added manufacturing and maintenance of the hp probably swamps the savings in any northern climate, unless the condenser is moved outdoors. You're stealing heat from your house to gain efficiency, which must be replaced by your boiler or HP.

My basement in the winter drops 2 degrees running this. Wont cost much to heat the basement up 2 degrees, but we don't heat the basement. Also as I am in the northern climate, going from oil to electric hot water my electric bill went down an average of $10 a month from april till November. That's free hot water plus $70 saved. The other 5 months the bill went up $15 a month. So I would pay $5 a year for hot water.

 

[mithesaint]

I just wanted to check in with a little report on my Geospring, and my electric bill observations.

For the winter of 2013-2014, I had a 17 year old propane water heater, and was heating my house primarily with my pellet stove, which was on the main level in the center of the house. I'm not exactly sure how much propane I used for heating water, but I was estimating I was spending $50-60/month for hot water. The basement was unheated. From December 2013- March 2014, I used 5500 Kwh.

In July of 2014, I had a Geospring installed in place of the old propane heater. In addition, I also installed a multifuel furnace into the utility area of the basement, about 10 feet away from the Geospring. There is also a dehumidifier in that room, and it runs quite a bit.

From December 2014-march 2015, I used 5096 Kwh. So, the addition of the Geospring and the multifuel furnace actually managed to somehow lower my electric bills overall. Add in the $50/month I saved on propane by ditching the old water heater, and it looks pretty good. I'm not exactly sure where the difference came from. I think the biggest change was that the dehumidifier ran less often due to the Geospring, and I think the heaters in my aquarium didn't have to work as hard due to that part of the house being warmer, thanks to the furnace.

I know that the previous winter was a bit colder, but I think that was offset by the switch to the furnace and it's much larger blower. Anyway, that's my story. YMMV.

 

[woodgeek]

Thanks. The same analysis over the coming summer could show even bigger savings.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

I will bet money on that. My biggest savings are in the summer.

 

[billb3]

Why is GE bringing appliance manufacturing back from China?
December 6, 2012 by Marty Lariviere

​

also 6 yuan to the dollar vs 7 yuan to the dollar

 

[Clarkbug]

Bumping the thread to see if anyone has one of the new Geosprings? There is a revision to the red top that now allows it to operate to a lower temp, increases the EF, and it has a "Northern Climate" hybrid mode.

Just hoping they have fixed some of the controller/sensor issues.

 

[Brian26]

Bumping the thread to see if anyone has one of the new Geosprings? There is a revision to the red top that now allows it to operate to a lower temp, increases the EF, and it has a "Northern Climate" hybrid mode.

Just hoping they have fixed some of the controller/sensor issues.

I have had mine for 2 years with only one minor issue. My elements disintegrated I believe because I only ran it in heat pump only mode and never used the elements. GE sent an upgraded set free.

I got it for $200 with CT utility and federal rebates and have the 10 year lowes warranty on it. It saved me a fortune over a regular electric. I had it hooked up to my effergy whole house energy and it was crazy how little power it used in heat pump only mode.

I checked out the new model and compared it mine. It looks like the new one has a 5 percent efficiency gain. 62 vs 67.

The Northern climate setting looks to meet some new requirement.

Our 2015 models are the first units to meet the high standards required to be Northern Climate Specification Tier 3 certified.

There is also a phone ap available now that you can connect to tank and control it.

One think to keep in mind with these is that the advertised 67 percent less power consompution is in hybrid mode where it uses both the elements and heat pump.Running it in heat pump only saves more.

Mine pulls 500 watts in heat pump only mode vs 4500 for the elements. 8 times less power. In heat pump only mode I am only using 2-3 kwh a day.

 

[mtrel]

I have had mine for 2 years with only one minor issue. My elements disintegrated I believe because I only ran it in heat pump only mode and never used the elements. .

Brian, how did you know your elements disintegrated? I've had mine running for a year and a half and have yet to turn on the elements.

 

[maple1]

I was thinking about that thread & report in July when I turn the breaker back on to my ordinary tank type heater. It had been turned off for over 2 years. Came back to life OK though. Lots of variablities in water quality out there, I suppose.

 

[velvetfoot]

And, in the polar opposite, I forgot to turn off the electric tank heater (before the add on heat pump) one winter, and it kept the tank hot for the whole winter! They are indeed quiet.

 

[moey]

I was thinking about that thread & report in July when I turn the breaker back on to my ordinary tank type heater. It had been turned off for over 2 years. Came back to life OK though. Lots of variablities in water quality out there, I suppose.

Corrosive water will find a neutral point and stay that way. Its the constant changing with corrosive water that does in heating elements and pipes.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

They are more efficient because they now have twice the insulation.

 

[Brian26]

Brian, how did you know your elements disintegrated? I've had mine running for a year and a half and have yet to turn on the elements.

I got an error code on the display. F-3 I think. It seems to be programmed to revert back to heat pump only mode if there is an issue with the elements as I still had hot water and the heat pump ran. I called GE and they sent me 2 new better elements no questions asked. The new ones I received were bigger and had twice the element area.

(broken image removed)
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/my-geospring.128122/page-6#post-1879465