Yeah, sounds neat. Although, as you say, the smallest unit is 12 tons. Where we are, mid-south, a typical residential heat pump is 5-6 tons. That’s what we have. Some of our neighbors have 2-unit systems, I guess if the house floorplan is spread out such that it’s better to have 2 zones. Those aren’t 6 tons though, they are more like two 3-ton units. One 6 is cheaper than 2 3’s.
However…heat pumps only work down to about 40 degrees outside air temperature. Below that it has to use supplemental electric heater coils. Large parts of the US are colder than that for months at a time during winter.
“Our spot”? Does that mean you bought? Or holidaying and renting the same place as years ago?
With Covid restrictions finally lifted we spent a month in the rental we have been going to for 14 years. It has proven better to rent and keep our money in BRK. Current prices in France are pretty good relative to the USA, so it we are always considering that if economic and political situations change we might head to Europe full time.
Probably we have procrastinated long enough for the slowdown in the US real estate market to close that window. We will definitely be back in Europe in the spring, and a combined France/Portugal tour is a likely plan.
However…heat pumps only work down to about 40 degrees outside air temperature. Below that it has to use supplemental electric heater coils.
That seems perhaps to be old expectations? Most of the systems I’ve looked at lately are way better than that.
This one produces its normal maximum 55C water at ambient temps down to -5C, and manages 40C water at exterior temps down to -15c.
(produces 131F water at temps down to ambient 23F, and 104F at temps down ambient 5F)
The more budget heat pumps produce much lower temp water, which won’t drive ordinary radiators or manage hot tap water.
Around here it’s below 5C way less than 1% of the time, so I’m not very worried about winters.
They way things are going, I’m more concerned about the ability to produce 7C water for the air con at ambient temperatures over 40C.
They say it can do that 7C goal with ambient up to 46C (115F).
Then you get into the ones using CO2 as a refrigerant…the problem is the water comes out so hot you have to cool it down to use it for anything.
They way things are going, I’m more concerned about the ability to produce 7C water for the air con at ambient temperatures over 40C. They say it can do that 7C goal with ambient up to 46C (115F).
I’m a little surprised that nobody mentioned geothermal in connection with heat pumps - much less extremes of temperature than ambient. In Ireland certainly in rural settings, most domestic heat pumps are set up with a geothermal source. Perhaps in cities (like Monaco) this is not an option although, check this out for vertical geothermal https://celsiusenergy.com
I’m a little surprised that nobody mentioned geothermal in connection with heat pumps - much less extremes of temperature than ambient. In Ireland certainly in rural settings, most domestic heat pumps are set up with a geothermal source. Perhaps in cities (like Monaco) this is not an option although, check this out for vertical geothermal https://celsiusenergy.com
I had sticker shock when I priced a ground source heat pump. I suppose it will eventually pay off for most installations, but it can take a long time.
I’m a little surprised that nobody mentioned geothermal in connection with heat pumps - …
Nice approach many places, but (to oversimplify) no ground water here so I didn’t consider it.
Not an easy solution on the side of a rocky mountain.
There is ground water near by, of course…the Med.
Monaco is currently building a seawater heat pump system for municipal heating and cooling, and running a network through the streets.
That works best with deep seabeds near a densely populated shore…check.
For example, using the air con network costs €16.87 per MWh of cooling you use. Plus 20% sales tax.
Tap water is pretty cool even in summer. Has there been any attempt to circulate it inside the house for cooling before running out to faucets and toilets?
Tap water is pretty cool even in summer. Has there been any attempt to circulate it inside the house for cooling before running out to faucets and toilets?
This is, in effect, how the buildings in downtown Toronto are cooled.
They draw cold water from the bottom of the lake for drinking.
But before it goes to the water supply, they use it for chilling.
They are lucky to have a big cold deep freshwater lake right near the population density.
Closed loop geothermal doesn’t need groundwater. Sufficient depth cools the liquid in the closed loops.
Yeah but…rock : )
You’d also have to go pretty deep to get to cool levels depending on the geology.
Picture a very steep south facing rocky slope in a hot climate.
A friend near here has a place around 300m from the sea, elevation about 150m above sea level.
His well went down about 250-300m before he hit water, well below sea level.
But it’s fresh water.
Since they work by moving heat from a hot living room to a kitchen tap, the efficiency is quite astounding during the periods you need both. Expensive, but (a) no gas bills after that, and (b) maybe there won’t be any gas.
That might not be one’s only goal-- much better for virtue signalling : )
Lucky you. Our tapwater is warm enough to take a bath in.
Has something to do with the rocky ground (they had to BLAST a trench deep enough for the sewer, and drinking water pipe cannot go in the same trench as sewer water) – our water line is not quite 12" deep.
And it’s 550 feet from the street to our house, so plenty of time to pick up the summer heat.
OTOH, in winter the tapwater is refreshingly cold.
Of the 40 posts on this thread, only 4 are related to the original post. The original post itself is OT, and subsequent discussions are wayyyyy OT to the original post.
Of the 40 posts on this thread, only 4 are related to the original post. The original post itself is OT, and subsequent discussions are wayyyyy OT to the original post.
Thats the beauty of this board, that it sometimes can be like teatime for old ladies. Just meeting and chatting, communicating, without ideology, without fighting, insulting and posts pulled. Isn’t that great?
Btw: I’ve heard sometimes even financial matters are discussed. So all is good
In 2,500 of the buildings’ 4,000 piles, a construction crew has been drilling holes, filling them with wet concrete, and dropping in the tubing to create “energy piles.”
“This building will operate with carbon-free energy 90% of the time, and we’re hoping through operational improvements we’ll over the years get to the full 100%,” Tahir said.
The original post itself is OT, and subsequent discussions are wayyyyy OT to the original post.